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The Big War is the second novel by American writer Anton Myrer, published by Appleton-Century-Crofts in 1957. While Myrer is best known for his 1968 novel Once an Eagle , this was his first commercial and critical success.
The novel is based on Myrer's experience serving in the South Pacific during World War II. [1] The ordinary Marine's perception of battle is described in this book in a manner much like Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers , although in this work Myrer also gives a detailed description of life on "the home front" for both Marines (during leave) and their families.
Clifton Fadiman compared The Big War to The Naked and the Dead . Commonweal compared it to War and Peace and The Red Badge of Courage . The Boston Herald described it as a modern Iliad .
The New York Times called it "almost never exciting". [2]
This novel became the basis for the 1958 movie In Love and War , starring Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Bradford Dillman and Hope Lange.