One of the Guys

By Robert Clark Young

Book Overview

A brilliant debut novel about a loser who assumes the identity of a dead Navy chaplain and transforms himself on a tour of duty to Southeast Asia. A story straight out of the author's colorful history, which includes a stint aboard an Asian-bound tanker.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060193654
• ISBN13: 9780060193652
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Cliff Street Books
• Length: 306 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 1.3" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

5 for the symbols at your door, 7 for the 7 stars in the sky

In what initially seems a downbeat first chapter we meet Miles, the 33 year-old protagonist, who's down. Down on life, down on his father, whose ever-diminishing expectations Miles fails faithfully to live up to, down on his luck. The only salutary note is his daughter, conceived out of wedlock, raised out of sight but not out of mind. Miles is the only living character we meet in this first chapter. A beginning Sartre or Camus would have loved.And throughout the story (which has been fully detailed in past reviews) we witness the fleshing out of the hollow man - his character develops as he "grows into" the shoes of the dead chaplain he replaces. As his worries of being found out, of not knowing the drill, the acronyms and the Methodist Sunday service are gradually allayed, Miles comed to terms with the lunacy of what he's witnessing at first hand: seamen whose emotional growth is institutionally stunted yet who surge into town on 24-hour liberty passes like testosterone terminators.The prose is as sparse and apposite as only someone who has (reportedly) received 600 rejections could make it. The author's "take" on every situation seems exemplary. Not one superfluous adjective can be found hiding behind the locker; Young's kit and caboodle are laid out proudly pristine for inspection. It beggars belief that someone who can write like this could have trouble finding a backer.Perhaps he multi-layered nature of the book is a clue to this. I read it straight through, pausing only to attend to bodily needs, then stupidly lent my copy to a friend. In the month following I mulled over the story, the satire and the symbols and now need a re-read to slake my thirst. It's very rare to find a first novel as complete, as competent and as compelling as this one. Two-thirds of the way through, you sense Miles is taking control of his own destiny and the surge of real pleasure you feel sets you turning the pages faster as the denouement approaches.OOTG is RCY's first published novel. If he follows the lead of his namesake and mentor NPY, his second will be an all-time masterpiece.

GREAT SATIRE OF A SHIP'S FOLLY!

I found "One of the Guys" to be humorous ridicule, and a method by which he (the author) conveyed satirical criticism to expose follies and vices that existed long before Mr. Young ever set pen to paper. "One of the Guys" covers alleged 'taboo' subjects, to wit: the world oldest profession; i.e., prostitution, as well as porn shops and throw in a little homosexuality along with a nymphomaniac. Of course, he chose the United States Navy as the background for his satire which afforded the author great latitude in fiction. And remember, the genre is fiction! I must say for all the controversy over "the book," it would have been a greater effort, on behalf of opposing contingencies, if they attacked the actual events evidenced in today's' headlines as aggressively as certain organizations attacked "One of the Guys."I personally enjoyed the wit; the story; the writing and the serious side of the book. Mr. Young created very believable characters.Thank you Mr. Young for a very enjoyable work if fiction which I continually highly recommend.

This one's a must read

I just finished reading "One Of The Guys" and have to say that I thought it was smashing. The little blurb on the front of the book describes it as a "service comedy" and I've read several comments by people saying how hard they laughed. To be quite honest, I didn't think of it as a comedy at all and only laughed once near the end but when I did I howled. I did, however, think that this story was full of irony and biting wit and those are the qualities that made it such a wonderful reading experience for me. There was so much truth in the story: the truth of human nature, the sad truths about the things humans do to other humans and then excuse those actions by dehumanizing the ones whom they abuse and the hopeful truth that even though a human being hits bottom there is always the possibility that he/she can begin anew and become a different person. Not quite the way Miles did it but as a metaphor it was the perfect plotline. And, contrary to what some extremist organizations would have us believe, I think it is important that people know about the terrible and unforgiveable things that are visited upon people in countries as poor as those cited as sex ports in the story. The only way to rid ourselves of immoralities is to look at them straight on and say that this isn't right and it has to stop. To stick our collective heads in the sand and pretend that such things don't exist is not only cowardly but it debases us all.I can understand why the Navy is upset by this book. It tells too much of a truth to be palatable to them. And to anyone who has ever had to deal with a 19 year old male, I say multiply that one young man by a ship's complement of 600 and try to imagine what you would get. I think, upon reflection, one would have to agree that you would get what is described in this book. To believe that the United States Military is what is portrayed in movies like Operation Petticoat is so naive as to be laughable. Perhaps in the real world things aren't quite as lax as described in this story but I would be willing to bet that Robert Young's account isn't too far off the mark.If I had to characterize One Of The Guys in one sentence, I would say that it is the story of a man who has been lost for all of his life who, despite running away from what is left of his life and discarding his identity, finds in himself the man he always wanted to be. This is one great story.

Relax, Enjoy and Laugh!

I spent six years in the Navy as a Submarine sailor and this book brings back the dark humor so common among military personnel and members of other large institutions. A word of caution to those who are looking too deeply into the book...it's meant to be funny and cynical. Don't read it as an accurate description of military life because it is not. The book has characters whose personalities seem familiar ie. the wacky officers on the ship! So read it with your tongue firmly in your cheek and remember it's all in good fun!

Realistic Account of Navy Life, but Symbolic of More

I was in the U.S. Navy for 22 years, stationed at Long Beach before I retired. I can say that this book is as accurate a representation of Navy life as I have ever seen. During my time in the Navy, I deployed to all of the places mentioned in this book, including Subic Bay (the Philippines) and Okinawa in Japan. This book is a realistic account of what went on historically in those places. Tho I also think that his book works on levels of symbolism too. Because what he's saying isn't true just about the Navy. It is true about life. Whenever you have an individual in an institution, there's a tension between that person's individuality and the needs and demands of the institution. It's unfortunate but usually the institution wins. I like this book because in this instance it's the main character who has the last laugh. I would highly reccommend this book to anybody. It is a great read just as a story, in addition to what it is trying to say about human society.