The Phantom Blooper

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**Title** **The Phantom Blooper**
Author	Gustav Hasford
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre(s)	Autobiographical, War novel
Publisher	Bantam Dell
Released	Feb 1990
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBN	ISBN 0553057189
Preceded by	The Short-Timers

The Phantom Blooper is a 1990 novel written by Gustav Hasford, and the sequel to The Short-Timers. It continues to follow Corporal Joker through his Vietnam odyssey. The book was supposed to be the second of a "Vietnam Trilogy", but the author died soon fter completing it. The book is now out of print, but Hasford's website allows you to download the book for free.

1 Plot introduction
2 Literary significance & criticism
3 Footnotes
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Plot introduction

The book is divided into three sections, written in completely different styles of prose.

[edit] Literary significance & criticism

This was the sequel to The Short Timers, renowned for being the basis for the film the Full Metal Jacket. This novel made less of an impact although high regarded by reviewers^[1] and the author died not long afterwards.

Some contemporary reviews:

"A brilliant novel of war, guilt, savagery." Spokane Chronicle^[2]

"Hasford's vision leaves no room for healing...A furious yet compassionate book...Hasford keeps faith with the truth, however ugly, as a means of salvation." Newsweek^[2]

"Hasford has a compelling genius for getting his point across...in prose that deserves to be celebrated...Hasford has truly outdone himself here. The Phantom Blooper is a visionary's work of impressive literary art." St. Petersburg Times^[2]

"Well crafted...Hasford's strength in vividly portraying the day-to-day life of the Viet Cong villagers...gives us something we've rarely seen before: an empathetic view of a heretofore faceless enemy." The New York Times Book Review^[2]

"An extraordinary book, a descent into hell in more ways than one." Associated Press^[2]