Johnny Got His Gun

I discovered this book after learning that it was the basis for Metallica's One. The video includes numerous clips from the movie. (And Metallica is said to have purchased the entire rights to the movie.) I felt the movie clips helped to better understand the book. I had trouble visualizing somebody with no arms, legs, ears or face. The visual clips helped to get a better picture. However, this is the type of work that would be much better in book form. The book is almost entirely within the head of the protagonist. He recalls many past events. He analyzes his current condition. He learns that he does have some limited sensual input. He can feel temperature changes and vibrations. He eventually decides to start tapping morse code. He does that over and over again until he finally gets some morse code communication back. This shocks him. He has spent so much time in the effort that he did not have a plan when it came through. He did quickly hash up a plan, only to have it knocked down by those in authority.

The audiobook includes a couple forwards extolling the virtues of the book as an anti-war novel. While the situation did evolve due to warfare, the story of growth and discovery is more universal. We base our course of action on our past experiences. The loss of mechanisms for carrying out our activities requires us to adapt with what we have remaining. The protagonist took a long time to finally discover ways that he could begin to communicate. Alas, he then got a grand goal in his head, only to have it shot down. The future adaptation becomes the hardest.