Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn

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A rational army would run away. ~Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu

"This is what happened"

Thus begins Shoot .

Is there any such thing as “macho noir”? I’ve never heard of it, but if there were, then Shoot would certainly be a classic example.

Written in the early 1970's the book is heavy with the social and political issues of the time that were causing such upheaval in the United States.

It's also a well-written and clever way to cash in on the interest in such stories that was generated by Deliverance and the wildly popular 1971 movie that followed. No shame there. There were many Deliverance inspired clones published during the seventies. Most of them were just dreck. Shoot is one of the better ones.

The story is set somewhere in the mid-west. One weekend a group of long-time friends are out on their normal weekend hunting excursion. All are middle-aged men with a fondness for guns, hunting (i.e. killing) and all served in World War II and one of them in both WWII and Korea.

They encounter another group of hunters. Without warning one of the other hunters opens fire on the men, lightly wounding one of them. In turn Zeke ,one of the protagonists, returns fire and kills one of the other hunters.

From there the story takes off. Rex Jeannette is the group's Alpha male and the narrator of the story. He's a successful businessman who enjoys the company of men, loves guns,competition and is a Philanderer. He is a so-so husband (though he does provide a comfortable physical existence), hates his oldest son, who is a Hippie and campus agitator (it's the early seventies), and not afraid of anything and has no patience for anyone who is.

Rex is the leader of the group. He knows it and he enjoys the role. It's obvious that Rex's highlight in his life was World War II. With no war to fight he tackles other activities with his natural aggression. With the incident in the woods Rex sees an opportunity to fight a war again and he cajoles, coerces and leads his friends and others into going back into the woods.

The book is obviously a critique not only of the American Male, but of the Establishment (circa 1973), hunting, firearms/gun-owners, Republicans and the general condition of the environment in the United States in the early seventies. That is a lot of ground to cover in a slim 208 page novel,but Mr. Fairbairn pulls it off.

Now as a gun-owner and generally conservative individual I probably should be outraged by this book, but I'm not. It's a fast read and an interesting read. The ending really isn't a surprise, but the leading up to it is very well done. You know that Rex is leading his friends to their doom with his insistence that they return to the woods to confront the other group. You come to realize that Rex really isn't worried about whether he lives or dies either. What he wants is one more chance to fight in a war. To Rex war (real war not what passes for war in his everyday hum-drum existence)is the only honorable pursuit for a man and he feels like his life is empty. He wants what happens and he wants others to go with him because he is their leader and they will follow him by god.

What makes this novel interesting is how it portrays the men of the WWII generation. The so called "Greatest Generation".

Remember this book was written in the early seventies when that group was middle-aged and very much in charge. They weren't elderly grandfathers yet. They were at the top fat with power, influence and money. In the early seventies there was no gauzy sentimentality covering them. They were the bosses and there was a whole mess of problems happening in the United States at the time - as there always is. Being in charge means you get the flack when things go wrong. And in 1973 many things were going wrong.

Yes one can argue that it was pretty thankless on Fairbairn's part to savage those who went to World War II and then returned and built an economy that almost everyone benefited from for many years. Those veterans ensured that he was able to live in a system that allowed him the freedom to write such a scathing critique (of them), but that is our system. Freedom doesn't mean that those who have divergent views are stifled and gagged. Otherwise why did we fight World War II in the first place?

I have spent my entire adult life (47 years old at the time of this review being written) in either the U.S. Army or law enforcement. I've known many men like Rex and I have a love/hate relationship with them.

Sometimes the Rexs are very good at what they do and sometimes the Rexs of the world aren't very good at all. Regardless of how competent or incompetent they might be they do love being in charge and they seize the opportunity whenever they can. There is a belief that the Alpha Male is naturally competent as well. That isn't always the case, but that's just my own little snide opinion sneaking in. I'm also honest enough to admit that somebody has to be in charge and I don't like being that person. As a result I have followed the Rexs of this world into some questionable situations myself. I'm not clean. I don't live in an Ivory Tower.

Anyway what I'm trying to to say is that Fairbairn does an excellent job of capturing the Alpha Male in Rex. He also captures the other men and their willingness to follow him deeper into a bad situation. It's illogical and insane in a way, but Rex is in charge and they are his men. See the above quote by the Baron de Montesquieu.

So all in all a good read. Somewhat implausible, but engrossing, suspenseful and a fast, intelligent read. Reading it almost forty years after it was published the bite is gone. It's easier to view it from a more dispassionate perspective and appreciate it for it's merits rather than be wound up by it's political/social viewpoints.

Like so many of the books that I have reviewed here Shoot/i] is long out of print. Finding it will take some effort. I was sent my copy by one of my Goodread contacts for which I am very appreciative. If you find it give it a try. If nothing else look at it as a counterweight to the hero worshiping that is now occurring of the World War II generation. Not that we shouldn't appreciate what they went through and what they did for us, but blind worship can also be as bad as constantly undermining those in charge.

Good hunting.
I type therefore I am

Re: Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn

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One of my favorite places to haunt was a used book store down the block from my house when I was younger. Lots of good, hard to find stuff there. Used books stores, not too common around here anymore. Should try harder to find one. I'd like to read that I think. I've met men who try to lead others in their fights. Never understood them well.
My best shot I guess will be around the college campuses. Ann Arbor is close.

Lately, thinking I'd like to re-read some of Gary Jennings works.
Bud.

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure"---- Dan Quayle, 1990.

Re: Shoot by Douglas Fairbairn

3
Over the past few years I've found many a used book at my local library. People donate books and those books that can't be put on the shelves are sold by the library. Paperbacks are twenty-five cents and hardbacks are either $3.00 or $4.00. I love it. It allows me to support my local library and I have found some great little gems.
I type therefore I am

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