What do you think?
Rate this book
No One Thinks of Greenland
“You’ll want to scratch.” These spoken words open to us the strange and beguiling world of young Rudy Spruance, forced to join the military due to a mysterious past, and sent for some inexplicable reason to a top-secret military hospital in Greenland. There he meets a wide cast of unusual and colorful characters, outcasts and rejects all; begins to fall for the commanding officer’s leggy and strong-willed girlfriend; and slowly uncovers the awful secret behind the portion of the base dubbed “the Wing.”
310 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
2 people are currently reading
179 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 14, 2023
Greenland. Remote army base. Weird, secretive atmosphere. Army dudes full of burly grrrr.
The tension, mystery, and intrigue lasted the entire book. Rudy Spruance, the newest personnel, is dumped into a world of uncertainty. He appears to have been transferred in error, so they make use of his skills, giving him the role of creating a newspaper. Confidential access approved.
He edges closer and closer to the “keep out of it” goings on, despite threats, humiliation, and roughing up. Strangest of all is the hospital wing full of patients who are mostly a head, torso, and the odd arm or leg. They are receiving special care for their injuries during the Korean War, which ended six years prior. But. Why are they there? Like really there? Why is it every time one dies, a letter is sent to their next of kin advising that new information has come to light that patient x died in the war years earlier? And then cremates the body.
The plot and anticipation reminded me of Shutter Island. Or a little brother of SI. I kept wondering if it was all a dream, a fever, an experimental camp for carefully selected criminals. The imagination runs riot. I was wrong on all fronts, however I found it compelling to keep guessing.
Unfortunatley there was a romance involved which I don’t really dig in general but it was okay. I was hoping it was part of the experiment, but not really. The ending gave me some satisfaction in this regard. Spoiler alert: I prefer unhappy endings….
I will be interested to see what fellow readers thought of this book. I am guessing some could see this as a typically masculine hero book where there are a lot of authoritive men barking orders. On the other hand, if you see through that, it also shows the fragility of the male ego for hyper-masculine types. In the arctic winter some people go off the rails. And men being seen crying over a mental thing seems to be huge in the plot ending. As well as becoming a failure. The more balanced man could take it in his stride and move forward but this is not an option for all types, and this shows in the high suicide rates among some demographics.
I think this book would appeal to the manly man in need of some secret solace.
The tension, mystery, and intrigue lasted the entire book. Rudy Spruance, the newest personnel, is dumped into a world of uncertainty. He appears to have been transferred in error, so they make use of his skills, giving him the role of creating a newspaper. Confidential access approved.
He edges closer and closer to the “keep out of it” goings on, despite threats, humiliation, and roughing up. Strangest of all is the hospital wing full of patients who are mostly a head, torso, and the odd arm or leg. They are receiving special care for their injuries during the Korean War, which ended six years prior. But. Why are they there? Like really there? Why is it every time one dies, a letter is sent to their next of kin advising that new information has come to light that patient x died in the war years earlier? And then cremates the body.
The plot and anticipation reminded me of Shutter Island. Or a little brother of SI. I kept wondering if it was all a dream, a fever, an experimental camp for carefully selected criminals. The imagination runs riot. I was wrong on all fronts, however I found it compelling to keep guessing.
Unfortunatley there was a romance involved which I don’t really dig in general but it was okay. I was hoping it was part of the experiment, but not really. The ending gave me some satisfaction in this regard. Spoiler alert: I prefer unhappy endings….
I will be interested to see what fellow readers thought of this book. I am guessing some could see this as a typically masculine hero book where there are a lot of authoritive men barking orders. On the other hand, if you see through that, it also shows the fragility of the male ego for hyper-masculine types. In the arctic winter some people go off the rails. And men being seen crying over a mental thing seems to be huge in the plot ending. As well as becoming a failure. The more balanced man could take it in his stride and move forward but this is not an option for all types, and this shows in the high suicide rates among some demographics.
I think this book would appeal to the manly man in need of some secret solace.
March 24, 2021
I see that this was turned into a movie in 2005 ("Guy X"), with Jeremy Northam as Colonel Woolwrap. Jeremy Northam used to be one of my big crushes so I certainly would have sought it out, back then. This is a decent read, if you can get past the first few chapters and suspend your disbelief that hottie Irene (Col. Woolwrap's girlfriend) would be interested in average-looking fuck-up Corporal Rudy Spruance, and mosey along to the friendship that develops on a tiny American military outpost on Greenland in 1959 between Rudy and Guy X, a stump of a one-armed no-legged man with half his face missing and his skull concaved in a hushed-up Korean War offensive with mass American casualties due to faulty ammunition and equipment. It looks like the movie changes the Korean War to the Vietnam War, because Hollywood.
Read
August 15, 2018Thoughts:
-Delightful and refreshing as a dip in a fjord!
-This book is just calling out to be made into a movie. I'd love to see the surreal landscapes on the big screen.
-I came up with a better ending, and I bet other readers did, too.
-If you liked Catch-22, you'll like this. If you didn't like Catch-22, you'll probably like this anyways.
Edit: Apparently this has been made into a movie! "Guy X", 2005.
-Delightful and refreshing as a dip in a fjord!
-This book is just calling out to be made into a movie. I'd love to see the surreal landscapes on the big screen.
-I came up with a better ending, and I bet other readers did, too.
-If you liked Catch-22, you'll like this. If you didn't like Catch-22, you'll probably like this anyways.
Edit: Apparently this has been made into a movie! "Guy X", 2005.
October 27, 2019
1959 tritt Corporal Rudy Spruance seinen Dienst auf einem abgelegenen US-Militärstützpunkt in Grönland an, auf dem die Soldaten offenbar nicht viel mehr zu tun haben als vor den allgegenwärtigen Mücken zu flüchten, Küchen- oder Wachdienst zu schieben und sich zu betrinken. Gänzlich erschließt sich Rudy der Sinn dieser gottverlassenen Militärbasis nicht. Er tut, was er tun muss, saugt sich auf Wunsch des Kommandeurs eine Standortzeitung aus den Fingern und verliebt sich ausgerechnet in die Geliebte seines Befehlshabers.
Eines Tages erhält er Zutritt zum "Flügel", einem streng abgeriegelten Gebäudeteil, und kommt so dahinter, was wohl tatsächlich der Hauptzweck von Qangattarsa ist: ein geheimes Lazarett für Schwerstverwundete aus dem sechs Jahre zuvor zu Ende gegangenen Koreakrieg, die offiziell als vermisst gelten, böse verstümmelte menschliche Wracks, deren Existenz nach außen hin strikt abgeleugnet wird. Die meisten dämmern nur noch in einem undefinierbaren Geisteszustand vor sich hin, doch Rudy stellt bei einem seiner ersten Besuche fest, dass einer von ihnen sich noch verständlich machen kann und sich nur noch eines wünscht: die Welt auf Qangattarsa aufmerksam zu machen.
Der Titel "Niemand denkt an Grönland" ist perfekt gewählt - für die meisten Menschen ist Grönland ein reichlich obskurer kalter Fleck Erde, an den man kaum einen Gedanken verschwendet, und genauso weit weg vom Alltag und Bewusstsein der normalen Bevölkerung ist dieser karge, heruntergekommene Militärstützpunkt und ganz besonders die totgeschwiegenen Bewohner des "Flügels".
Man wird von der ersten Seite an unvermittelt hineingeworfen in diese eisige, fremde Welt, in der sich Rudy wie ein Fremdkörper fühlt und wo das zeitliche Empfinden insbesondere während des unerträglich kalten, dunklen Winters völlig verschwimmt. Fast wirkt Qangattarsa wie ein Ort auf einem anderen Planeten, so sehr bringt er die Soldaten an ihre äußersten Grenzen, geistig noch mehr als körperlich. Was das erzwungene Zusammenleben auf engem Raum unter widrigen Bedingungen mit den Menschen macht, wird hier sehr eindrucksvoll geschildert.
Am beklemmendsten jedoch ist der Umgang mit den zerstörten Existenzen der Koreaveteranen. Man versteckt sie vor den Blicken der Welt, tut so, als gäbe es sie nicht, schweigt sie tot, behandelt sie kaum wie die Menschen, die sie trotz ihrer Versehrtheit doch immer noch sind. Wie viel davon auf Tatsachen beruht und was erfunden ist, vermag ich nicht zu beurteilen - so oder so habe ich die Geschichte dieser Männer jedoch als eindringliches Plädoyer gegen sinnlose Kriege und vor allem auch gegen den öffentlichen Umgang mit ihren Folgen gelesen.
Ein trostloser Schauplatz, menschliche Abgründe und schwere Schicksale - ganz bestimmt kein Wohlfühlbuch, aber eines, das mich ziemlich fasziniert hat und noch lange nachklingen wird.
Zum Schluss möchte ich auch noch die ausgezeichnete Übersetzung von Ingo Herzke hervorheben, die jederzeit den richtigen Ton trifft, was gerade bei diesem Buch sicher nicht einfach war.
Eines Tages erhält er Zutritt zum "Flügel", einem streng abgeriegelten Gebäudeteil, und kommt so dahinter, was wohl tatsächlich der Hauptzweck von Qangattarsa ist: ein geheimes Lazarett für Schwerstverwundete aus dem sechs Jahre zuvor zu Ende gegangenen Koreakrieg, die offiziell als vermisst gelten, böse verstümmelte menschliche Wracks, deren Existenz nach außen hin strikt abgeleugnet wird. Die meisten dämmern nur noch in einem undefinierbaren Geisteszustand vor sich hin, doch Rudy stellt bei einem seiner ersten Besuche fest, dass einer von ihnen sich noch verständlich machen kann und sich nur noch eines wünscht: die Welt auf Qangattarsa aufmerksam zu machen.
Der Titel "Niemand denkt an Grönland" ist perfekt gewählt - für die meisten Menschen ist Grönland ein reichlich obskurer kalter Fleck Erde, an den man kaum einen Gedanken verschwendet, und genauso weit weg vom Alltag und Bewusstsein der normalen Bevölkerung ist dieser karge, heruntergekommene Militärstützpunkt und ganz besonders die totgeschwiegenen Bewohner des "Flügels".
Man wird von der ersten Seite an unvermittelt hineingeworfen in diese eisige, fremde Welt, in der sich Rudy wie ein Fremdkörper fühlt und wo das zeitliche Empfinden insbesondere während des unerträglich kalten, dunklen Winters völlig verschwimmt. Fast wirkt Qangattarsa wie ein Ort auf einem anderen Planeten, so sehr bringt er die Soldaten an ihre äußersten Grenzen, geistig noch mehr als körperlich. Was das erzwungene Zusammenleben auf engem Raum unter widrigen Bedingungen mit den Menschen macht, wird hier sehr eindrucksvoll geschildert.
Am beklemmendsten jedoch ist der Umgang mit den zerstörten Existenzen der Koreaveteranen. Man versteckt sie vor den Blicken der Welt, tut so, als gäbe es sie nicht, schweigt sie tot, behandelt sie kaum wie die Menschen, die sie trotz ihrer Versehrtheit doch immer noch sind. Wie viel davon auf Tatsachen beruht und was erfunden ist, vermag ich nicht zu beurteilen - so oder so habe ich die Geschichte dieser Männer jedoch als eindringliches Plädoyer gegen sinnlose Kriege und vor allem auch gegen den öffentlichen Umgang mit ihren Folgen gelesen.
Ein trostloser Schauplatz, menschliche Abgründe und schwere Schicksale - ganz bestimmt kein Wohlfühlbuch, aber eines, das mich ziemlich fasziniert hat und noch lange nachklingen wird.
Zum Schluss möchte ich auch noch die ausgezeichnete Übersetzung von Ingo Herzke hervorheben, die jederzeit den richtigen Ton trifft, was gerade bei diesem Buch sicher nicht einfach war.
November 26, 2015
I saw this book mentioned several years ago as an overlooked gem and figured I'd check it out. Ever since I flew over Greenland while en route to Iceland, the place has intrigued me, and the book's premise of a post-Korean War secret military hospital on the southern tip was intriguing. The story follows Cpl. Rudy Spruance, who steps off a plane in 1959 not really knowing where he is or why he's there. This turns out to be a classic Army snafu, as the hospital has no need for his skills as an information officer. But the base's nutty commander, Col. Woolwrap, decides to keep Spruance and have him start a base newspaper in order to raise morale.
The book is long on atmosphere, as the harsh and unvarying climate and terrain act as a surreal claustrophobic prison of both body and mind. There's an element of mystery to it all, as Spruance seeks to discover the secret behind the men cared for in a special secured wing, and what happened to Col. Woolrap in Korea. The other significant plotline involves the Colonel's sexy aide-de-camp (and lover), who rather inexplicably falls into a torrid affair with Spruance, and their attempt to keep things secret. This latter storyline doesn't work very well, as it's never established why she would go for him at all.
The book succeeds largely on mood and in the smaller scenes, which are evocative and well told. The opening, in which Spruance is mauled by mosquitoes and almost dies, is a great example of the weird pockets that exist in the story. Another memorable moment is a scene in which drunk soldiers go polar bear hunting in a jeep. However, the overall story never quite worked for me, and I'm not sure why. It might be that this kind of story about the military has been told before (the most familiar examples being Catch-22 and M*A*S*H and to a certain extent Johnny Got His Gun, and in countless less well known but excellent books such as Buffalo Soldiers). It's just not as subversive as it seems to want to be, but portions of it display some real talent, and I'm curious to check out what else the author has done.
Note: The fictional hospital and airfield in this book was very loosely inspired by the non-secret WWII-era U.S. military hospital and airfield at Narsarsuaq, Greenland, which was shut down after the war but then reopened in for a period of time in the mid-1950s.
The book is long on atmosphere, as the harsh and unvarying climate and terrain act as a surreal claustrophobic prison of both body and mind. There's an element of mystery to it all, as Spruance seeks to discover the secret behind the men cared for in a special secured wing, and what happened to Col. Woolrap in Korea. The other significant plotline involves the Colonel's sexy aide-de-camp (and lover), who rather inexplicably falls into a torrid affair with Spruance, and their attempt to keep things secret. This latter storyline doesn't work very well, as it's never established why she would go for him at all.
The book succeeds largely on mood and in the smaller scenes, which are evocative and well told. The opening, in which Spruance is mauled by mosquitoes and almost dies, is a great example of the weird pockets that exist in the story. Another memorable moment is a scene in which drunk soldiers go polar bear hunting in a jeep. However, the overall story never quite worked for me, and I'm not sure why. It might be that this kind of story about the military has been told before (the most familiar examples being Catch-22 and M*A*S*H and to a certain extent Johnny Got His Gun, and in countless less well known but excellent books such as Buffalo Soldiers). It's just not as subversive as it seems to want to be, but portions of it display some real talent, and I'm curious to check out what else the author has done.
Note: The fictional hospital and airfield in this book was very loosely inspired by the non-secret WWII-era U.S. military hospital and airfield at Narsarsuaq, Greenland, which was shut down after the war but then reopened in for a period of time in the mid-1950s.
June 29, 2010
This isn't the type of book that I normally would pick up, but Nancy Pearl recommends it in Book Lust (as well as More Book Lust), so I gave it a try, and it surprised me. While the characterization is fairly thin, Griesemer is excellent at set and setting, and I don't think that I'll forget Stark Raving Dark for a while.
March 6, 2013
While I'm neither into books about war nor conspiracy theories, Griesemer's story about a presumably existing post WWII hospital for war veterans in Greenland nonetheless managed to keep my interest. If the characters were a bit more plausible this could have gotten four stars.
January 10, 2015
Although it was a slow starter, I really liked this book. I think that anyone even remotely interested in the Korean War or Greenland would enjoy this book.
Here's an awesome quote:
"Now Rudy was alone. Standing among the dead. This went beyond fucking up, although that was still part of it; it also had elements of ordination and choice, of destiny and duty. We're here because we're here because we're here..."
Heck! This book is chock-full of this stuff. Read it.
BTW: This book was made into a movie, although I can't vouch for the quality of it. See below.
http://www.celluloiddreams.co.uk/guyx...
Here's an awesome quote:
"Now Rudy was alone. Standing among the dead. This went beyond fucking up, although that was still part of it; it also had elements of ordination and choice, of destiny and duty. We're here because we're here because we're here..."
Heck! This book is chock-full of this stuff. Read it.
BTW: This book was made into a movie, although I can't vouch for the quality of it. See below.
http://www.celluloiddreams.co.uk/guyx...
August 21, 2010
I do not in general enjoy reading books about war and the military because it's hard for writers to find something new to say. Griesemer, however, does manage to take a new approach to criticizing the military. This book is sort of like a melancholy Catch 22. Everyone's going crazy, but there's a moving air of sadness that permeates the book. Not exactly lighthearted, but an engrossing read. My one gripe is that the main character doesn't really have enough of a personality to justify all the things that happen to him.
Read
February 24, 2010A very interesting book. I originally picked it up because of the title, "No one thinks of Greenland," which I thought was particularly hilarious. The book swung between hilarious to tragic, often times all within the space of a page. Although the book is not large, it felt very heavy to me.
July 26, 2013
I'm torn between 3 or 4 stars. This book is dark and harsh in an intriguing kind of way. I thought the scenes were well written and did a good job of creating the harsh atmosphere of the setting as well as the uncomfortable subject matter.
March 16, 2017
I wouldn't compare No One Thinks of Greenland to Vonnegut or Heller...because this book makes sense. It's reverent and funny and depressing in all the right places. It is a very well-written story... and well-edited to boot.
Read
May 17, 2009No-one Thinks of Greenland by John Griesemer (2002)
January 4, 2010
This was one strange book and it just might be possible that a place like this does or did exist. It is also notable for it's great first line.
January 1, 2023
Interesting book although a bit sad. Rudy Spruance has a rootless existence and when caught living in a house while the owners are on vacation (which he has a habit of doing), the judge suggests he join the army. After training as a publicity officer, he winds up at a secret hospital base in Greenland for wounded from Korea who are too badly wounded to ever recover and live any kind of life. He establishes a bond with one of them who can barely talk and finds out what happened to these men who have been reported MIA and the Colonel in charge is there as punishment. But the Colonel spares no expense to care for the injured. But the rest of the base is kind of crazy. A faint reflection perhaps, with a different twist, of Catch 22.
March 29, 2022
I'm not sure anyone would want to read this if they haven't wandered around what's left of the U.S. military hospital in Narsarsuaq, but if you have -- and if you've heard the urban (so to speak) legends about its use as a repository for Korean War soldiers too hideously wounded to be allowed back home -- then it's a great read. Griesemer's been there. I'm a little annoyed that his other books are apparently set elsewhere.
Read
September 13, 2024Bof
November 20, 2024
3.5 rounded up to 4. It was funny and had a solid storyline, maybe a few too many characters. The ending was not bad but could have been better.
July 11, 2025
Catch 22 like story of penance following Korean War to the people who fought and are still fighting.
December 3, 2009
I did not love this book. Maybe it's because I just didn't get it. I read reviews that said it was Vonnegut-esque and similar to Catch-22. I can kind of see the similarities, but it wasn't funny, wasn't ironic, and just left me a little flat.
I think I like a little more closure in my stories and characters, and this one didn't wrap much up. I also know that I like more character development than what Griesemer provided.
I did finish the book, so that says something, but I think had this not been a book group read, I probably wouldn't have finished.
I think I like a little more closure in my stories and characters, and this one didn't wrap much up. I also know that I like more character development than what Griesemer provided.
I did finish the book, so that says something, but I think had this not been a book group read, I probably wouldn't have finished.
March 31, 2012
2012 AW80B - Greenland
started: 3/25/12
finished: 3/31/12
I really liked this book from the start. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was an interesting look at what happens in an isolated community and how humanity can't always triumph over external stimuli (or lack thereof). I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to, but it was worth the read.
It was more of a 3.5-star book for me, but I'm erring on the side of giving it some additional benefit of the doubt.
started: 3/25/12
finished: 3/31/12
I really liked this book from the start. I wasn't really sure what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprised. It was an interesting look at what happens in an isolated community and how humanity can't always triumph over external stimuli (or lack thereof). I'm not sure who I would recommend this book to, but it was worth the read.
It was more of a 3.5-star book for me, but I'm erring on the side of giving it some additional benefit of the doubt.
July 13, 2015
I've always been very diverse about the books I read, moving out of my comfort zone in a quest to find some great masterpiece. This book is definitely something I would not exactly pick up immediately, but it was on sale so I said, "Why not?" I wouldn't say that I extremely enjoyed reading this. I'm giving it three stars because it did keep me hooked in some parts, but it's not exactly the page-turner I thought it would be.
July 30, 2007
More of a transitory novel than anything else. There are several parallels to "The Thing" and "The Day the Earth stood still" - which go directly to the purpose on why Greenland, why the narrator landed there, and just plain old why (although limited in the framework of the "US Army in Korean War/50's/1960). It is a quick read; the author does keep a fast pace.
June 6, 2010
This is an ok book. I found it a fast read but not a very engaging read though.
December 29, 2010
A thoroughly enjoyable book. It takes us to an unusual place, with great characters,and a really unique and creative story line. I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
March 6, 2011
Reminiscent of "Catch-22," which I didn't like. This is better, though not as good as Griesemer's subsequent "Signal & Noise."
February 20, 2016
I have owned this book for years. I finally decided to read it and it kept my interest... definitely an unusual tale. Yes, I liked it.
May 26, 2016
Although I still have questions about some of the characters' motivations, I found the world of this novel completely immersive and compelling. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews