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The Confession of Joe Cullen
A pilot, who has thrown a priest to his death in Central America, confesses his crime in a New York City precinct, opening up a world of drugs, faith and deception, and governmental conspiracy
- GenresFiction
282 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1989
8 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Howard Fast
314 books254 followersHoward Fast was one of the most prolific American writers of the twentieth century. He was a bestselling author of more than eighty works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenplays. The son of immigrants, Fast grew up in New York City and published his first novel upon finishing high school in 1933. In 1950, his refusal to provide the United States Congress with a list of possible Communist associates earned him a three-month prison sentence. During his incarceration, Fast wrote one of his best-known novels, Spartacus (1951). Throughout his long career, Fast matched his commitment to championing social justice in his writing with a deft, lively storytelling style.
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 16, 2011
I loved this Confession of Joe Cullen book, although, if it hadn't been Howard Fast (it's no secret--I'm a huge fan), I may well have not read beyond the first chapter/confession--Guy walks into a bar, says, "Hey bartender, who's the good lookin' dame in the corner..." Well, i'm being facetious, but it really came off as second rate New York gumshoe material. But it is Howard Fast so I didn't quit there, and it turned out to be, not only great historical fiction and social commentary, so typical of this fine American author, but also a really wonderful example of spiritual fiction.
There isn't a lot you can tell about this novel, without giving out spoilers. Suffice it to say that it really is a gumshoe story, with all the trappings of that form, including extreme simplicity and a certain corniness. As I was thinking of comparisons just now, Road to Perdition came to mind. People tend to be, after all, simple and a bit corny from one perspective, and yet from another, they are vital, sincere, tormented, and trajic. Having spent most of my life as an artist trapped in a blue collar body, these characters (the good guys, not the bad guys) are my friends. Yes, they are often melodramatic, but that does not negate the very real and powerful drama of their lives and their deaths. Herein, these men and women deal with important questions, such as truth, integrity, love, loneliness, despair, betrayal, loyalty, and forgiveness.
Set in 1987, The Confession is rather pre-technology as we think of it today. But it is a time, not so very far removed and I cannot see it as anything less than still relevant, even socially, to today's world. Spiritually... well spirituality is transcendant of time, is it not? If not, I'm not sure what value it would have.
There isn't a lot you can tell about this novel, without giving out spoilers. Suffice it to say that it really is a gumshoe story, with all the trappings of that form, including extreme simplicity and a certain corniness. As I was thinking of comparisons just now, Road to Perdition came to mind. People tend to be, after all, simple and a bit corny from one perspective, and yet from another, they are vital, sincere, tormented, and trajic. Having spent most of my life as an artist trapped in a blue collar body, these characters (the good guys, not the bad guys) are my friends. Yes, they are often melodramatic, but that does not negate the very real and powerful drama of their lives and their deaths. Herein, these men and women deal with important questions, such as truth, integrity, love, loneliness, despair, betrayal, loyalty, and forgiveness.
Set in 1987, The Confession is rather pre-technology as we think of it today. But it is a time, not so very far removed and I cannot see it as anything less than still relevant, even socially, to today's world. Spiritually... well spirituality is transcendant of time, is it not? If not, I'm not sure what value it would have.
November 17, 2015
"Η ομολογία του Τζο Κούλεν", εκδόσεις Bell.
Βαθμολογία: 7/10
Ο Χάουαρντ Φαστ ήταν ένας αρκετά διάσημος και πολυγραφότατος συγγραφέας, γνωστός για τις αντικαπιταλιστικές και μαρξιστικές απόψεις του. Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, που δεν είναι και το πιο γνωστό του, είναι ένα παράδειγμα των απόψεων του απέναντι στην βρώμικη εξωτερική πολιτική των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών.
Έχουμε τον Τζο Κούλεν, βετεράνο του πολέμου του Βιετνάμ, εξαιρετικό πιλότο αεροπλάνων και ελικοπτέρων, που θέλει να εξομολογηθεί για τον θάνατο ενός παπά στην Ονδούρα. Αρχικά θα προσπαθήσει να εξομολογηθεί σε μια πόρνη, στην συνέχεια σ'έναν γέρο παπά και στο τέλος σ'ένα αστυνομικό τμήμα. Τότε θα κινηθούν διάφορες διαδικασίες, γιατί ο Κούλεν ήταν μπλεγμένος σε μια βρώμικη υπόθεση στην Ονδούρα, με μεταφορά όπλων, εμπόριο ναρκωτικών και παιχνίδια μυστικών υπηρεσιών... Λοιπόν, μέσω της ενδιαφέρουσας αλλά μάλλον απλής και προσχηματικής πλοκής, ο Φαστ τα χώνει κανονικά στις υπόγειες και βρώμικες κινήσεις της Αμερικάνικης κυβέρνησης σε διάφορες χώρες της Λατινικής Αμερικής. Μάλιστα τα χώνει και λίγο για τον παράλογο πόλεμο στο Βιετνάμ. Φυσικά αυτά που διάβασα δεν με εξέπληξαν καθόλου, ούτε με βρήκαν αντίθετο, απλά ο Φαστ μου φάνηκε κάπως μονόπλευρος. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, θα την χαρακτήριζα αρκετά καλή, σίγουρα ευκολοδιάβαστη. Οι χαρακτήρες είχαν τα αναπόφευκτα κλισέ και κάποιες κινήσεις και αποφάσεις τους δεν με έπεισαν, όμως δεν ήταν αδιάφοροι. Η ατμόσφαιρα δεν ήταν καθόλου ευχάριστη (αλίμονο με τέτοιο θέμα).
Γενικά, έχουμε να κάνουμε με ένα καλογραμμένο ηθικοπλαστικό δράμα, με στοιχεία θρίλερ, που μέσω της πλοκής του δίνει την ευκαιρία στον συγγραφέα να θίξει τα κακώς κείμενα της Αμερικάνικης εξωτερικής πολιτικής και παράλληλα να μας δείξει πως οι βρωμιές μιας κυβέρνησης επηρεάζουν τους ανθρώπους.
Βαθμολογία: 7/10
Ο Χάουαρντ Φαστ ήταν ένας αρκετά διάσημος και πολυγραφότατος συγγραφέας, γνωστός για τις αντικαπιταλιστικές και μαρξιστικές απόψεις του. Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, που δεν είναι και το πιο γνωστό του, είναι ένα παράδειγμα των απόψεων του απέναντι στην βρώμικη εξωτερική πολιτική των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών.
Έχουμε τον Τζο Κούλεν, βετεράνο του πολέμου του Βιετνάμ, εξαιρετικό πιλότο αεροπλάνων και ελικοπτέρων, που θέλει να εξομολογηθεί για τον θάνατο ενός παπά στην Ονδούρα. Αρχικά θα προσπαθήσει να εξομολογηθεί σε μια πόρνη, στην συνέχεια σ'έναν γέρο παπά και στο τέλος σ'ένα αστυνομικό τμήμα. Τότε θα κινηθούν διάφορες διαδικασίες, γιατί ο Κούλεν ήταν μπλεγμένος σε μια βρώμικη υπόθεση στην Ονδούρα, με μεταφορά όπλων, εμπόριο ναρκωτικών και παιχνίδια μυστικών υπηρεσιών... Λοιπόν, μέσω της ενδιαφέρουσας αλλά μάλλον απλής και προσχηματικής πλοκής, ο Φαστ τα χώνει κανονικά στις υπόγειες και βρώμικες κινήσεις της Αμερικάνικης κυβέρνησης σε διάφορες χώρες της Λατινικής Αμερικής. Μάλιστα τα χώνει και λίγο για τον παράλογο πόλεμο στο Βιετνάμ. Φυσικά αυτά που διάβασα δεν με εξέπληξαν καθόλου, ούτε με βρήκαν αντίθετο, απλά ο Φαστ μου φάνηκε κάπως μονόπλευρος. Όσον αφορά την γραφή, θα την χαρακτήριζα αρκετά καλή, σίγουρα ευκολοδιάβαστη. Οι χαρακτήρες είχαν τα αναπόφευκτα κλισέ και κάποιες κινήσεις και αποφάσεις τους δεν με έπεισαν, όμως δεν ήταν αδιάφοροι. Η ατμόσφαιρα δεν ήταν καθόλου ευχάριστη (αλίμονο με τέτοιο θέμα).
Γενικά, έχουμε να κάνουμε με ένα καλογραμμένο ηθικοπλαστικό δράμα, με στοιχεία θρίλερ, που μέσω της πλοκής του δίνει την ευκαιρία στον συγγραφέα να θίξει τα κακώς κείμενα της Αμερικάνικης εξωτερικής πολιτικής και παράλληλα να μας δείξει πως οι βρωμιές μιας κυβέρνησης επηρεάζουν τους ανθρώπους.
September 28, 2020
“Something in him went out to the big, deflated Irishman, a recognition of mystery like the mystery in himself.”
Seeking absolution, Joe Cullen walks into a confessional to admit to killing a priest. He didn’t directly kill him, but was present at the event. However, because he tells the priest he doesn’t believe in God, the priest won’t give him absolution. It’s hard for Joe to believe in God after what he did and saw in Vietnam. Without absolution, he goes to the police station and tells the cops. His confession is videotaped, but without evidence, they won’t arrest him. The rest of the details he spills about the gun and drug running put all of their lives in danger, though.
There is someone in our extended family named Joe Cullen and while at his house, I saw he had a copy of this book that had his namesake – The Confession of Joe Cullen. I asked to borrow it and he said it was a good story. It’s always fun to come across a name of someone you know in a book. We have family friends who have a daughter named Alex Bailey, just like the girl in Land of Stories series. She loves those books.
The original cops who take Joe’s confession feel an attachment to helping the man, especially after the priest he talked to and a woman he talked to end up dead. The confession tape is sent to the higher district and they are told to get rid of the tape. Joe senses his life is in danger, but doesn’t know where to turn. How do you hide from your own government?
The Confession of Joe Cullen is a crime novel than involves contemplation and thinking. The characters don’t just react, but think through issues involving drugs, faith, morality and love. I really enjoyed the storyline and felt for most of the characters dealing with this tough scenario. It was nice to have some issues brought up, too, instead of a book with just pure action. The book would be for high school age readers or older.
Read more here: https://sarahannecarter.com/the-confe...
Seeking absolution, Joe Cullen walks into a confessional to admit to killing a priest. He didn’t directly kill him, but was present at the event. However, because he tells the priest he doesn’t believe in God, the priest won’t give him absolution. It’s hard for Joe to believe in God after what he did and saw in Vietnam. Without absolution, he goes to the police station and tells the cops. His confession is videotaped, but without evidence, they won’t arrest him. The rest of the details he spills about the gun and drug running put all of their lives in danger, though.
There is someone in our extended family named Joe Cullen and while at his house, I saw he had a copy of this book that had his namesake – The Confession of Joe Cullen. I asked to borrow it and he said it was a good story. It’s always fun to come across a name of someone you know in a book. We have family friends who have a daughter named Alex Bailey, just like the girl in Land of Stories series. She loves those books.
The original cops who take Joe’s confession feel an attachment to helping the man, especially after the priest he talked to and a woman he talked to end up dead. The confession tape is sent to the higher district and they are told to get rid of the tape. Joe senses his life is in danger, but doesn’t know where to turn. How do you hide from your own government?
The Confession of Joe Cullen is a crime novel than involves contemplation and thinking. The characters don’t just react, but think through issues involving drugs, faith, morality and love. I really enjoyed the storyline and felt for most of the characters dealing with this tough scenario. It was nice to have some issues brought up, too, instead of a book with just pure action. The book would be for high school age readers or older.
Read more here: https://sarahannecarter.com/the-confe...
March 16, 2023
more truth than we’d like to believe.
Howard Fast paints vivid pictures with his words. He writes with great compassion about decent people caught up in a corrupt world. The main characters may be fiction, but the basic story is not, unfortunately.
Howard Fast paints vivid pictures with his words. He writes with great compassion about decent people caught up in a corrupt world. The main characters may be fiction, but the basic story is not, unfortunately.
August 16, 2014
Viet Nam vet is broke without a job. His only skill is as a pilot. He is offered a job flying weapons to Nicaragua and drugs back. He is told the CIA and military are involved so there is no way he could get into trouble. When the CIA kills a priest because he is helping the peasants resist the Contras, the pilot stops flying. His conscience gets to him and he tells his story to a Brooklyn print and a NYC prostitute. Both suddenly end up dead. An honest detective tries to help but not in time and the pilot is murdered. The detective finally gets the head man behind the whole operation
April 7, 2013
This book was given to me by a Librarian friend. She thought I would like it and she was right. While a little dated (published in 1989) it provided insight into the guns for drugs scandal as only a novel can do.
July 10, 2012
A typical Howard Fast book...probably a lot of truth buried here, but who knows? Written by a former anti-capitalist Marxist, so what can you expect?
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews