.gif)
The Lost Weekend (novel)
Encyclopedia
The Lost Weekend is Charles R. Jackson
's first novel, published by Farrar & Rinehart
in 1944. It served as the basis for a film adaptation by the same name in 1945.
in 1936, the novel explores a five-day alcoholic
binge. Don Birnam, a binge drinker mostly of rye, fancies himself a would-be writer. He lapses into foreign phrases and quotes Shakespeare even while attempting to steal a woman's purse, trying to pawn a typewriter for drinking money, and smashing his face on a banister. That accident gets him checked into an "alcoholic ward." There, a counselor advises Birnam on the nature of alcoholism:
Perhaps the only thing keeping Birnam from drinking himself to death is his girlfriend Helen, a selfless and incorruptible woman who tolerates his behavior out of love. Helen does, however, upbraid him with the words: "I haven't got time to be neurotic." No sooner has he begun to recover from his "Lost Weekend" than he contemplates killing Helen's maid to get the key to the liquor cabinet.
He has a few drinks and crawls into bed wondering, "Why did they make such a fuss?"
that "Charles Jackson has made the most compelling gift to the literature of addiction since De Quincey
. His character is a masterpiece of psychological precision." Sinclair Lewis
called it "the only unflinching story of an alcoholic that I have ever read". Anthony Slide
, a modern editor notes the work is obviously semi-autobigraphical
It is sometimes seen as the seminal addiction memoir in American literature, a precursor to such works as Augusten Burroughs
' Dry or David Carr
's The Night of the Gun. Malcolm Lowry
, who had been working for more than 10 years on the novel that appeared as Under the Volcano
in 1947, resented Jackson's success with The Lost Weekend
, especially Jackson's use of an alcoholic to represent the modern man's condition. Anthony Slide
, a modern editor notes the book is obviously semi-autobiographical.
The book has also been noted for having homosexual overtones with a strong implication that Don Birnam is a latent homosexual.
featuring Ray Milland
as Don Birnam. Although the movie adaptation hews closely to the novel, the novel differed in one respect: Birnam is described in the novel as being tormented by a homosexual incident in college. That is omitted from the film.
Charles R. Jackson
Charles Reginald Jackson was an American author, best known for his 1944 novel The Lost Weekend.-Career:Jackson's first published story, "Palm Sunday", appeared in the Partisan Review in 1939...
's first novel, published by Farrar & Rinehart
Farrar & Rinehart
Farrar & Rinehart was a United States book publishing company founded in New York. Farrar & Rinehart enjoyed success with both nonfiction and novels, notably, the landmark Rivers of America Series and the first ten books in the Nero Wolfe corpus of Rex Stout...
in 1944. It served as the basis for a film adaptation by the same name in 1945.
Synopsis
Set in a rundown neighborhood of ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in 1936, the novel explores a five-day alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
binge. Don Birnam, a binge drinker mostly of rye, fancies himself a would-be writer. He lapses into foreign phrases and quotes Shakespeare even while attempting to steal a woman's purse, trying to pawn a typewriter for drinking money, and smashing his face on a banister. That accident gets him checked into an "alcoholic ward." There, a counselor advises Birnam on the nature of alcoholism:
There isn't any cure, besides just stopping. And how many of them can do that? They don't want to, you see. When they feel bad like this fellow here, they think they want to stop, but they don't, really. They can't bring themselves to admit they're alcoholics, or that liquor's got them licked. They believe they can take it or leave it alone — so they take it. If they do stop, out of fear or whatever, they go at once into such a state of euphoria and well-being that they become over-confident. They're rid of drink, and feel sure enough of themselves to be able to start again, promising they'll take one, or at the most two, and — well, then it becomes the same old story over again.
Perhaps the only thing keeping Birnam from drinking himself to death is his girlfriend Helen, a selfless and incorruptible woman who tolerates his behavior out of love. Helen does, however, upbraid him with the words: "I haven't got time to be neurotic." No sooner has he begun to recover from his "Lost Weekend" than he contemplates killing Helen's maid to get the key to the liquor cabinet.
He has a few drinks and crawls into bed wondering, "Why did they make such a fuss?"
Reception and critical analysis
The book was a best-seller and received rave reviews. Philip Wylie wrote in the New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
that "Charles Jackson has made the most compelling gift to the literature of addiction since De Quincey
Thomas de Quincey
Thomas Penson de Quincey was an English esssayist, best known for his Confessions of an English Opium-Eater .-Child and student:...
. His character is a masterpiece of psychological precision." Sinclair Lewis
Sinclair Lewis
Harry Sinclair Lewis was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. In 1930, he became the first writer from the United States to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, "for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of...
called it "the only unflinching story of an alcoholic that I have ever read". Anthony Slide
Anthony Slide
Anthony Slide is a writer who has produced more than seventy books and edited a further 150 on the history of popular entertainment. He wrote a "letter from Hollywood" for the British Film Review from 1979 to 1994, and he wrote a monthly book review column for Classic Images from 1989 to 2001...
, a modern editor notes the work is obviously semi-autobigraphical
It is sometimes seen as the seminal addiction memoir in American literature, a precursor to such works as Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Burroughs
Augusten Xon Burroughs is an American writer known for his New York Times bestselling memoir Running with Scissors .- Life :...
' Dry or David Carr
David Carr
David Duke Carr is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans first overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
's The Night of the Gun. Malcolm Lowry
Malcolm Lowry
Clarence Malcolm Lowry was an English poet and novelist who was best known for his novel Under the Volcano, which was voted No. 11 in the Modern Library 100 Best Novels list.-Biography:...
, who had been working for more than 10 years on the novel that appeared as Under the Volcano
Under the Volcano
Under the Volcano is a 1947 semi-autobiographical novel by English writer Malcolm Lowry . The novel tells the story of Geoffrey Firmin, an alcoholic British consul in the small Mexican town of Quauhnahuac , on the Day of the Dead.Surrounded by the helpless presences of his ex-wife, his...
in 1947, resented Jackson's success with The Lost Weekend
The Lost Weekend
The Lost Weekend is a 1945 American drama film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Ray Milland and Jane Wyman. The film was based on a novel of the same title by Charles R...
, especially Jackson's use of an alcoholic to represent the modern man's condition. Anthony Slide
Anthony Slide
Anthony Slide is a writer who has produced more than seventy books and edited a further 150 on the history of popular entertainment. He wrote a "letter from Hollywood" for the British Film Review from 1979 to 1994, and he wrote a monthly book review column for Classic Images from 1989 to 2001...
, a modern editor notes the book is obviously semi-autobiographical.
The book has also been noted for having homosexual overtones with a strong implication that Don Birnam is a latent homosexual.
Film adaptation
The book was adapted into a 1945 film directed by Billy WilderBilly Wilder
Billy Wilder was an Austro-Hungarian born American filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, artist, and journalist, whose career spanned more than 50 years and 60 films. He is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Hollywood's golden age...
featuring Ray Milland
Ray Milland
Ray Milland was a Welsh actor and director. His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985, and he is best remembered for his Academy Award–winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend , a sophisticated leading man opposite a corrupt John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind , the murder-plotting...
as Don Birnam. Although the movie adaptation hews closely to the novel, the novel differed in one respect: Birnam is described in the novel as being tormented by a homosexual incident in college. That is omitted from the film.