The Manchurian Candidate

real good book, highly recommended...just whatever you do DO NOT see the movie with denzel...it is AWFUL, it doesn't even follow the book..the book was great

What if a "brainwashing" could create the perfect assassin...One with no memory of the killing, no remorse or guilt. Medal of Honor recipient, Raymond Shaw is just such an assassin. The actions that won him his medal are fictional, memories implanted in his fellow soldiers to position him for future use. Eventually, some of his comrades begin to suspect the truth, but can the solve the puzzle before its too late?

The writing here is similar in style and tone to that of Joseph Heller (Catch-22), though it lacks the humor of Heller's work. The characters here are almost characatures, so over the top that they are almost hard to believe. Yet, somehow they make the story work, and the climax, when it arrives, is entirely satisfying. Though dated in some ways, this is still a gripping thriller.

This book is Condon's revenge against the right-wing fringe and lingering McCarthyites. There are some differences from the film, but the basic story tracks very closely to the 1962 picture. Americans for Democratic Action must have loved this one.

Audiobook, perfectly narrated by Christopher Hurt.
The most prophetic political thriller that I know of.
More brilliant more sordid and involved than the stunning movie versions. Drugs — Morphine, Cocaine — everything. The scenes and interrelationships are creepy as Heck!! The Freudian version of incest. 😬
Mind-Control, Anti-Science, Compulsive Lying, Obsessive Propaganda. Fraud. Demagogues. Corruption. Yellow Journalism. Honey Traps. Fascism.
No charming Sinatra, Janet Lee, Angela Lansbury. (The first movie.) Or the blazing Merle, Denzel and Liev, Jeffrey Wright (a favorite), Kimberly Elise (great!) Jon Voight - fantastic. Vera Famiga; unforgettable. Something special about Bill Irwin as that scoutmaster. And Obba Babatunde as a Senator. Writers Walter Mosley, Edwidge Danticat, plus Gospel’s Bebe Winans making cameos. The 2004 version was inspired casting!
But how this book got past the censors in 1959 is a stunner. Abortion. Orgies. Then I remembered Henry Miller’s The Rosy Crucifixion (Paris 1950); not that I have read the trilogy - just an excerpt when I was 19. (Digressing.)
Kimberly’s character was a goddess with Saharan heritage, not CIA, in the book. Liev’s handsome character was pretty much a functional sociopath. Denzel’s character was a military hero partly of Aztec heritage.
Except for technology, the book is thoroughly modern. Worst than any of Stephen King’s shining offerings.
I was so taken with the prophetic insights of author Richard Condon that I had to order my own hard copy. I have to see for myself how this author captured the vivid personalities and great heroes of Democracy, and our political processes, so perfectly if politically incorrectly. Especially as regards the Party of Putin and Muscovite prototypes, invertedly posed as “Patriots” or “Freedom” lovers. The description of our Primary system is well done.
It’s the only book — well maybe besides JFK and the Unspeakable [it explains all of the political assassinations and the current genocides] — where I want to write a 2-page review with direct quotes. It is so current and insightful.

This classic tale first published in 1959, is a quickly paced psychological thriller. At the center is Sgt. Raymond Shaw, unknowingly chosen as an experiment in human brain washing for political power. To add to the intrigue, there's a domineering mother, a sad sack step-father, 2 members of Raymond's platoon with recurring nightmares and love lost, found and lost again.

Good book and an easy read. The original movie kept the essential elements of the book but a lot of the color and background are lost in the movie (the Frank Sinatra version). Very controversial for the early sixties. By the way Mccarthy was proven absolutely right when the Venona Cables were declasified. FDR was the real tratior. Read "Blacklisted by History", by M. Stanton Evans, it is also available on Kindle. The term Mccarthyism is now meaningless because everything he said was true. I guess we will have to go back to the old fashion term "witch hunt."

This book is the classic conspiracy story and certainly an unusual one. who could imagine a plot where communists and neo Maccarthyists get together to destabilize the US political establishment, for their own different reasons. The message it sends is that the so-called Maccarthyists in the USA were in fact the enemies of America and not champions of democracy and other values the USA would like to promote.the characters in the book are certainly interesting and there is avery "noir" ambiance throughout the story. the message that comes accross is that one should never look at the obvious, there are dark forces at play. The main character Raymond Shaw is the clue which to the wider conspiracy. when I first saw the first movie version of this book, It fascinated me and I thoguht of it as one of the best thrillers I ever saw. I saw the movie again many years later in a New York cinema. the second version with Denzil Washington is nowhere as good and its attempt to place the story in a modern context rather than the cold war setting is in my view not a good idea. The mandchurian candidate is definitely a book that I recommend to anyone who like political thrillers.

I have always had a great experience dealing with Amazon and this transaction was no exception.

Highly influenced the new book: Howie Weener Unclogged [...]

It is very rare I read a book after seeing the movie. This was the exception to the rule. This book is a pure combination of fun, suspense and genius. Original original original!