The Naked and the Dead

Norman Mailer · 1948

Overview

Set during World War II, the story follows an American infantry platoon ordered to seize a Japanese-held island in the Pacific. Mailer portrays the physical toll of jungle combat alongside the psychological battles between officers and enlisted men. The narrative shifts between the present campaign and flashbacks that reveal each soldier’s civilian life, exposing class tensions and personal motives. Through unvarnished prose, the novel dissects how war amplifies ambition, fear, and the will to survive.

Who it's for

• Readers interested in realistic military fiction
• Students of twentieth-century American literature
• Book clubs exploring moral complexity in wartime

Key features

• Language: English
• First published 1948
• Author: Norman Mailer