King Rat
by James Clavell · first published 1950
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Fictional account drawn from Clavell's own time in the Changi POW camp, with a vivid look at the camp's black-market economy and class divisions. Suits Shogun fans and readers wanting an accessible way back into books.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The time is World War II. The place is a brutal prison camp deep in Japanese-occupied territory. Here, within the seething mass of humanity, one man, an American corporal, seeks dominance over both captives and captors alike. His weapons are human courage, unblinking understanding of human weaknesses, and total willingness to exploit every opportunity to enlarge his power and corrupt or destroy anyone who stands in his path.From the Paperback edition.
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James Clavell's underappreciated first novel King Rat, based on his own experiences as a WW2 POW at Changi, gives a nice if occasionally horrifying view into how the camp economy worked.
on “The Economic Organization of a POW Camp (1945)” ↗I think "King Rat" might also be part of James Clavell's series. Even if it isn't, you should like it if you like the others
on “Ask HN: What literature do you read?” ↗Read that years ago. Some good lessons in it. Another one on similar lines is Taipan by James Clavell. Also King Rat by Clavell.
on “Ask HN: Which non-technology book has influenced you the most and why?” ↗Clavell's whole Asian Saga (Shogun, Tai-Pan, Gai-Jin, King Rat, Noble House, and Whirlwind) is amazing. My favorite is Tai-Pan - the book had a tremendous impact on me, and I'd imagine it would appeal to every real entrepreneur. The underlying themes are freedom,…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2010 and briefly why” ↗James Clavell's fictional account based on his experiences in a Japanese prison camp is wonderful read too, 'King Rat'. I talked with my grandfather often about his service as a submariner in the pacific, brutal, but oddly he never hated the Japanese. He saved that for the French.
on “Hiroshima (1946)” ↗In no particular order the best ones I've read this year(so far) are: Children of the Nameless by Brandon Sanderson Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor by Anthony Everitt King Rat by James Clavell 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship by Robert C. Martin The Elric Saga Part 1 by Michael Moorcock
on “Ask HN: Best books you've read in 2019?” ↗…of the Nameless by Brandon Sanderson - Probably one of the few very good magic the gathering books. Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor by Anthony Everitt - excellent overview of the emperor King Rat by James Clavell - fictional depiction of being a prisoner in a Japanese camp during WW2. 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann - talks about the natives in the Americas…
on “Ask HN: Books You Read in 2019?” ↗…in. The people in it automatically gain depth that a framed photo by some famous photographer of a landscape or half-naked person can never deliver. Books can give insight not found on the Internet. King Rat, by James Clavell (himself a former prisoner of Changi) gives insights that are rare as hens' teeth on the Internet, if they exist there at all. Another stand-out is The Ugly American which surfaces some…
on “How to easily read 50 books a year” ↗King Rat is fiction, but James Clavell was in Changi, he's a good author in his own right and a good intro book to his work. His take on POW economies is worth a look. Also the class systems and how it fits in.…
on “The Economic Organization of a POW Camp (1945)” ↗For an extended read, you may try "King Rat" by James Clavell - same author of the current hit show "Shogun". The book is set in the same Changi PoW camp where the author was held during WWII. The character Lieutenant-Colonel Larkin is based off…
on “A small lathe built in a Japanese prison camp (1949)” ↗…ambivalent as I felt before reading it. As the comments here evidence, people read much into it, and the number 42. This is great. I felt books like The Ugly American [0], Honey Badger (Robert Ruark) and King Rat [1] had more to offer. My opinion hasn't much changed - but I feel the problem lies with me, in that depth and meaning are what I value. Is humour the entirety of the draw for Hitchhiker's Guide, or…
on “It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question” ↗Yeah the Asian Saga includes King Rat, Shogun, Noble House, Taipan as well as Gai-gin, The Whirlwind. They're all pretty good books but I believe Taipan, Noble House and Shogun are considered Clavell's best work, in that order (personally…
on “Ask HN: What literature do you read?” ↗I read both in the 70s, in the Navy. They're both fascinating. You get to do a lot of reading on a deployed ship. King Rat was a pretty good movie too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Rat_%28film%29
on “Ask HN: What books are you reading?” ↗I am a huge HGTG fan, but just driving by to say... King Rat is a massively underrated masterpiece. Read it in my teens and regularly re-read. Astonishing book.
on “It's been 42 years since 'The Hitchhiker's Guide' answered the ultimate question” ↗Thanks, I've read it, don't remember the lathe in it. Awesome book. So much better than shogun or any of his other works from his "trader series". I recommend King Rat to people who need to get back in to reading books.
on “A small lathe built in a Japanese prison camp (1949)” ↗