A Confederate General from Big Sur
Encyclopedia
A Confederate General From Big Sur is Richard Brautigan
's first novel, published in 1964.
The story takes place in 1957. A man named Lee Mellon believes he is a descendant of a Confederate
general who was originally from Big Sur
. This general is not in any books or records and there is so far no proof of his existence although Mellon meets a drifter from the Pacific Northwest
who has also heard of this general. Mellon seeks the truth of his own modern-day war against the status quo of the Union states.
The moral of the story is the domination of mind over reality.
Brautigan finished the novel in 1961 but it was not published until January 22, 1964.
The story had no success and dropped in sales and made very little money.
attempted to make it a film starring Burt Lancaster
as Lee Mellon and Steve McQueen
as the drifter. The film adaption by Paramount Pictures never happened. However, Brautigan gave a copy of his novel to Brandon French of Brady French Films to write a screenplay for the movie. The screenplay was only written up to the first draft and the film adaptation never happened.
Richard Brautigan
Richard Gary Brautigan was an American novelist, poet, and short story writer. His work often employs black comedy, parody, and satire. He is best known for his 1967 novel Trout Fishing in America.- Early life :...
's first novel, published in 1964.
The story takes place in 1957. A man named Lee Mellon believes he is a descendant of a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
general who was originally from Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
. This general is not in any books or records and there is so far no proof of his existence although Mellon meets a drifter from the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
who has also heard of this general. Mellon seeks the truth of his own modern-day war against the status quo of the Union states.
The moral of the story is the domination of mind over reality.
Brautigan finished the novel in 1961 but it was not published until January 22, 1964.
The story had no success and dropped in sales and made very little money.
Attempted film adaption
In 1966, Paramount PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
attempted to make it a film starring Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
as Lee Mellon and Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
as the drifter. The film adaption by Paramount Pictures never happened. However, Brautigan gave a copy of his novel to Brandon French of Brady French Films to write a screenplay for the movie. The screenplay was only written up to the first draft and the film adaptation never happened.