E-Book Restores Gay Sex

A new e-book version of the James Jones novel about soldiers stationed in Hawaii prior to the Pearl Harbor attack will include mentions of gay sex censored from the 1951 book.

The Los Angeles Times reports on the uncensored digital version of the book, which is being published by Open Road Media at the urging of Jones's heirs, including his daughter, author Kaylie Jones. She spoke with The New York Times, which also interviewed George Hendrick, an emeritus English professor from the University of Illinois who wrote a new afterword for the book.

"Mr. Hendrick said two scenes that had homosexual content were cut from the original version of the book and have been restored in the digital version," reported The New York Times. "In one, a soldier, Pvt. Angelo Maggio (played by Frank Sinatra in the 1953 movie) mentions how he has oral sex with a wealthy man in exchange for $5 or $10 that 'comes in handy the middle of the month.' Another deals with a military investigation into possible homosexual activity."

From Here to Eternity was turned into an Academy Award-winning film starring Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, and Deborah Kerr.