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One True Sentence #40 with David Morrell

Jul 30, 2026

Guest

David Morrell

David Morrell, prolific novelist and creator of John Rambo, and longtime writing teacher. He picks a favorite Hemingway sentence and talks rhythm and hypnotic first paragraphs. He explains crafting First Blood’s opening, revising for narrative drive, influences from Philip Young and John Barth, and how sentence craft shapes mythic storytelling.

50:19

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ADVICE

Start With Tone Not Event In Literary Openings

Prioritize tone over immediate plot in openings: Morrell argues evocative, wide first sentences can succeed if they establish the book's tone.
He teaches that the opening paragraph should be imitated by the rest of the book to maintain cohesion.

insights

INSIGHT

First Paragraphs Hypnotize The Reader

A working first paragraph hypnotizes readers and sustains them through a book, says David Morrell.
He argues successful openings set tone rather than plot, creating a trance that propels the reader forward.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

How First Blood's Opening Finally Arrived

Morrell describes how the published First Blood opening arrived after he rewrote backward to find the precipitating event.
He discovered the sentence about Rambo a year into writing when he needed a better entry to make the plot cascade.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

One True Sentence Choice

03:18 • 2min

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Tone and First Sentences

04:58 • 2min

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First Paragraph as Hypnosis

06:51 • 39sec

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First Blood's Opening Line

07:30 • 2min

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Reworking the Opening

09:50 • 1min

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Narrator Technique and Omniscience

10:59 • 1min

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Other Memorable Openings

12:17 • 1min

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First Sentence Across Genres

13:44 • 4min

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Training, Craft, and Test Borings

Intense Graduate Mentorship

27:46 • 21sec

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Young's Scholarly Interests

Big Two-Hearted River Influence

38:59 • 25sec

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War, Return, and First Blood

39:23 • 5min

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Politics, Citizenship, and Perspective

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

First Blood

David Morrell

First Blood is a novel by David Morrell that tells the story of John Rambo, a troubled Vietnam veteran who becomes embroiled in a violent confrontation with Sheriff Wilfred Teasle in rural Kentucky. The novel delves into themes of post-traumatic stress disorder, masculinity, and the consequences of war, offering a complex portrayal of both characters as they engage in a relentless pursuit through the wilderness.

#3759

• Mentioned in 17 episodes

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ernest Hemingway

For Whom the Bell Tolls, published in 1940, tells the story of Robert Jordan, a young American demolitions expert attached to an antifascist guerrilla unit in the mountains of Spain during the 1937 Segovia Offensive. Over 72 hours, Jordan falls in love with María, a woman raped by fascist soldiers, and navigates tensions with the guerrilla leaders Pablo and his courageous wife Pilar. The novel explores loyalty, courage, love, and the tragic death of an ideal, culminating in Jordan's successful destruction of the bridge and his sacrifice awaiting enemy troops. The title is derived from John Donne's Meditation 17, emphasizing human interconnectedness.

#2749

• Mentioned in 23 episodes

The Things They Carried

Tim O'Brien

A collection of interconnected short stories exploring the psychological and emotional toll of the Vietnam War on soldiers.

#21799

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Big Two-Hearted River

Ernest Hemingway

"Big Two-Hearted River" is a two-part short story by Ernest Hemingway that depicts Nick Adams's solitary camping and fishing trip in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan after returning from World War I. As Nick methodically sets up camp and fishes in the river, the story explores themes of healing, nature, and the process of recovery from trauma. Through detailed descriptions and understated prose, Hemingway captures Nick's emotional state and his attempt to find solace and renewal in the natural world. The story reflects on the psychological impact of war and the restorative power of simple, purposeful activities.

#268

• Mentioned in 131 episodes

The hero with a thousand faces

Joseph Campbell

In this book, Joseph Campbell explores his theory of the 'monomyth', a universal pattern found in the mythological narratives of various cultures. He details the stages of the 'hero's journey', which include departure from the ordinary world, initiation into a supernatural world, and return with a boon. Campbell draws on a wide range of mythological sources and integrates insights from psychology, particularly from Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, to illustrate the common elements of heroic myths across different cultures.

#27843

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

The Successful Novelist

a lifetime of lessons about writing and publishing

David Morrell

In *The Successful Novelist*, David Morrell shares insights from his decades-long writing career, offering practical advice on crafting compelling stories, overcoming writer's block, and navigating the publishing industry. The book is designed for both aspiring and experienced writers, providing a detailed exploration of the writing process and the psychology of being a fiction writer.

#1216

• Mentioned in 44 episodes

Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms is a semiautobiographical novel that captures the harsh realities of war and the pain of lovers caught in its sweep. The story follows Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American ambulance driver on the Italian front, and his passionate relationship with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse. The novel interweaves themes of love, war, loyalty, and desertion, reflecting Hemingway's own experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I. The book is known for its vivid and deeply felt portrayal of war and its impact on individuals, as well as Hemingway's distinctive writing style that emphasizes immediacy and simplicity.

#3848

• Mentioned in 17 episodes

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

In 'A Moveable Feast', Hemingway recounts his life in Paris during the 1920s, detailing his experiences as a young, unknown writer. The book is filled with vivid descriptions of the city, its nightlife, and the literary figures he encountered, including James Joyce, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein. Hemingway reflects on his poverty, his writing, and his personal relationships, all set against the backdrop of Paris's vibrant cultural scene. The memoir was written during the last years of Hemingway's life and published posthumously in 1964 by his widow, Mary Hemingway.

Sympathy for the Devil

Kent Anderson

Welcome back to the fortieth edition of our favorite literary parlor game as our guests choose their favorite sentence from everything Hemingway ever wrote in prose, poetry, correspondence, or journalism.

In this episode, David Morrell, prolific author and creator of the iconic John Rambo character, offers his one true sentence from “In Another Country.”

Morrell – author of First Blood, The Brotherhood of the Rose, and The Successful Novelist, among many others – joins us to discuss his life in writing and reading. We discuss the importance of first sentences, Hemingway’s grammar, Morrell’s friendship with the legendary Hemingway scholar Philip Young, good writing as hypnotic, the creation of Rambo as a character, John Barth, Carl Jung, and much more!

Thank you for listening to One True Podcast! Consider donating to the Hemingway Society, including to the recently created One True Podcast Fund or the Hemingway Café Club!

Previous "one true sentences" are collected in: One True Sentence: Writers and Readers on Hemingway’s Art, available here.

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