THE BEST

[593jones]

John Hughes-Wilson has written a series of novels on the Great War, detailing the wartime career of Thaddeus 'Tommy' Gunn, a regular officer in the Sherwood Foresters.  There are five books, each one devoted to one year of the war, with the year as the title.  I really enjoyed them.

 

Edited 31 August , 2021 by 593jones

[seaJane]

12 hours ago, ilkley remembers said:

 I’ve heard him speak on a couple of occasions at the Ilkley Literature Festival and  his argument, as far as ‘Peaceful’ is concerned, is that young boys/men were subject to significant overt manipulation encouraging them to enlist in 1914 and this is what he is attempting to highlight.

 

I suppose, for example, pre-war writers like Henty, Beresford and Westerman, amongst many others, presented a sanitized and romantic view of war and helped foster negative and fearful views of Germany. Unsurprisingly, some of these novelists later worked for Charles Masterman at the War Propaganda Bureau.

 

A subject for discussion on a separate thread perhaps.

Interesting, but that wasn't my issue with the book when I read it (I'm holding off saying what is, as it is a massive spoiler and there may still be someone who wants to read the book). 

[David Filsell]

Thank you all for your suggestions and comments.

I am now seeking out copies of some of the books suggested on this thread of which I am was unaware. Earlier this year I thinned out my collection of Great War books quite considerably, not least book shelf space.  I have a room full of bookshelves  with more in bedrooom and had totally run out of shelf space. Piles of volumes were growing in corners and on desk tops. Many of the non military books I have accumulated went to to charity shops.

Although  there were a some tough decisions the military books sold were largely the older ones durin over 30 years of serious collecting which have been bettered by more recent books on the subject or individual (how many books on Douglas Haig do you need?). In addition I have, until my recent resignation as book rviews editor of Stand To!, benefited from review copies of a large number of worthwhile works sent for review, many have updated accounts events and people no covered subjects much better than older works on the subject or individual. Not least, somehow,  Pat Barkers trilogy has been replaced by a single volum and somehow, worryingly, the gaps in the shelves are filling up already!

Thanks again for your help. It is much appreciated.

Regards

David