linden Posted 14 March , 2008 Share Posted 14 March , 2008 I've found a book of 50 Stories from WW1 . It was printed in 1937 .Some of the pieces are reprinted from elsewhere . Does this book ring a bell ? Is it of any interest ? I've read a couple so far : One describes an escape from Belgium , aided by Nurse Cavell . Another is about the Battle of Cambrai . Linden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 14 March , 2008 Share Posted 14 March , 2008 Yes - "Fifty Amazing Stories of the Great War" - had it as a child and picked up another copy a few years ago. It was one in a series of such popular titles such as "Fifty Amazing Detective Stories" or whatever, all about the same chunky size and dark binding. Bit of an allsorts volume, being reprints from previously-published articles and books, but covering a wide range of theatres and experiences. You have to make allowance for some obvious self-publicists and exaggerators, but then that's also true of many other wartime accounts. At least it introduced me to the Great War's scope and complexity, with an emphasis on personal accounts rather than narrative official history. So not a bad collection, on the whole. LST_164 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 15 March , 2008 Share Posted 15 March , 2008 It's surprising how many of the tales are drawn from acclaimed writers and accounts - you sometimes see it in charity shops for very little, and it is welll worth picking up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollydot Posted 16 March , 2008 Share Posted 16 March , 2008 Linden Would be interested to see that next time you're passing Templemore. Evelyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepper Posted 9 August , 2011 Share Posted 9 August , 2011 One of my favourites from the book is "Rats" by Philip Gosse and ever since I was kid I've wondered how true this story is -that as an officer in the RAMC he was appointed Rat Officer to 2nd Army and was responsible for devising a rodent control plan for the army? Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 9 August , 2011 Share Posted 9 August , 2011 I wouldn't be at all surprised, though the ODNB, which has him down as "general practitioner and writer on natural history" has only this to say of his wartime career: "Gosse's career was interrupted by the outbreak of war in 1914, in which he served as a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps. In France until autumn 1917, he was then transferred to India until the armistice. His wartime recollections, Memoirs of a Camp-Follower, were published in 1934, and were later reissued as A Naturalist Goes to War (1942)." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelab Posted 10 February , 2015 Share Posted 10 February , 2015 A battered copy of this wonderful book has just come my way. The endpapers are brilliant... (Hope I manage to post pic here) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 10 February , 2015 Share Posted 10 February , 2015 There are also 'Fifty Amazing Hairbreadth Escapes' (with a few WW1 stories in) and 'Fifty Amazing Secret Service Dramas' (mainly WW1-based stories) in this series. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
other ranker Posted 10 February , 2015 Share Posted 10 February , 2015 This is an amazing book to introduce you to some of the Great War classics. Use the contents as a great bibliography. I think I have nearly all the books in it in my collection. It is a great way to find in its entirety Herbert Reid's 'In Retreat', a recognised masterpiece. Read on and enjoy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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