Martin Bennitt Posted 25 April , 2014 Share Posted 25 April , 2014 'Literature and the Great War 1914-18' by Randall Stevenson, Professor of 20th Century Literature at Edinburgh University in the OUP Oxford Textual Perspectives series, which describes itself as "a new series of informative and provocative studies focused upon literary texts (conceived of in the broadest sense of the term) and the technologies, cultures and communities that produce, inform and receive them." Stevenson notably deals with the impact of the war on contemporary literature, especially the difficulties authors who experienced the fighting had in describing it, as well as its legacy and influence on later writing. He ranges from novels and poems to war reporting and the Official History -- the bibliography alone covers some 12 pages. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 25 April , 2014 Share Posted 25 April , 2014 Thanks for mentioning the Stevenson, Martin, sounds fascinating. My order has gone off to Amazon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 'Literature and the Great War 1914-18' by Randall Stevenson, Professor of 20th Century Literature at Edinburgh University in the OUP Oxford Textual Perspectives series, which describes itself as "a new series of informative and provocative studies focused upon literary texts (conceived of in the broadest sense of the term) and the technologies, cultures and communities that produce, inform and receive them." Stevenson notably deals with the impact of the war on contemporary literature, especially the difficulties authors who experienced the fighting had in describing it, as well as its legacy and influence on later writing. He ranges from novels and poems to war reporting and the Official History -- the bibliography alone covers some 12 pages. Cheers Martin B Could I ask how many pages on the Official History please. I can only find 4 pages using the in the Amazon "Look Inside". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 Could I ask how many pages on the Official History please. I can only find 4 pages using the in the Amazon "Look Inside". There are six brief references to the OH in all, quoting it as a source, saying when it started to be published and comparing its narrative with the personal accounts of individuals who served in the front line. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxi Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 About to start 'The Quick and the Dead'. Maxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 27 April , 2014 Share Posted 27 April , 2014 There are six brief references to the OH in all, quoting it as a source, saying when it started to be published and comparing its narrative with the personal accounts of individuals who served in the front line. Cheers Martin B Thanks, very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 30 April , 2014 Share Posted 30 April , 2014 Finished reading 'Adventures of a despatch rider', an interesting subject and a period of the war that fascinates me but as with his other book about tanks I found that I could not 'connect' with the author, still a good book but not as good as Rawlinson's 'Adventures on the Western Front' , he was a motorcar driver during the same time period. I am now reading Mitchell's 'Backs to the Wall'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 3 May , 2014 Share Posted 3 May , 2014 I am now reading 'Pro Patria Mori', Forum member BMac's account of the 56th (London) Division at Gommecourt, July 1st, 1916. Exhaustive detail, well-written though with some editing errors, this is the first of three massive tomes I bought after hearing Bill's talk at the last Forum conference. The other two are about the other division which attacked at Gommecourt, the 46th, and the unsuccessful assault by the VIII Corps at Beaumont Hamel and Serre. A triumph of research. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 3 May , 2014 Share Posted 3 May , 2014 Martin Bmac's been hiding his light under a bushel. I didn't know volume 3 had been published. Thanks for the heads-up, it's on its way to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 3 May , 2014 Share Posted 3 May , 2014 Historical Dreadnoughts about Arthur Marder and Stephen Roskill. Really interesting stuff about access to Admiralty records, Jutland, Gallipoli, etc. Originally did not buy it because of the poor reviews on Amazon, fool me to believe the reviews of a complex book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 4 May , 2014 Share Posted 4 May , 2014 Finished 'Bullets and Billets' and now starting 'A Surgeon in Khaki'. Only a few pages in but already fascinated by the frankness Arthur Martin is displaying in his criticism of medical arrangements at the start of the war. Having served as a doctor in the Boer War he is clearly furious to be only made a Temporary Lieutenant having volunteered again in 1914. Promises to be an eye opener for a book written and published during the war. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelclark Posted 9 May , 2014 Share Posted 9 May , 2014 Reading "Death's Men" by Dennis Winter again. I enjoyed it previously although he uses a lot of anecdotes. However, some of his stats. and the casualty stats. in particular seem a bit skiwiff to me. Hazel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 9 May , 2014 Share Posted 9 May , 2014 Peter Oldhams' new book Armageddon's Walls. A really interesting book, and surprisingly palatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robigunner88 Posted 9 May , 2014 Share Posted 9 May , 2014 Currently 120 odd pages into 'Gallipoli: The Fatel Shore' by Harvey Broadbent. It's been a decent read so far although I'm not sure how it compares to other books on Gallipoli as this is the first I have read on the battle. However, the author does seem to dedicate more pages towards the Anzac contingent than the British and French. I'm trying to enjoy it as I purchased it at Istanbul Attatürk airport and later discovered when viewing my bank statement that I had been charged £40 for it! Also it should give me a better understanding of the battle as when I pass through Instanbul next month, I plan on taking a battlefield tour down to the peninsular. Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 13 May , 2014 Share Posted 13 May , 2014 I'm baaaaaaaaack !!!!! On the train to Ypres and back today, I took Romain Rolland's "Au-dessus de la Mêlée" with me, a series of letters and short pieces around the peace manifest of the same title that brought the author some trouble as "german sympathiser" . He had some funny ideas, even a first glimpse of a tribunal for war criminals can be found. Interesting thread. then ... as I already apologised for in my chit-chat post 5 minutes ago ... I could not resist those two second hand bargains and have started to read the just bought "The Old Front Line" by John Masefield on the trip back. The other purchase is John Ellis's "Eye-deep in Hell". I must admit I also succumbed for a cemetery-guide in FFM gift shop: "Silent Cities in Flanders Fields", that comes as a set of one book and a visitor's guide in pocket format. I think the Guide is going to be part of the basic material in my walking backpack for the coming months, seeing as the Team has three marches in Flanders planned over the next four months!! MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 Currently working my way through the Great War themed books in our local public library, around ten read and a similar number to go. Just finished 'Soldier From the Wars Returning' by Charles Carrington, which I enjoyed. A previous anonymous reader was not overly impressed and has pencilled notes in the margins at various points. These include 'absolute nonsense', 'crap', 'utter rubbish' and 'did he even read it?' regarding Carrington's opinion of 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. We are all entitled to our opinion, but I found the book a thoughtful and well rounded account of a young mans war, written in his later years with a large dose of hindsight. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 Three parts through Z Day VIII Corps by BMac Truly superb! Recommended. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 14 May , 2014 Share Posted 14 May , 2014 Currently working my way through the Great War themed books in our local public library, around ten read and a similar number to go. Just finished 'Soldier From the Wars Returning' by Charles Carrington, which I enjoyed. A previous anonymous reader was not overly impressed and has pencilled notes in the margins at various points. These include 'absolute nonsense', 'crap', 'utter rubbish' and 'did he even read it?' regarding Carrington's opinion of 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. We are all entitled to our opinion, but I found the book a thoughtful and well rounded account of a young mans war, written in his later years with a large dose of hindsight. Mike. I know what you mean about hindsight but I've always thought what singles out Carrington's from so many other ex post facto books is that he has the hindsight under careful control and acknowledges its possible impact. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth505 Posted 18 May , 2014 Share Posted 18 May , 2014 Currently working my way through the Great War themed books in our local public library, Mike.Know what you mean, but check in when you've read the shelf... I never figured to finish what was available to me but now I troll about and grab what I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hastings Posted 18 May , 2014 Share Posted 18 May , 2014 Under prompts from posts made by Martin G and Ridgus I have loaned Adrian Gilbert's "Challenge of Battle, The real story of the British Army in 1914" from the library and it is an easy, 'page-turner' of a read - just started but already stormed through many pages. A bit like when I read David Ascoli's "The Mons Star" in readability. Some 1914 orientated books I have found hard going, but this isn't one of them, so far. Gilbert's outlook is already making me pause for thought, and that can be no bad thing, to whatever degree I accept his argument. Can't wait to get back to it, so on that alone must also recommend. Good reading all Best wishes Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellflower Posted 18 May , 2014 Share Posted 18 May , 2014 Halfway through Donkeys.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 18 May , 2014 Share Posted 18 May , 2014 Under prompts from posts made by Martin G and Ridgus I have loaned Adrian Gilbert's "Challenge of Battle, The real story of the British Army in 1914" from the library and it is an easy, 'page-turner' of a read - just started but already stormed through many pages. A bit like when I read David Ascoli's "The Mons Star" in readability. Some 1914 orientated books I have found hard going, but this isn't one of them, so far. Gilbert's outlook is already making me pause for thought, and that can be no bad thing, to whatever degree I accept his argument. Can't wait to get back to it, so on that alone must also recommend. Good reading all Best wishes Jim I was thinking exactly the same thing; this one is rapidly rising to the top of my list now it gets the Hastings thumbs up. I'm finding it really hard to read stuff at the moment so a page turner is just what i need. Thanks matey. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IM75 Posted 19 May , 2014 Share Posted 19 May , 2014 Currently stuck deep in football-related research for my site, so I've read quite a few books recently. I'm mid-way through Jack Alexander's "McCrae's Battalion" at the moment, which has been great so far I have to say. I've also just ordered a new book by George Orr called "Everton Football Club Champions 1914/15 - Over the Top". I'll be sure report back once read... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 19 May , 2014 Share Posted 19 May , 2014 Struggling with Barbusse 'Under Fire', alas almost unreadable due to an APPALLING translation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fattyowls Posted 19 May , 2014 Share Posted 19 May , 2014 Currently stuck deep in football-related research for my site, so I've read quite a few books recently. I'm mid-way through Jack Alexander's "McCrae's Battalion" at the moment, which has been great so far I have to say. I've also just ordered a new book by George Orr called "Everton Football Club Champions 1914/15 - Over the Top". I'll be sure report back once read... The McCrae book is on my list, glad to hear it is good. I got my copy of George's book last week from the man himself; it's already proving invaluable in trying to track down the service of the Championship winning side. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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