Candid portrayals of soldier's lives in WW1. It would seem that its greatness was perceived only by generals and writers. Lest we forget; artillery was still being fired almost until the last minute before the Armistice. ( )

An excellent book, but very sobering. Based almost exclusively on memoirs, private letters and newspaper articles, it relates the British experience of WWI on the Western Front from the view of the individual soldier. It's not a history of the war, nor does it cover the British army the way that Richard Holmes did in Tommy. Very highly recommended with the caution that the details of suffering and death in the book might be disturbing to some readers. ( )

DEN