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Generals Die In Bed: A Story From The Trenches

Generals die in bed, while soldiers die in the trenches, horrifically, unimaginably, infested with lice and surrounded by rats fattened on corpses. There are no rules, no expectations in war. And there is certainly no glamour. Instead, the men inhabit a senseless world, trusting only the instinct to stay alive. Based on his own experiences in the First World War, Charles Yale Harrison writes a stark and poignant story from the point of view of a young man sent to fight on the Western Front. Beginning in Montreal, the scene soon shifts from the cheering crowds, streamers, and music of the farewell parade to the stench of the trenches, where the soldiers meticulously divide up the stale, gray "war" bread and rationed sugar for their weak tea. In stark, graphic detail, Harrison writes of the soldiers' fear as the crumbling dirt walls of the palisade tumble down upon them during a shell attack. He recounts the horror of face-to-face combat, where the enemy is revealed to be a smooth-skinned lad, no different from the boy down the street. He shows compassion for both the killer and the killed, each innocent, in a situation without choice. In raw, powerful prose, the insanity of war is shown clearly as Harrison questions the meaning of heroism, of truth, and of good and evil. The First World War may seem distant and irrelevant to many young people today, but it is a timeless and important lesson. Seen through the eyes of the adolescent narrator, the experience of trench warfare takes on renewed vibrancy as readers identify with the plight of the youthful soldiers. Harrison's vivid account is a valuable resource for all teachers and students of history and of the human condition. An introduction places Generals Die In Bed in its proper literary context, beside All Quiet on the Western Front and A Farewell to Arms. Harrison's concise, blunt writing style is an effective means of conveying the reality of war and an example to students of literature. Originally published in 1930, this book was lauded as "the best of the war books" by the New York Evening Standard.

Paperback: 180 pages

Publisher: Annick Press (March 2, 2002)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1550377302

ISBN-13: 978-1550377309

Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #2,737,223 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #62 in Books > Teens > Historical Fiction > Canada #439 in Books > Teens > Education & Reference > History > Military #663 in Books > History > Military > Canada

I feel that there is a shortage of good books regarding WWI. This is a down-to-earth book that shares the experience of one Canadian soldier before, during the war and going home. The book, the soldier's actual diary, is gritty and truthful. For some readers, portions may be too graphic of the uncomfortable living conditions and war horrors described. The author shares details of military life, including the vast differences between officers and lower ranking men, a very important aspect of how the military was organized during WWI, adding to the misery of the lower ranks.The book is not laborious to read, which can be the case regarding diaries. If you want the truthful viewpoint of a WWI soldier then this book would be a good choice.

Okay

An interesting novel which may also be a narrative of Yale Harrison's experiences as an American volunteer in WW1; as a member of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The narrative is earthy and perhaps controversial since it includes the looting of Arras; which had been denied until recently.

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