Her Privates We
Frederic Manning
As this is yet another book about World War I, you'd think I'd be getting sick of them. Manning, however, manages to make the conflict moving in a completely different way than any of the other authors I have thus far encountered. Manning's novel, unlike many stories of the war, focuses on characterization within the scope of everyday events, but unlike All Quiet on the Western Front, there is no rush to have Private Bourne experience all of the intricacies of the conflict. The novel, while lacking outright plot, still engages the reader and creates a believable world of war. Manning's prose, while a bit cumbersome, is worth every ounce of effort it asks- the numerous asides to the audience detract little from the plot of the book but provoke deep thought and contemplation without pretence. The book, in fact, is marked by a lack of pretence, and is challenging while inherently simple. Therein lies its beauty.
At its heart, Her Privates We is the experience of a private during the Battle of the Somme, though the only hints of conflict come at the polar ends of the book. Despite the lack of rock-'em-sock-'em action, the book is perhaps the most accurate view of war I have seen portrayed in literature. The soldiers do not wax unbelievably eloquent for the benefit of the reader (that is left to the narrator) and they seem to embody the heart of the British army. In fact, I often recalled parts of George Coppard's memoir while reading this book, which adheres to fact and stays true to the language of the common soldier. Manning portrays the attitudes of soldiers towards authority with subtle grace and through the eyes of his characters, rather than through a blunt sledgehammer. The language may be harsh and off-putting at first, but it becomes a vital part of the landscape of the novel, woven intricately with visual characterizations and creating a viable experience of the war for the reader.
Manning's intent, more than any other author, is simply to show what happened during the war. He does this without contrivance and through elegant prose unmatched by most literature. The book is heavy and is no light read, but it delivers emotion in full force. Focusing on characterization rather than shock and awe, Manning's novel gets to the heart of the common soldier in a way that other books- and even memoirs- cannot. Her Privates We is a truly moving portrait of men at war.
Grade: A
Frederic Manning
As this is yet another book about World War I, you'd think I'd be getting sick of them. Manning, however, manages to make the conflict moving in a completely different way than any of the other authors I have thus far encountered. Manning's novel, unlike many stories of the war, focuses on characterization within the scope of everyday events, but unlike All Quiet on the Western Front, there is no rush to have Private Bourne experience all of the intricacies of the conflict. The novel, while lacking outright plot, still engages the reader and creates a believable world of war. Manning's prose, while a bit cumbersome, is worth every ounce of effort it asks- the numerous asides to the audience detract little from the plot of the book but provoke deep thought and contemplation without pretence. The book, in fact, is marked by a lack of pretence, and is challenging while inherently simple. Therein lies its beauty.
At its heart, Her Privates We is the experience of a private during the Battle of the Somme, though the only hints of conflict come at the polar ends of the book. Despite the lack of rock-'em-sock-'em action, the book is perhaps the most accurate view of war I have seen portrayed in literature. The soldiers do not wax unbelievably eloquent for the benefit of the reader (that is left to the narrator) and they seem to embody the heart of the British army. In fact, I often recalled parts of George Coppard's memoir while reading this book, which adheres to fact and stays true to the language of the common soldier. Manning portrays the attitudes of soldiers towards authority with subtle grace and through the eyes of his characters, rather than through a blunt sledgehammer. The language may be harsh and off-putting at first, but it becomes a vital part of the landscape of the novel, woven intricately with visual characterizations and creating a viable experience of the war for the reader.
Manning's intent, more than any other author, is simply to show what happened during the war. He does this without contrivance and through elegant prose unmatched by most literature. The book is heavy and is no light read, but it delivers emotion in full force. Focusing on characterization rather than shock and awe, Manning's novel gets to the heart of the common soldier in a way that other books- and even memoirs- cannot. Her Privates We is a truly moving portrait of men at war.
Grade: A
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