Description
Classics of World War One Literature
The first great cataclysm of the Twentieth century impacted western culture like no other war. Writers who experienced the trenches came away with a sense of disillusionment that is characteristic of the literature of the war.
The Prose Writings of Siegfried Sassoon
An aspiring poet, Lieutenant Siegfried Sassoon was a friend of many of the great figures of Twentieth century British literature, including Robert Graves, Bertrand Russell and H. G. Wells. After experiencing the war, he wrote a famous letter, refusing to continue to serve: “I believe this War, upon which I entered as a war of defense and liberation, has now become a war of aggression and conquest.”
A Life of Irony: Saki / H. H. Munro
Hector Hugh Munro, better known by his pen name, Saki, was born in Burma in 1870. Concerned about his mother’s health, his father insisted that she return to their home in England. However, as she strolled down an English country lane, she was attacked by a bull—and died of fright. Saki’s stories, perhaps influenced by this childhood memory, are famous for their use of irony. Even his death in the trenches during World War One is as ironic as it was tragic.
Books into Film
All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel by Erich Maria Remarque; films by Lewis Milestone and Delbert Mann.
Ten Years Ago
August 1992 Checklist Update: Robert Stone
September 1992 Checklist Update: Andre Dubus