It has been helpful to read this biography of Cary. Having read only "Herself Surprised" and "To Be A Pilgrim", a study of the writer seemed worth attempting. A central theme in these two novels is the "flavour of the pilgrimage of life, change, futility of hopes and WISDOM OF THE PILGRIM'S VIEW", as Bishop points out.
Cary was uncomplicated, self-effacing and kind. His perseverance at work was commendable, with barely any publication to his name during the first ten years of his life as a full-time writer. He was busy however, with many works at various stages of development. This tenacity paid off. The published works showed vitality and a fully worked-through philosophy of life that stamps his books with a "unity of thought". This in turn gave him the confidence to write.… (altro)

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ivanfranko | Mar 13, 2016 |

Letters From A Lost Generation: First World War… di Alan Bishop

Incredible to realize that these letters were written by teenagers. Try and picture American teenagers of today doing the same. Hahahahahahahahaha

The whole story of Vera and her lost boys is just so heartbreaking, and all the worse because you know it was repeated literally millions of times over, in one of the most stupid and unnecessary of wars.

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SusanListon | 3 altre recensioni | Nov 30, 2014 |

Letters from a Lost Generation - First World War… di Alan Bishop

This is a book I found painful to read, even though I loved reading it. Reading the letters I feel that closer than that to the horrors of war, and loss, is hard to get. Coming from the Czech Republic I tend to be bitter about "Peace for our time", but reading this, and other books on the great war makes me understand the British position. This book has stayed with me, and I plan to go back to it sometime. It is not an easy read, but it is a good read.

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Bookoholic73 | 3 altre recensioni | Sep 12, 2012 |

Letters From A Lost Generation: First World War… di Alan Bishop

There is nothing like an actual historical record of correspondence to transport the reader from their comfortable chair into the emotion, pain and sadness of the First World War. This collection of letters is tragic as it traces the relationship between Vera Brittain, a VAD in England, Malta and later France, and her fiance, her brother and two other friends. One by one, the boys are killed and the silence left in their wake is palpable in the collection. There is no escaping the tragedy, as the words on the page are the actual words of the key players. I found myself in tears halfway through the book, despite knowing what was coming (the story is well known due to Vera Brittain's other writings). Just because you could anticipate the loss, didn't lessen the tragedy.

I would be hard pressed to find a more poignant account of the First World War than this.… (altro)

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literarytiger | 3 altre recensioni | May 6, 2008 |

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