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The Glory of the Trenches: An Interpretation
First published in 1918.
- GenresHistoryWarWorld War I
84 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1918
About the author
Coningsby Dawson
137 books5 followersConingsby William Dawson was an Anglo-American Novelist and Soldier, Canadian Field Artillery, born at High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England.
He graduated at Merton College, Oxford, in 1905. He spent a year taking a theological course at Union Seminary but decided on a career as a writer.
In the same year he went to America, where he did special work for English newspapers on Canadian subjects, traveling widely during the period. He lived at Taunton, Massachusetts, from 1906 to 1910, when he became literary adviser to the George H. Doran Publishing Company.
In a house in Taunton, Massachusetts, he wrote poems, short stories, and three novels: Garden Without Walls (1913), an immediate success, followed by The Raft and Slaves of Freedom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coningsb...
He graduated at Merton College, Oxford, in 1905. He spent a year taking a theological course at Union Seminary but decided on a career as a writer.
In the same year he went to America, where he did special work for English newspapers on Canadian subjects, traveling widely during the period. He lived at Taunton, Massachusetts, from 1906 to 1910, when he became literary adviser to the George H. Doran Publishing Company.
In a house in Taunton, Massachusetts, he wrote poems, short stories, and three novels: Garden Without Walls (1913), an immediate success, followed by The Raft and Slaves of Freedom.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coningsb...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 8, 2017
I read this WWI memoir for my Literary Birthday challenge. Dawson was born on February 26, 1883 and although his GR bio page does not say this, he died August 10, 1959, which of course means he survived his time in the trenches.
But not without injury. He very nearly lost his right arm due to blood poisoning, and during the weeks he was on leave to recover, he wrote this book. I cannot decide if it was a way for him to make sense of everything or a way to urge the folks at home to continue being patriotic, or what. Sometimes it felt as though he were trying to convince himself about that 'glory', and other times he seemed quite certain that the only way a man can discover his true, heroic self was on the battlefield, as a nameless cog in the machinery of war.
That idea felt so sad to me, and I confess that at one point I had the thought that if women manage to find their true heroic selves without killing other people, why is that a necessary action for men?
He also says that a man can stand anything, can go through anything if he knows that his side is right. But naturally in any war each side thinks they are right.....right?
These were his ideas and they helped him get through those horrible years. But I wonder what he would do if he were to return and take part in the next world war? I very greatly doubt he would find any glory in it now.
Read from Feb 3 to Feb 7, 2017
But not without injury. He very nearly lost his right arm due to blood poisoning, and during the weeks he was on leave to recover, he wrote this book. I cannot decide if it was a way for him to make sense of everything or a way to urge the folks at home to continue being patriotic, or what. Sometimes it felt as though he were trying to convince himself about that 'glory', and other times he seemed quite certain that the only way a man can discover his true, heroic self was on the battlefield, as a nameless cog in the machinery of war.
That idea felt so sad to me, and I confess that at one point I had the thought that if women manage to find their true heroic selves without killing other people, why is that a necessary action for men?
He also says that a man can stand anything, can go through anything if he knows that his side is right. But naturally in any war each side thinks they are right.....right?
These were his ideas and they helped him get through those horrible years. But I wonder what he would do if he were to return and take part in the next world war? I very greatly doubt he would find any glory in it now.
Read from Feb 3 to Feb 7, 2017
November 16, 2010
Truly excellent. A must read.
June 27, 2019
"I suppose one only learns the value of kindness when he feels the need of it himself. The men out there have said 'Good-bye' to everything they loved, but they've got to love some one—so they give their affections to captured Fritzies, stray dogs, fellows who've collected a piece of a shell—in fact to any one who's a little worse off than themselves." - Coningsby Dawson
One of the most unique books on war that I have read. While many books out there recount the author's horrific experiences in war, Dawson decided to reflect on the incredible humanity that he witnessed both in and out of the trenches, from the selfless courage shown by young boys to rescue their troubled comrades to the dedication and kindness that wounded soldiers received from nurses, doctors and women visiting the hospitals. He also looks back on the transformation that he went through and how experiencing war and military service can change a person for the better, despite the unspeakable horrors one may be forced to endure.
One of the most unique books on war that I have read. While many books out there recount the author's horrific experiences in war, Dawson decided to reflect on the incredible humanity that he witnessed both in and out of the trenches, from the selfless courage shown by young boys to rescue their troubled comrades to the dedication and kindness that wounded soldiers received from nurses, doctors and women visiting the hospitals. He also looks back on the transformation that he went through and how experiencing war and military service can change a person for the better, despite the unspeakable horrors one may be forced to endure.
October 13, 2016
A controversial and defiant book. While certainly driven by ideology and unorthodox thinking, it contains many great truths and insights about the spiritual, unseen aspects of war: sacrifice, brotherhood, courage, acceptance of impending death and giving up the self for a higher purpose.
Much of this book will be difficult for civilians to comprehend, and the author says as much. Furthermore, the religious envelope in which it is delivered may turn some away, but the contents of said envelope are universal. It is a unique view on war, and sometimes hard for the reader to accept with 98 years to look back on.
Some have called this book war propaganda, and even if that is the case, propaganda can nonetheless contain truths, which this book certainly does. Read this book for what it is: a former seminary student turned Artillery Officer interpreting the battlefield spiritually, and attempting to extract beauty and meaning from the most horrific war in human history. A tall order to be sure, and be you inspired or disturbed, there are lessons to be learned from this book. The author writes quite beautifully as well. His goal is to convince the reader that there is redemption in suffering, light from darkness and glory in the trenches. Not glory in the way normally associated with war, but an unconsciously religious, spiritual glory.
Much of this book will be difficult for civilians to comprehend, and the author says as much. Furthermore, the religious envelope in which it is delivered may turn some away, but the contents of said envelope are universal. It is a unique view on war, and sometimes hard for the reader to accept with 98 years to look back on.
Some have called this book war propaganda, and even if that is the case, propaganda can nonetheless contain truths, which this book certainly does. Read this book for what it is: a former seminary student turned Artillery Officer interpreting the battlefield spiritually, and attempting to extract beauty and meaning from the most horrific war in human history. A tall order to be sure, and be you inspired or disturbed, there are lessons to be learned from this book. The author writes quite beautifully as well. His goal is to convince the reader that there is redemption in suffering, light from darkness and glory in the trenches. Not glory in the way normally associated with war, but an unconsciously religious, spiritual glory.
August 21, 2025
This is a memoir of a wealthy and entitled recent college graduate who gets talked into enlisting as an officer in W.W.I. After receiving a non life threatening injury he returns home to his family. He writes of his experiences in the trenches, describing how it has made him a better man and a devout Christian by doing his part to fight the evil Hun.
April 2, 2020
Get to know about how trench warfare was. And life in first world war.
I found it by chance in Project Gutenberg under First World War section.
This book turned out to be splendid work on how life was. It was highly philosophical and easily readable at the same time.
Fantastic read.
I found it by chance in Project Gutenberg under First World War section.
This book turned out to be splendid work on how life was. It was highly philosophical and easily readable at the same time.
Fantastic read.
March 15, 2026
A quick read. Authors perspective of Trench warfare based on his experiences.
August 5, 2012
This was hard to finish. Where the author recounts simple and basic things and puts aside his almost fanatic pro-war propaganda, this account is quite readable and imparts a few worthwhile insights.
But the rest is barely bearable to take in and reminded me a lot of fascist texts of the same era also written by participants in the Great War. In a way it explains how so shortly after the first there could be a second war, given such tendencies.
What shocked me most was the complete lack of insight into what was taking place with and within the invalids of the Great War. Even for someone not remotely knowledgeable about repression, peer pressure or PTSD it should be clear what was being done to those men.
Many other accounts of the war and the time right after show us men galore who were absolutely aware of the fact that their (continued) suffering was being swept under the rug, that society turned away from them, negated them and often even locked them up behind the conveniently closed doors of eugenics-influenced institutions.
Great Britain was the one participant in the Great War completely failing to have a public discourse and acknowledgement of the injuries done to its soldiers. Which resulted, almost needless to say, not just in men suffering severely from PTSD well into their old age, but men denied a true sense of being home and so many being done out of pensions, too incapacitated by the "get on with it" and peer-enforced gaiety to even fight for them.
To see this glorified with Christian zealotry in full brunt leaves an impressively bad after-taste, especially when compared to such insightful and self-analytical books like George Scott Atkinson's A Soldier's Diary. Written by another British participant, in the same time frame, it shows remarkably modern insights into what went on around him even while in the trenches. His distaste of how the public treated the veterans along with his own inability to own up to his feelings in direct communication is a striking closure of that account.
Juxtaposing the two explains not just my loathing for Dawson's book, but also for his attempted manipulation of the reader, which he and his father even owned up to.
But the rest is barely bearable to take in and reminded me a lot of fascist texts of the same era also written by participants in the Great War. In a way it explains how so shortly after the first there could be a second war, given such tendencies.
What shocked me most was the complete lack of insight into what was taking place with and within the invalids of the Great War. Even for someone not remotely knowledgeable about repression, peer pressure or PTSD it should be clear what was being done to those men.
Many other accounts of the war and the time right after show us men galore who were absolutely aware of the fact that their (continued) suffering was being swept under the rug, that society turned away from them, negated them and often even locked them up behind the conveniently closed doors of eugenics-influenced institutions.
Great Britain was the one participant in the Great War completely failing to have a public discourse and acknowledgement of the injuries done to its soldiers. Which resulted, almost needless to say, not just in men suffering severely from PTSD well into their old age, but men denied a true sense of being home and so many being done out of pensions, too incapacitated by the "get on with it" and peer-enforced gaiety to even fight for them.
To see this glorified with Christian zealotry in full brunt leaves an impressively bad after-taste, especially when compared to such insightful and self-analytical books like George Scott Atkinson's A Soldier's Diary. Written by another British participant, in the same time frame, it shows remarkably modern insights into what went on around him even while in the trenches. His distaste of how the public treated the veterans along with his own inability to own up to his feelings in direct communication is a striking closure of that account.
Juxtaposing the two explains not just my loathing for Dawson's book, but also for his attempted manipulation of the reader, which he and his father even owned up to.
February 20, 2011
This is a short, first hand account of one man’s experience in the first World War. The world that he experienced was made vivid by his descriptive narrative of his journey from peacetime in the US to a hospital bed in England via France. Dawson really does think there is glory in the trenches, though. He views those that go to battle with an “Onward Christian Soldiers” attitude that becomes quite preachy and religious in the last bit of the book. I disagree with his worldview and some of his reasoning but his story is compelling and worth reading.
February 23, 2023
The so-called "spiritual" books all pale in comparison with this account of war, with all its senslessnes, ugliness, horror and pain. The author probably experienced something that the Japanese call Satori, a so called "enlightenment" - and expresses it beautifully, again and again, narrating the transformation of the soul when faced with a "life bankrupting" sacrifice, the likes of which few of us can imagine.
There are too many passages that are memorable, you could practically quote the whole thing.
There are too many passages that are memorable, you could practically quote the whole thing.
January 10, 2017
A remarkable story of WW1 trench warfare and the toll it extracted from the participants. The insight into the psychological/spiritual aspects of war & how men react/adapt/bond & what makes them continually push forward was especially rewarding. It's hard for my mind to really take in the magnitude of WW1.
May 20, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed the read. There are many insights I gleaned from the book, but overall, I just enjoyed the prose. It’s extraordinarily well written.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews