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The Great War: Stories Inspired by Items from the First World War
An anthology of stories inspired by objects from the First World War. It is a collection of stories by bestselling authors, each inspired by a different object from the First World War. Each object illuminates an aspect of life during the war, and each story reminds us of the millions of individual lives that were changed forever by the fighting.
304 pages, Paperback
First published July 3, 2014
13 people are currently reading
750 people want to read
About the author
David Almond
119 books811 followersDavid Almond is a British children's writer who has penned several novels, each one to critical acclaim. He was born and raised in Felling and Newcastle in post-industrial North East England and educated at the University of East Anglia. When he was young, he found his love of writing when some short stories of his were published in a local magazine. He started out as an author of adult fiction before finding his niche writing literature for young adults.
His first children's novel, Skellig (1998), set in Newcastle, won the Whitbread Children's Novel of the Year Award and also the Carnegie Medal. His subsequent novels are: Kit's Wilderness (1999), Heaven Eyes (2000), Secret Heart (2001), The Fire Eaters (2003) and Clay (2005). His first play aimed at adolescents, Wild Girl, Wild Boy, toured in 2001 and was published in 2002.
His works are highly philosophical and thus appeal to children and adults alike. Recurring themes throughout include the complex relationships between apparent opposites (such as life and death, reality and fiction, past and future); forms of education; growing up and adapting to change; the nature of 'the self'. He has been greatly influenced by the works of the English Romantic poet William Blake.
He is an author often suggested on National Curriculum reading lists in the United Kingdom and has attracted the attention of academics who specialise in the study of children's literature.
Almond currently lives with his family in Northumberland, England.
Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing (2010).
His first children's novel, Skellig (1998), set in Newcastle, won the Whitbread Children's Novel of the Year Award and also the Carnegie Medal. His subsequent novels are: Kit's Wilderness (1999), Heaven Eyes (2000), Secret Heart (2001), The Fire Eaters (2003) and Clay (2005). His first play aimed at adolescents, Wild Girl, Wild Boy, toured in 2001 and was published in 2002.
His works are highly philosophical and thus appeal to children and adults alike. Recurring themes throughout include the complex relationships between apparent opposites (such as life and death, reality and fiction, past and future); forms of education; growing up and adapting to change; the nature of 'the self'. He has been greatly influenced by the works of the English Romantic poet William Blake.
He is an author often suggested on National Curriculum reading lists in the United Kingdom and has attracted the attention of academics who specialise in the study of children's literature.
Almond currently lives with his family in Northumberland, England.
Awards: Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing (2010).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
June 2, 2015
The graphic design is splendid, the layout is appealing, and the concept of writing stories inspired by WWI artifacts is fascinating, but like with any short story collection, the stories themselves are hit-or-miss. Some are moving and well-written, but others seem like self-indulgent tripe from an author in love with their own writing voice. The writing style is sometimes rambling and incoherent, and I best liked the stories where I could get absorbed in the tale instead of thinking, "this vague, fragmented sentence is supposed to inspire thoughts of how futile the war was." Style works best when it is subtle, and it bothered me that so much of the writing seemed contrived and over-the-top.
Some of these were great human interest stories that made the war seem real and created compassion for the real people it harmed, but others came off as agenda-driven. Two of them troubled me on an ideological level, since their ideas about peace allowed no room for nuance or complexity. The vast majority of people want a peaceful world, but these stories elevated the POV character as a rare and tormented peace-lover in a world of warmongers. There was rarely any sensible explanation that war is sometimes necessary and sometimes futile and meaningless; instead, we had two extremes: knuckleheads who thought struggle was inherently glorious and main characters who thought they were better than everyone else and Deeply Misunderstood because they wanted peace.
I find it odd that this anthology is catalogued as juvenile, since the stories are adult in their themes and tone. This is not to say that children cannot handle depressing material or should be sheltered from the realities of our world history, but the fact is that this anthology of WWI short stories is written in an adult style. Of all the stories with children as the POV characters, I only liked two or three. The authors tended to overdo the child's innocence and tried to be artful; they really just sounded self-indulgent and grasped little of what it is like to be, think, and act like a child. The stories seemed gratingly unreal, more like the author's efforts at sounding eloquent and creative than a possible story of a small child's human experience during the war. Few of them seemed true at all, and I had trouble suspending my disbelief as I read the unrealistic thought processes and overdone Childishness the adult authors imposed on their young characters. The stories featuring teenagers were the best, because they were the most story-driven and seemed authentic.
I am glad that I read this book, because I enjoyed some of the stories and benefited by thinking through the failings of the ones I did not like. It was worthwhile to me, but I would not recommend this anthology to any child. This book may be written for all ages, but only adults who like children's books will actually enjoy it.
Some of these were great human interest stories that made the war seem real and created compassion for the real people it harmed, but others came off as agenda-driven. Two of them troubled me on an ideological level, since their ideas about peace allowed no room for nuance or complexity. The vast majority of people want a peaceful world, but these stories elevated the POV character as a rare and tormented peace-lover in a world of warmongers. There was rarely any sensible explanation that war is sometimes necessary and sometimes futile and meaningless; instead, we had two extremes: knuckleheads who thought struggle was inherently glorious and main characters who thought they were better than everyone else and Deeply Misunderstood because they wanted peace.
I find it odd that this anthology is catalogued as juvenile, since the stories are adult in their themes and tone. This is not to say that children cannot handle depressing material or should be sheltered from the realities of our world history, but the fact is that this anthology of WWI short stories is written in an adult style. Of all the stories with children as the POV characters, I only liked two or three. The authors tended to overdo the child's innocence and tried to be artful; they really just sounded self-indulgent and grasped little of what it is like to be, think, and act like a child. The stories seemed gratingly unreal, more like the author's efforts at sounding eloquent and creative than a possible story of a small child's human experience during the war. Few of them seemed true at all, and I had trouble suspending my disbelief as I read the unrealistic thought processes and overdone Childishness the adult authors imposed on their young characters. The stories featuring teenagers were the best, because they were the most story-driven and seemed authentic.
I am glad that I read this book, because I enjoyed some of the stories and benefited by thinking through the failings of the ones I did not like. It was worthwhile to me, but I would not recommend this anthology to any child. This book may be written for all ages, but only adults who like children's books will actually enjoy it.
May 18, 2019
I was drawn to this book about the First World War, as I was interested to find out more. In general, if I want to dip my toe into a subject I start with a book written for children and then, once I have the basic facts, I can decide if I want to delve deeper. I have read very little about the First World War, whereas, I have read quite a few fiction and non-fiction books that are set during the time period of the Second World War. Each story is an exploration of how people were effected by war. I was particularly fascinated to learn of the origin of the items that inspired the stories.
April 1, 2018
The Great War was a very entertaining book to read. It is a compilation of war stories that provide a feeling of connection to what people living through wars experience. As said in The Things They Carried, a war story on its own is never going to be complete. The Great War gives many stories, all of different aspects of the war, whether it be from a wife of a soldier, or from the child of a soldier. While not a happy book per say, each individual story gives a glimpse of insight into the war for the reader.
May 4, 2018
I'd forgotten how powerful short stories can be! This was especially good because I listened to it on audiobook and the narrators did such impressive work, they really drew me in to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
May 10, 2018
It was just so earnest that plus the juvenile focus let me a tad cold. I don't think that any of the stories really stuck. Cool idea for a book, middling execution. I would have probably preferred history to fiction in this case.
July 8, 2016
Great concept of explaining something about WWI through items. Learned through the stories and the descriptions of the items. Read 4 hours for summer reading program
May 3, 2018
I loved all the short stories in this book. It was great!
May 8, 2018
Great collection of short stories. Like any collection, some are better than others, but overall I really enjoyed listening to this book. The audio version is wonderful; I loved the variety of readers from different places. I love the concept of this book: writing stories based on objects from WWI! So creative. I also really enjoyed the idea of all these kids grappling with the concept of war, and the different forms that took in all the stories. I’d recommend it for adults and teens.
Some favorite lines-
from “Don’t Call it Glory” by Marcus Sedgwick:
“Maybe it’s the people who are different who take us all forward, in the end.”
“He wants to write about the war, and he wants to tell the truth. But he has just realized that it cannot be done, for in order for the story to work, it has to have a purpose, a structure, a journey, and a resolution. And, in reality, war has none of these things. War is simply a near-random sequence of horrors, and so to make a story out of war is to lie. The writer thinks about a filmmaker who made such a film. A war film that had no logical path, that did not tell a story, that did not resolve itself. It was an honest film. But no one went to watch it.”
“Remember it, if you will. And if you will, remember it how you want. But don’t call it glory.”
from “The Country You Called Home” by John Boyne:
“It seemed to Emil that you weren’t allowed to be alive unless you had someone to hate, and someone to hate you in return.”
Some favorite lines-
from “Don’t Call it Glory” by Marcus Sedgwick:
“Maybe it’s the people who are different who take us all forward, in the end.”
“He wants to write about the war, and he wants to tell the truth. But he has just realized that it cannot be done, for in order for the story to work, it has to have a purpose, a structure, a journey, and a resolution. And, in reality, war has none of these things. War is simply a near-random sequence of horrors, and so to make a story out of war is to lie. The writer thinks about a filmmaker who made such a film. A war film that had no logical path, that did not tell a story, that did not resolve itself. It was an honest film. But no one went to watch it.”
“Remember it, if you will. And if you will, remember it how you want. But don’t call it glory.”
from “The Country You Called Home” by John Boyne:
“It seemed to Emil that you weren’t allowed to be alive unless you had someone to hate, and someone to hate you in return.”
September 19, 2018
I'm working on writing my review now. It will be posted here after it goes live on my blog as per usual. This was a very eclectic selection of stories even if they all drew inspiration from items from a single war.
April 4, 2019
I really liked the concept behind the this collection - each short story is inspired by an object from the time of WWI. The stories are varied and I enjoyed them. I listened to this as an audiobook and for the most part I liked it, but there were a couple of narrators that I didn't care for.
May 3, 2018
Audiobook Sync free audiobooks for their YA summer program week 1.
3.5 stars
This collection of short stories were all based around artifacts from WWI. Short stories seem like they're probably harder to write than imagined, with enough to get a reader's attention and invest them, but still keep it short. As such, short story collections are often hit or miss, but this collection was mostly hits! I liked most and really liked a few of them. A worthy read, with adult concepts in war, but clean for any youth.
3.5 stars
This collection of short stories were all based around artifacts from WWI. Short stories seem like they're probably harder to write than imagined, with enough to get a reader's attention and invest them, but still keep it short. As such, short story collections are often hit or miss, but this collection was mostly hits! I liked most and really liked a few of them. A worthy read, with adult concepts in war, but clean for any youth.
October 27, 2018
Lovely stories.
June 5, 2018
Audiobook SYNC Theme: Stories with Histories
I struggle with paying attention with audiobooks, but when you have a seven hour drive it seems the perfect time to give it another chance. I came across this book because it's featured on this year's audiobook sync summer reads; I wasn't sure if it would hold my interest but I found myself engaged with the stories. Some were better than others but overall they were quite good and there's some great authors included in this anthology.
Our Jacko by Michael Morpurgo: 4 stars
Another Kind of Missing by A.L. Kennedy: 3 stars
Don't Call it Glory by Marcus Sedgwick: 3 stars
The Country You Called Home by John Boyne: 4 stars
When They Were Needed Most by Tracy Chevalier: 4 stars
A World That Has No War In It by David Almond: 3 stars
A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn by Tanya Lee Stone: 3 stars
Maud's Story by Adele Geras: 3 stars
Captain Rosalie by Timothee de Fombelle: 3.5 stars
Each Slow Dusk by Sheena Wilkinson: 3.5 stars
Little Wars by Ursula Dubosarsky: 3 stars
I struggle with paying attention with audiobooks, but when you have a seven hour drive it seems the perfect time to give it another chance. I came across this book because it's featured on this year's audiobook sync summer reads; I wasn't sure if it would hold my interest but I found myself engaged with the stories. Some were better than others but overall they were quite good and there's some great authors included in this anthology.
Our Jacko by Michael Morpurgo: 4 stars
Another Kind of Missing by A.L. Kennedy: 3 stars
Don't Call it Glory by Marcus Sedgwick: 3 stars
The Country You Called Home by John Boyne: 4 stars
When They Were Needed Most by Tracy Chevalier: 4 stars
A World That Has No War In It by David Almond: 3 stars
A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn by Tanya Lee Stone: 3 stars
Maud's Story by Adele Geras: 3 stars
Captain Rosalie by Timothee de Fombelle: 3.5 stars
Each Slow Dusk by Sheena Wilkinson: 3.5 stars
Little Wars by Ursula Dubosarsky: 3 stars
May 23, 2015
Usually I only read short stories for my English class at school. I feel like short stories never are able to get the full story with the few pages they are allotted. But I actually thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I must admit that I thought some short stories were better than others, but at the same time each story kept me interested and wanting to read more. This is the first short story anthology that I've ever read completely. Usually I skip stories and only read the stories that authors I've already/are popular have written. I recognized a lot of the authors in this anthology like John Boyne, Marcus Sedgewick and David Almond.
My favorite short story was "Don't Call It Glory" by Marcus Sedgewick. I thought this story was very intriguing and also had a mysterious element to it. I also liked this story because it had a German soldiers point of view. Most of the stories were from the Allied Forces (The United Kingdom and the United States specifically in this anthology). I'm American and I enjoyed learning about my countries history and their allies. But I felt like the book needed to include more stories from the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) point's of view. The war didn't only affect the Allied Forces drastically but also the Central Powers. I feel like the only story that actually remembered this and included it was the story Marcus Sedgewick wrote.
Other stories I enjoyed were "The Country You Called Home" by John Boyne, "A World That Has No War In It" by David Almond, "Captain Rosalie" by Timothée de Fombelle, and "Each Slow Dusk" by Sheena Wilkinson.
This short story anthology is definitely worth a read. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely breathtaking!
My favorite short story was "Don't Call It Glory" by Marcus Sedgewick. I thought this story was very intriguing and also had a mysterious element to it. I also liked this story because it had a German soldiers point of view. Most of the stories were from the Allied Forces (The United Kingdom and the United States specifically in this anthology). I'm American and I enjoyed learning about my countries history and their allies. But I felt like the book needed to include more stories from the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary) point's of view. The war didn't only affect the Allied Forces drastically but also the Central Powers. I feel like the only story that actually remembered this and included it was the story Marcus Sedgewick wrote.
Other stories I enjoyed were "The Country You Called Home" by John Boyne, "A World That Has No War In It" by David Almond, "Captain Rosalie" by Timothée de Fombelle, and "Each Slow Dusk" by Sheena Wilkinson.
This short story anthology is definitely worth a read. Plus, the illustrations are absolutely breathtaking!
May 8, 2015
A collection of short stories inspired by World War I artifacts from the Imperial War Museum.
June 5, 2019
It's always hard to rate a short-story collection, especially an anthology from multiple authors, because the contents are always going to vary. In this collection, the stories ranged from middle-grade to YA, set in a variety of countries and a variety of time periods, and the audio version (which I got through the SYNC free audiobook program) uses a variety of narrators as well (with accents appropriate to the stories). The only thing these stories have in common is that they are all inspired by an item from the First World War, which is described by a neutral narrator after each story.
Because I started listening to this back in late April my recall is fuzzy on a few of the stories, but I will try to at least give a rating for all of them. Most of them had a very strong anti-war slant, sometimes simplistic.
"Our Jacko" by Michael Morpurgo *** Contemporary schoolkid learns about his uncle who died in the Great War, who left behind a helmet.
"Another Kind of Missing" by A. L. Kennedy ** Young boy visiting his invalided-out father in the hospital. It's implied he has mental as well as physical damage.
"Don't Call It Glory" by Marcus Sedgwick ** A sort of ghost story, about a young boy who learns that a German bomber had hit a tree on his street, and he learns the history and becomes a pacifist as the ghost of one of the crew observes and relives wartime experiences. Parts were interesting, but it felt like the author wasn't quite sure what to write about.
"The Country You Called Home" by John Boyne *** Irishmen have issues about being recruited by England for the war. Low-key but well done.
"When they were needed most" by Tracy Chevalier **** A mother packing Christmas boxes for soldiers brings one home for her children to see, and they speculate about their father, away at war, getting his. This has a clever structure and supernatural elements, and was one of my favorites despite having some Americanisms - this is set in England - that even American me noticed.
"A world that has no war in it" by David Almond ** An Irish Romeo-and-Juliet family feud set in the late 20th century, with Romeo and Juliet affected by the old lady who comes to tell their school about the Great War and her beau who died in it. A bit smarmy for my taste.
"A Harlem Hellfighter and his horn" by Tanya Lee Stone ** The single American-focused story, and I liked the idea of following a young black musician, but there wasn't much to it.
"Maud's Story" by Adele Geras *** Finally, a story with a female protagonist! When a girl's older sister falls pregnant by her soldier boyfriend, she secretly takes her place at the local pottery factory to earn money for her family.
"Captain Rosalie" by Timothee de Fombelle **** Five-year-old Rosalie is left to sit at the back of a classroom of older children while her mother works for the war effort. Her POV, as she imagines herself an intelligence officer spying behind enemy lines, is charming, and the story is thoughtful and emotionally charged. Possibly my favorite.
"Each Slow Dusk" by Sheena Wilkinson **** Though maybe this was my favorite. An Irish schoolgirl finds her college dreams threatened by her father's expectations that she nurse her injured brother who has been invalided out from the war. Not only does it focus on a female character, it shows the terrible cost of war even on those who did not actually fight.
"Little Wars" by Urula Dubosarsky ** The sole Australian-set story, about a girl whose brother and his friend play with toy soldiers, and she envies them the games she's not allowed.
Because I started listening to this back in late April my recall is fuzzy on a few of the stories, but I will try to at least give a rating for all of them. Most of them had a very strong anti-war slant, sometimes simplistic.
"Our Jacko" by Michael Morpurgo *** Contemporary schoolkid learns about his uncle who died in the Great War, who left behind a helmet.
"Another Kind of Missing" by A. L. Kennedy ** Young boy visiting his invalided-out father in the hospital. It's implied he has mental as well as physical damage.
"Don't Call It Glory" by Marcus Sedgwick ** A sort of ghost story, about a young boy who learns that a German bomber had hit a tree on his street, and he learns the history and becomes a pacifist as the ghost of one of the crew observes and relives wartime experiences. Parts were interesting, but it felt like the author wasn't quite sure what to write about.
"The Country You Called Home" by John Boyne *** Irishmen have issues about being recruited by England for the war. Low-key but well done.
"When they were needed most" by Tracy Chevalier **** A mother packing Christmas boxes for soldiers brings one home for her children to see, and they speculate about their father, away at war, getting his. This has a clever structure and supernatural elements, and was one of my favorites despite having some Americanisms - this is set in England - that even American me noticed.
"A world that has no war in it" by David Almond ** An Irish Romeo-and-Juliet family feud set in the late 20th century, with Romeo and Juliet affected by the old lady who comes to tell their school about the Great War and her beau who died in it. A bit smarmy for my taste.
"A Harlem Hellfighter and his horn" by Tanya Lee Stone ** The single American-focused story, and I liked the idea of following a young black musician, but there wasn't much to it.
"Maud's Story" by Adele Geras *** Finally, a story with a female protagonist! When a girl's older sister falls pregnant by her soldier boyfriend, she secretly takes her place at the local pottery factory to earn money for her family.
"Captain Rosalie" by Timothee de Fombelle **** Five-year-old Rosalie is left to sit at the back of a classroom of older children while her mother works for the war effort. Her POV, as she imagines herself an intelligence officer spying behind enemy lines, is charming, and the story is thoughtful and emotionally charged. Possibly my favorite.
"Each Slow Dusk" by Sheena Wilkinson **** Though maybe this was my favorite. An Irish schoolgirl finds her college dreams threatened by her father's expectations that she nurse her injured brother who has been invalided out from the war. Not only does it focus on a female character, it shows the terrible cost of war even on those who did not actually fight.
"Little Wars" by Urula Dubosarsky ** The sole Australian-set story, about a girl whose brother and his friend play with toy soldiers, and she envies them the games she's not allowed.
May 7, 2018
Eleven short stories based on WWI artifacts. Best read a few at a time with breaks for sunshine and snuggles from a pet.
First Lines:
What Dazzled: I listened to the audiobook through SYNC audiobook’s teen summer reading initiative -- for free! It’s mine forever! But when I saw that Jim Kay illustrated the physical book, I had to find a copy. His style is a perfect match for the book’s sombre tone. Striking black, white and grey. The effect is that of a smokey battlefield where the sun refuses to shine on the dead. Jim Kay also did the illustrations for the book A Monster Calls.
“Don’t Call it Glory” by Marcus Sedgwick is the story that has stuck with me the longest. A piece of debris is buried in the bark of a tree. A ghost lingers in the same tree watching as a young boy pulls the debris free. We learn the piece of metal is the remnants of a Zeppelin bomb and the ghost a former soldier connected to the bomb.
Jots and Thoughts: The Great War was published in 2014 when WWI began 100 years ago. It’s bogling to think there is no one left alive who was actually there and can talk about their experience. Instead we are left with artifacts and accounts that have been written down. Everything else… is gone. Like all the battles and wars that came before the Great War, it is left to the pages of books and objects behind glass display cases to share their stories and to try and convince those who come after of war’s hefty price.
First Lines:
World War I, known at the time as the Great War, was the most destructive conflict the world had ever seen. Sixteen million people lost their lives, twenty million were wounded, and millions more were left homeless and starving.The Great War began July 28th, 1914 when the Archduke of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was assassinated in Sarajevo. This short story collection is based on artifacts from that war i.e. a Brodie helmet, a compass, the nose of a Zeppelin bomb, a recruitment poster, Princess Mary’s gift fund box, a butter dish, and more. Each contributing author reveals the human connection hidden behind each of the innate objects.
What Dazzled: I listened to the audiobook through SYNC audiobook’s teen summer reading initiative -- for free! It’s mine forever! But when I saw that Jim Kay illustrated the physical book, I had to find a copy. His style is a perfect match for the book’s sombre tone. Striking black, white and grey. The effect is that of a smokey battlefield where the sun refuses to shine on the dead. Jim Kay also did the illustrations for the book A Monster Calls.
“Don’t Call it Glory” by Marcus Sedgwick is the story that has stuck with me the longest. A piece of debris is buried in the bark of a tree. A ghost lingers in the same tree watching as a young boy pulls the debris free. We learn the piece of metal is the remnants of a Zeppelin bomb and the ghost a former soldier connected to the bomb.
"Remember it if you will, and if you will, remember it how you want. But don’t call it glory, " p. 67.What Fizzled: The biggest fizzle for me was the overall mood. These are war stories and they’re depressing, because they are not cold facts about infantry advancements or cities occupied. Each object is tied to a person or persons and what you learn about is their hope, heartbreak, anger, and fears.
Jots and Thoughts: The Great War was published in 2014 when WWI began 100 years ago. It’s bogling to think there is no one left alive who was actually there and can talk about their experience. Instead we are left with artifacts and accounts that have been written down. Everything else… is gone. Like all the battles and wars that came before the Great War, it is left to the pages of books and objects behind glass display cases to share their stories and to try and convince those who come after of war’s hefty price.
May 10, 2020
This book of short stories focuses on World War I. Each story features an object that was in the war, like the tin hat in"Our Jacko" or can be traced back to that time period, like the butter dish in "Maud's Story." Each story was unique and gave insight into World War I. Some took place during the war, while a few took place in present times, but brought us back to the war through the featured object.
My favorite story was "Our Jacko," which took place in present day. A young boy has grown up with this tin hat. The story was that there was a hole in the hat because a bullet penetrated the hat and "did in" the person wearing it. It turns out that person was his grandfather, Jack Morris,also known as "our Jacko", who had been killed in WWI. When a teacher asks for old items relating to the war in preparation for a trip to Ypres to visit a WWI battleground, the narrator finds a trunk full of letters in a notebook as well as pictures. He begins to learn about his great grandfather and really appreciate the sacrifice that he made for his country.
Another story, I really enjoyed was "A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn," which was about a member of an African-American regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. This regiment's band traveled across France entertaining soldiers. This was written in verse and I found it to be fascinating.
I found this book to be very interesting. I am not very familiar with WWI, so I learned a lot about this time period and the men that fought in the war, as well as the people left behind. Many aspects of WWI were touched on, including fighting in the trenches, the loss of a loved one, the Zeppelin Bombs, rationing, and the mental effects of the war.The effects war had on the soldiers and their families can be devastating, as described in "Each Slow Dusk," another story I really enjoyed. This book is a great introduction to this war and I highly recommend it!
My favorite story was "Our Jacko," which took place in present day. A young boy has grown up with this tin hat. The story was that there was a hole in the hat because a bullet penetrated the hat and "did in" the person wearing it. It turns out that person was his grandfather, Jack Morris,also known as "our Jacko", who had been killed in WWI. When a teacher asks for old items relating to the war in preparation for a trip to Ypres to visit a WWI battleground, the narrator finds a trunk full of letters in a notebook as well as pictures. He begins to learn about his great grandfather and really appreciate the sacrifice that he made for his country.
Another story, I really enjoyed was "A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn," which was about a member of an African-American regiment known as the Harlem Hellfighters. This regiment's band traveled across France entertaining soldiers. This was written in verse and I found it to be fascinating.
I found this book to be very interesting. I am not very familiar with WWI, so I learned a lot about this time period and the men that fought in the war, as well as the people left behind. Many aspects of WWI were touched on, including fighting in the trenches, the loss of a loved one, the Zeppelin Bombs, rationing, and the mental effects of the war.The effects war had on the soldiers and their families can be devastating, as described in "Each Slow Dusk," another story I really enjoyed. This book is a great introduction to this war and I highly recommend it!
May 21, 2017
"Grown-ups have to be polite to everyone, but they have to shoot everyone too. There's nothing in the middle about being a grown-up. Maybe they wouldn't have to go away and fire wizbangs and mortars at one another and get shot if they were allowed to tell old bags how rotten they are whenever they wanted." (pg. 30).
WWI is one of those one-sentence lines in history class, usually mentioning Archduke Ferdinand, trench warfare, and Germany being broke afterward leading to the cause and effect of the rise of fascism. WWII gets so much more coverage in class that this book caught my eye. Because it's an anthology of short stories on war, I was afraid it would either going to be cheesy "Chicken Soup for the WWI Curious Soul," or worse, a collection of melodramatic shock stories, because frankly, that is what short stories usually are.
I am happy to say that this is the first short story anthology book that I couldn't put down! Each story is loosely wrapped around an item of the war- a piece of shrapnel, a war medal, etc; and this book is a FANTASTIC example of writers "showing" emotion vs. "telling." You don't have to understand anything about the political implications of the time because each story is beautiful with innocent, human emotion. I found myself googling and discovering the technology of zeppelins, early machine guns, primitive plastic surgery, and blue benches. Many of these stories are from the perspective of a child or teenager, and really contains no more sensitivity than Anne Frank. Well done. I finally feel like I understand WWI a bit more now- from the human perspective.
WWI is one of those one-sentence lines in history class, usually mentioning Archduke Ferdinand, trench warfare, and Germany being broke afterward leading to the cause and effect of the rise of fascism. WWII gets so much more coverage in class that this book caught my eye. Because it's an anthology of short stories on war, I was afraid it would either going to be cheesy "Chicken Soup for the WWI Curious Soul," or worse, a collection of melodramatic shock stories, because frankly, that is what short stories usually are.
I am happy to say that this is the first short story anthology book that I couldn't put down! Each story is loosely wrapped around an item of the war- a piece of shrapnel, a war medal, etc; and this book is a FANTASTIC example of writers "showing" emotion vs. "telling." You don't have to understand anything about the political implications of the time because each story is beautiful with innocent, human emotion. I found myself googling and discovering the technology of zeppelins, early machine guns, primitive plastic surgery, and blue benches. Many of these stories are from the perspective of a child or teenager, and really contains no more sensitivity than Anne Frank. Well done. I finally feel like I understand WWI a bit more now- from the human perspective.
August 7, 2018
Morpurgo's story was quite nicely done, even if awkward; I have not much to say about it. Almond's story was actually really good and interesting; it actually had a lot of feeling for a short story. I loved it.
My rating for this book, which is the one with three stories (96 pages), is so low because of John Boyne's story. His story was atrocious; it was just as bad as his other writing, which isn't even remotely shocking because he's just not a good writer.
The reasons for this statement include:
1. The nine-year old child that he wrote, for some reason, doesn't act like a nine-year old child. This is something he's never been good at (and is far more apparent in his novels from children's perspective). He looks at his mom and dad, as a nine-year old, and refers to them by their first names. It's weird
2. He writes an unnecessary thought-process of how French women take better care of themselves than Irish women (who wear potato sacks on days other than Sunday), and it had nothing to do with the story he'd written at all. It served no purpose, it doesn't work in our modern times (even if 'historically accurate' and also a constant feature of how French women are described by non-French people, if the media is any indication), and it just sounds massively sexist without commentary.
3. Why does this child look at his mother, after a brick has been thrown through their front window and think "Oh, I hate how you look in your nightdress. You look tired and not elegant"? It's so weird and absurd.
My rating for this book, which is the one with three stories (96 pages), is so low because of John Boyne's story. His story was atrocious; it was just as bad as his other writing, which isn't even remotely shocking because he's just not a good writer.
The reasons for this statement include:
1. The nine-year old child that he wrote, for some reason, doesn't act like a nine-year old child. This is something he's never been good at (and is far more apparent in his novels from children's perspective). He looks at his mom and dad, as a nine-year old, and refers to them by their first names. It's weird
2. He writes an unnecessary thought-process of how French women take better care of themselves than Irish women (who wear potato sacks on days other than Sunday), and it had nothing to do with the story he'd written at all. It served no purpose, it doesn't work in our modern times (even if 'historically accurate' and also a constant feature of how French women are described by non-French people, if the media is any indication), and it just sounds massively sexist without commentary.
3. Why does this child look at his mother, after a brick has been thrown through their front window and think "Oh, I hate how you look in your nightdress. You look tired and not elegant"? It's so weird and absurd.
September 29, 2021
I'm not sure why I picked up this audiobook, I've never been a "War Buff," but I think the idea of the story being told based on items that had some significant value or importance in the war and the people affected by the item and the war was an interesting perspective. This gave the book a more personal appeal.
Some of the items that prompted a story are, a war-effort plate, a helmet with a hole in it, a writing kit, etc. Each author was given an item and to write the story around/about that item. My favorite being the helmet.
The story involving the helmet talks about how the helmet (with a hole in it) was used as a planter, and as a toy by a young boy to pretend he was in the war. This story sticks out to me because of how the helmet came to be in possession of it and how, until a kid doing a project for school, it had served a mundane purpose. The boy learns of his family member who originally wore the helmet and maybe a bit more about the human condition.
This book about the Great War does have some war stories, but it is much more than that. It explores not only the war but how it affected regular people. (wives, mothers, sons, friends) The book doesn't glorify or damn war, but merely gives it a human connection.
A simple pencil in this book, has so much more surrounding it. I would highly recommend this book to any high school wanting to teach more than just dates and places, but also the philosophy of it all, the human condition.
Some of the items that prompted a story are, a war-effort plate, a helmet with a hole in it, a writing kit, etc. Each author was given an item and to write the story around/about that item. My favorite being the helmet.
The story involving the helmet talks about how the helmet (with a hole in it) was used as a planter, and as a toy by a young boy to pretend he was in the war. This story sticks out to me because of how the helmet came to be in possession of it and how, until a kid doing a project for school, it had served a mundane purpose. The boy learns of his family member who originally wore the helmet and maybe a bit more about the human condition.
This book about the Great War does have some war stories, but it is much more than that. It explores not only the war but how it affected regular people. (wives, mothers, sons, friends) The book doesn't glorify or damn war, but merely gives it a human connection.
A simple pencil in this book, has so much more surrounding it. I would highly recommend this book to any high school wanting to teach more than just dates and places, but also the philosophy of it all, the human condition.
December 16, 2018
My twin grandsons, almost twelve, have a strong interest in WW I and II; the structure of this book intrigued me, eleven well respected authors creating stories around ordinary objects from WWI, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of the war. I was hooked in the opening pages of this book that is recommended for ages ten and up.
The selection of objects is as varied as each story; I had never heard of Princess Mary's Gift Fund Box or the war-time butter dish. (A description of each with a photograph appears at the end of the book.) Some stories were better written than others, and a few were obtuse, but they all left me admiring the creativity and empathy of these authors weaving a layered story, capturing the fear, heartache, courage and confusion of the British and Irish. The stories go far beyond commemorating the end of the war; they paint a face on this almost forgotten war through the ordinary women and men and children gracing the pages. The stories reflect varied perspectives, have a particular relevance to the world we live in today, and will leave the reader much to think about. I hope my grandsons share my opinion when they receive the book as a gift.
The selection of objects is as varied as each story; I had never heard of Princess Mary's Gift Fund Box or the war-time butter dish. (A description of each with a photograph appears at the end of the book.) Some stories were better written than others, and a few were obtuse, but they all left me admiring the creativity and empathy of these authors weaving a layered story, capturing the fear, heartache, courage and confusion of the British and Irish. The stories go far beyond commemorating the end of the war; they paint a face on this almost forgotten war through the ordinary women and men and children gracing the pages. The stories reflect varied perspectives, have a particular relevance to the world we live in today, and will leave the reader much to think about. I hope my grandsons share my opinion when they receive the book as a gift.
February 20, 2020
David Almond finds a story out of the most ordinary of items. From an old war helmet that doubles as a flower pot, to an old butter tin, to a piece of shrapnel wedged in a tree, memories of World War 1 lie everywhere. What was supposed to be the war to end all wards was just the beginning. This book pays tribute not only to the many soldiers who died in the war, but to those suffering at home as well. Take an inside look at many different items, and marvel at the symbolism and ties each have to the war. Additionally, the artwork within the book serves to unify the very different stories.
I was very excited to read this book, but ended up being a little disappointed by it. The stories were a little disjointed from one another, and it was hard to get into one from another. I was able to gain different perspectives, which was very valuable. I empathized with the varying characters, and it hit close to home because I have many people close to me in the service. Overall, the book was very valuable and could have many uses both inside and out of the classroom, but there was little unity in the book as a whole.
Content Warnings: Those suffering from PTSD or have sensitivity with war should read with caution. Violence, War.
I was very excited to read this book, but ended up being a little disappointed by it. The stories were a little disjointed from one another, and it was hard to get into one from another. I was able to gain different perspectives, which was very valuable. I empathized with the varying characters, and it hit close to home because I have many people close to me in the service. Overall, the book was very valuable and could have many uses both inside and out of the classroom, but there was little unity in the book as a whole.
Content Warnings: Those suffering from PTSD or have sensitivity with war should read with caution. Violence, War.
February 14, 2020
This is a fabulous compilation of several previously published short stories about WWI, each one centered around a specific tangible item. The stories are cemented together with beautiful, appropriate illustrations. Each essay is written with splendid detail, but without gore, and is emotionally moving.
This is a book that should be read a little at a time, not hour by hour. It's definitely not a "page-turner" although it is interesting. There were sometimes when I would just barely start to be captivated, only to have that short story end and another begin. Although it's not intended for this, I think it will make a great coffee table book. The cover and illustrations are beautiful, even the type is artistic. I especially appreciated the lack of gruesome details, making this book appropriate for younger readers.
CONTENT WARNING:
This is a book about war. Sensitive readers may be traumatized by the death and fear depicted in this book, even though, in my opinion it is done tastefully.
This is a book that should be read a little at a time, not hour by hour. It's definitely not a "page-turner" although it is interesting. There were sometimes when I would just barely start to be captivated, only to have that short story end and another begin. Although it's not intended for this, I think it will make a great coffee table book. The cover and illustrations are beautiful, even the type is artistic. I especially appreciated the lack of gruesome details, making this book appropriate for younger readers.
CONTENT WARNING:
This is a book about war. Sensitive readers may be traumatized by the death and fear depicted in this book, even though, in my opinion it is done tastefully.
February 16, 2020
To celebrate 100 years since the start of WWI, this is a collection of short stories that focus on objects from the war. Along the way, you'll meet Emile, a boy from Ireland, who's caught between loyalty to his country, and loyalty to his father's ideals, Maud, a girl who covers up her sister's pregnancy by taking over her job at a pottery, Rosalie, a little girl on a mission at her school, and an Angel, trying to remember who he was. They're all stories of enduring the worst and best things in the face of war.
This isn't the type of book you necessarily want to sit down and read in one sitting, but it's absolutely worth it. The short stories all focus on WWI, from the heartbreaking to the inconvenient and I loved the concept. It gives you small little pieces of different people's lives and what they went through in the war that changed so much. It's a great coffee table book to pick up in off hand moments and to read in a few minutes.
Things to be aware of for this book:
- Violence
- Death
- Upsetting Circumstances
This isn't the type of book you necessarily want to sit down and read in one sitting, but it's absolutely worth it. The short stories all focus on WWI, from the heartbreaking to the inconvenient and I loved the concept. It gives you small little pieces of different people's lives and what they went through in the war that changed so much. It's a great coffee table book to pick up in off hand moments and to read in a few minutes.
Things to be aware of for this book:
- Violence
- Death
- Upsetting Circumstances
February 20, 2020
This is a collection of various short stories that are based loosely on artifacts from the first world war. It seems that these stories were not originally written to be part of a single collection, but were gathered and published regardless. Most of these stories revolve around the perspective of children and how The Great War affected them, or how the repercussions of The War affected their families.
The one that stood out the most to me was a story based on a box of coloring pencils. How these pencils were used to draw battle scenes from the hand of a soldier and flowers and things of beauty by the hand of a child. There are some really powerful quotes that will make you stop and think. Personally I thought each story was well written and I enjoyed them, but I sometimes struggled to see how these were based on an item or if an item had been assigned to them after they had been written.
Content Warning:
- war
- blood and gore
- trauma
- injury
- family breaking up due to trauma
- harsh realities discussed from a child's point of view.
The one that stood out the most to me was a story based on a box of coloring pencils. How these pencils were used to draw battle scenes from the hand of a soldier and flowers and things of beauty by the hand of a child. There are some really powerful quotes that will make you stop and think. Personally I thought each story was well written and I enjoyed them, but I sometimes struggled to see how these were based on an item or if an item had been assigned to them after they had been written.
Content Warning:
- war
- blood and gore
- trauma
- injury
- family breaking up due to trauma
- harsh realities discussed from a child's point of view.
October 24, 2017
"The Great War" is a historical book that was inspired by multiple authors from the First World War's items, like a Brodie helmet, or a French toy soldier. This book expresses realism, as it is describing the War where many have died. It is certainly a powerful and emotional book for someone in this time because of the memories these items store. For example, Timothee de Fombelle's "Captain Rosalie" shows how the Rosalie's life was shaped from her dad going to war. Rosalie's life was steady until she found a blue letter which was told it was grim due to her mood swing (happy to melancholy). This letter in turn wrote that Rosalie's dad was shot in protecting his friend. After this, Rosalie began to express sadness, like any person in real life. Despite this book being on an emotional topic, the writing is extremely powerful and speaks out to the reader, like it is reading it to you out loud.
February 21, 2020
In a banding together of authors and short stories, this book brings readers through the devastating and exhilarating adventures of war. With varying themes and morals, each author gives readers a different taste of a different time- soldiers, and death marking almost every tale. In common these authors help the readers see the effects of war on the world and the people of all generations.
I love World War 2 anything, so it was a fun read. I have to be honest though- I wasn't a huge fan of each story and the format of the short stories. It's a little hard to "get lost" in a book when things are constantly changing, but I appreciated the different perspectives and themes that each author brought to the table.
CONTENT WARNING:
This is a book about war- so themes and things may be dark for young adults, and hard for younger kids to get into because of "heavier" writing styles and short story formatting.
I love World War 2 anything, so it was a fun read. I have to be honest though- I wasn't a huge fan of each story and the format of the short stories. It's a little hard to "get lost" in a book when things are constantly changing, but I appreciated the different perspectives and themes that each author brought to the table.
CONTENT WARNING:
This is a book about war- so themes and things may be dark for young adults, and hard for younger kids to get into because of "heavier" writing styles and short story formatting.
February 21, 2020
The Great War is a riveting collection, not only of short stories, but of artifacts and most importantly, real people. By merging evocative storytelling from many talented writers with the real-life drama of objects left behind by those who faced the wrath of war, as well as the silence and release of peace from different angles and perspectives, this book provides a unique look at one of the most crucial and definitive events in history and serves as a reminder that even though the World Wars may be over, our lives are affected by them every day.
I loved reading through this collection of short stories! I'm already fascinated by this particular period in history, but being able to look at it from so many different perspectives gave me a whole new appreciation for it and the people who have left their impression on our nation, society, and world altogether.
Content warnings: Emotional themes, descriptions of violent or frightening events
I loved reading through this collection of short stories! I'm already fascinated by this particular period in history, but being able to look at it from so many different perspectives gave me a whole new appreciation for it and the people who have left their impression on our nation, society, and world altogether.
Content warnings: Emotional themes, descriptions of violent or frightening events
February 23, 2023
Excellent children's anthology of historical fiction by various authors, mostly British, about World War I and war in general. Each story is inspired by a particular artifact from World War I, from a compass to a helmet to a recruitment poster to a royal butter dish. Some stories are straight historical fiction, set during the Great War, and others are contemporary stories with modern kids learning about the past. My favorite story, "A Harlem Hellfighter and His Horn" by Tanya Lee Stone, is written in verse--a Black teen is drawn to joining the Harlem military band, and plays overseas as well as fights in the war. The stories are divided by a black and white illustration of a war scene and a caption explaining it (i.e., what trench warfare meant, or how horses were used in the war). Afterword section has photos of each object and a description of its use and history. Excellent book; imparts a ton of historical info but also makes a great case for peace.
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