All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque (2014 Reading Challenge)

[Nigeyb]

BYT 2014 Reading Challenge: World War 1 Centenary


2014 will mark 100 years since the start of the First World War. Here at BYT we plan to mark the war and its consequences by reading 12 books that should give anyone who reads them a better understanding of the First World War.

The First World War was a turning point in world history. It claimed the lives of over 16 million people across the globe and had a huge impact on those who experienced it. The war and its consequences shaped much of the twentieth century, and the impact of it can still be felt today.

The BYT 2014 Reading Challenge will be our way of helping to remember those who lived, fought and served during the years 1914-18.

There's a thread for each of the 12 books.

Welcome to the thread for...



All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
(Category: Novel Central Powers)

You can read the books in any order. Whilst you're reading them, or after you've finished, come and share your thoughts and feelings, ask questions, and generally get involved. The more we all participate, the richer and more fulfilling the discussions will be for us all. Here's to a stimulating, informative, and enjoyable BYT 2014 Reading Challenge.

[Jennifer W]

I'm excited to read this one! I've been meaning to get to it for years.

[Jan C]

I read it in college, but not for college. I think it was one of the books my grandfather had left behind on one of his visits. And I took it with me to school. Time to re-read it.

[Jan C]

Just finished my reread of All Quiet. Surprised at how much and how little I remembered from my reading of it 40 years ago.

One book I highly recommend to all. And it is always worth a reread, if you have read it before.

[Nigeyb]

^ Thanks Jan. I am looking forward to this one very much.

[Jan C]

I just found out that there is a "sequel" - The Road Back. This one takes place something like 15 years later.

[Nigeyb]

I've just started All Quiet on the Western Front and, although it is very early days, I am extremely impressed. It's very readable and accessible, and yet instantly engaging and compelling too. I was fearing another Storm of Steel (which is a good book, but quite matter of fact) but this feels a much more interesting and humane take on a soldier's life on the Western Front.

I'll keep you posted with my thoughts as I work through it.

[Nigeyb]

I'm on page 23 of 208.


So farewell Kemmeridge.

Heartbreaking.

What a moving and well written book.

[Nigeyb]

Just finished. Absolutely stunning. I'll write dome more thoughts soon.

[Nigeyb]

I've read a lot of great books about World War One - and this is the best.

In a mere 200 or so pages, Erich Maria Remarque perfectly captures the absurdity, tragedy, humour, horror, camaraderie and waste of war. This book packs so much in, and it is beautifully and simply written.

A room full of German schoolboys, in 1914, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their teacher into enlisting for Germany's glorious war, where inevitably the young boys become old men in a matter of months. No one back at home can ever understand the horror of this new mechanised style of warfare and quickly the boys, robbed of their lives and their youth, realise they only have each other. Inevitably, one by one the boys die or get injured.

Erich Maria Remarque touches on many aspects of the conflict: the violence, the terror, the politics, the home front, the pettiness, and so on.

If you only have time to read one book about World War One then read this. It's stunning.

5/5

[Jan C]

And it holds up excellently over the years.

So many times I have re-read books that I loved years ago and can't stand now. Not the case here. If anything, I think I may have liked it even more.

[Katy]

Definitely a 5-star book. Worth a re-read. Been a few years since I've last read this one.

[Ally]

I'm reading this (...well listening to it...) on audio. I'm about 4 chapters in and it's a great book and raises some very philosophical questions too such as the differences between the way we treat human suffering compared to animal suffering almost asking us which is the most humane & the difference in attitudes to war between the classes. Interesting too how the men become immune to the petty dangers of life not caring if they're thrown from a truck and break a few limbs...this being preferable to what awaits them at the front. The description of the gas attack was vivid & the way muller gets his flying boots is both shocking and immensely practical as a thought process. Finally the concentration on the procuring of food highlights the importance of skills that may have been morally questionable in 'normal' life and is a very neat way of showing how war turns everything you know on it's head!

Embarrassingly it took me a couple of chapters to realise I was reading about German soldiers rather than the allies (... The names really should have given it away!)

I'm very much enjoying this book...is enjoying the right word? It's fascinating.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks everyone.


I'd tentatively suggest that, perhaps, All Quiet on the Western Front is the definitive book on WW1.

What do you think?

If you could only recommend one book on WW1 which one would it be?

All Quiet on the Western Front?

[Bronwyn]

I just finished this. It was very prettily written and I know it's a "good book", but I didn't really care for it. I still gave it 4 stars, but was waffling between 3 and 4, so maybe I'm still not sure. I'd hate to say it's good and that I enjoyed it because its so bleak and depressing. But it's supposed to be so... It's definitely an important book, but I don't know that I really want to reread it anytime soon.

[Nigeyb]

^ Thanks Bronwyn.


I was very interested to read that you didn't connect with the book despite being able to recognise its importance. I'm guessing that your answer to my question above..

"If you could only recommend one book on WW1 which one would it be? "

..would not, therefore, be

All Quiet on the Western Front

So far, which is the title that you'd rate as the best?

[Bronwyn]

I don't know. I've only finished two so far, neither of which I really enjoyed. This one probably would be better though, and be the one I'd more likely recommend, just because of the overall impression and feeling it gives. I feel like that's more important to understanding the war than what battles happened when and how, etc.

[Nigeyb]

^ I agree.


What I got from this book (along with Goodbye to All That and Storm of Steel) was a very clear idea of the experience of the soldier on the front line.

Of the three books I mention, All Quiet on the Western Front was the one I enjoyed the most. I felt there was a real humanity in the book, aligned to an incredible array of insights about the time and the culture.

[Jan C]

Bronwyn, it took me 40 years to reread it and I think I kind of liked it the first time. Although not as much as I liked it the second time.

[Ally]

I finished this on the bus on the way home from work yesterday and it was all I could do not to weep uncontrollably right there in front of everyone! It didn't help that my audio version ended with the Last Post bugle call played on Remembrance Day.

I agree with other comments...this was a vivid picture of life as a soldier during WW1 and therefore a very important book (...lest we forget!)

Interestingly, listening to the audio version helped me see a little of how this book was structured. Each chapter beginning with a section of philosophising and then moving into some 'action' scenes. It was very clever.

[Nigeyb]

Ally wrote: "I finished this on the bus on the way home from work yesterday and it was all I could do not to weep uncontrollably right there in front of everyone! It didn't help that my audio version ended with the Last Post bugle call played on Remembrance Day."

I think the bugle call would have tipped me over the edge too Ally. Very moving.

I don't listen to many audio books. I did listen to The Road by Cormac McCarthy and that was very powerful, and - at the book's conclusion - I was wiping away a tear.

Perhaps there's an added power to listening to books rather than reading? What do we think? To allow us to stay on topic on this thread, click here to discuss "Audio books vs reading books" over in "Chit Chat"

Ally wrote: "I agree with other comments...this was a vivid picture of life as a soldier during WW1 and therefore a very important book (...lest we forget!)"

Absolutely.

Ally wrote: "Interestingly, listening to the audio version helped me see a little of how this book was structured. Each chapter beginning with a section of philosophising and then moving into some 'action' scenes. It was very clever. "

That is interesting. I don't recall being conscious of that when I was reading it.

[Judy]

I've just started this one today and am also listening to the audiobook - I don't often listen to audiobooks but am hoping to get into them so that I can "read" while catching up on housework! Tom Lawrence's reading voice is wonderful and adding to my appreciation. I'm quite surprised by how much black humour there is, since I don't remember this element from the great film which I saw a few years ago. Great stuff so far!

[Judy]

I'm now about two thirds of the way through (after being distracted by a few other books) and really impressed. I have just listened to the section where Paul goes home on leave and feels such a gulf between himself and the civilians trying to understand what it is like at the front - as though they are speaking different languages.

Loved the description of his visit to the pub with the man trying to patronise him, who suggests that an ordinary soldier doesn't know what is going on as much as an expert outsider!

[Ally]

That bit in the pub really interested me too. I often wonder about the different perspectives we all have on events in our lives as we can only see things through our own eyes and frame of reference.

In the case of a Soldier a disposition of following orders unquestioningly is a necessity. An informed outsider may indeed know more about the 'bigger picture'. However, the sheer scale of the two world wars means that the army numbers swelled so as to include those of all dispositions including those if a more questioning nature. That must have caused some problems.

[Judy]

I've now finished this great book and am so impressed - it took me longer because I listened to it on audio, but I think that made it even more powerful. Ally, I also found it very moving to hear the Last Post at the end.

I was a bit surprised to find that the translator didn't appear to be credited at all in the audiobook edition, but taking a peek at a print edition at Amazon has confirmed that the translation used is the most recent one by Brian Murdoch. I think he has done a fantastic job, as the writing style is so compelling, direct and colloqiual.

[Ally]

Compelling and powerful are definitely the right two words for this book. And it doesn't seem to matter that this is told from the perspective of the 'other side' - the story of a soldier in war is almost universal.

[Nigeyb]

Yes, yes, yes. Erich Maria Remarque perfectly captures the absurdity, tragedy, humour, horror, camaraderie and waste of war. This book packs so much in, and it is beautifully and simply written.

[Judy]

I definitely agree that it doesn't matter that it is from the other side. The whole section where Paul kills a man and has to sit beside him for such a long time really puts across how the young men fighting on both sides are just the same.

Thanks to Jan for mentioning the 'sequel', The Road Back above - I will aim to read that too.

[Judy]

Has anyone else seen the 1930 film of this directed by Lewis Milestone, starring Lew Ayres? I watched this a few years ago and was very impressed - a great film with some unforgettable scenes. I'd like to revisit it now after reading the book.

There was also a 1979 remake starring Richard Thomas and Ernest Borgnine, which I haven't seen, and it looks from the imdb as if another version may be made next year.

[Judy]

Seems that new version was originally announced in 2010, so I won't hold my breath - at that stage it was due to star Daniel Radcliffe.

[Val]

I think the fact that the young soldiers are from 'the other side' adds to it being universal.

[Pink]

I listened to this a couple of days ago, after delaying it for a while. I also had the Tom Lawrence audio version and thought he did a great job, it really worked well in this format.

Nigeyb, I haven't yet read Goodbye to All That (it's my last book left for this challenge) so can't comment on that one. However this book is by far the best I have read on WW1 up until now and definitely the one I would recommend. I rated it 5 stars, which is rare for me (it's the 3rd book I've rated this highly from over 100 read this year)

I don't think I could pick out any particular passage, as so many stand out. I think it was superbly crafted and included just about everything I could want from a story about WW1. (The bugle playing at the end got me too)

[Nigeyb]

^ Thanks Pink. It's magnificent. 5 stars for me too.

[Jan C]

I loved it, too, and was glad to see how well it held up on a second reading.