The Lives and Writings of the 1914 - 1918 War Poets
The First World War was a turning point in human history and a cataclysm for the people who fought in it. The sheer scale of its horror and carnage transformed social, political and artistic attitudes throughout the civilised world. Nothing shows this more clearly than the work of the poets, writers and artists of the trenches - the creators of a unique cultural heritage that holds up a powerful mirror to their times, reflecting their hopes, fears, doubts, initial optimism and ultimate cynicism.
Year by year, from the heady patriotism of August 1914 to the last war-weary moments before the final cease fire over four years later, this book reveals the innermost thoughts and feelings of the writers who gave voice to the aspirations of a doomed generation. Each chapter contains a commentary to put the work of the poets into the context of the time, plus a carefully chosen selection of the poems themselves. Contemporary paintings by war artists, cartoons, memorabilia and photographs provide a fascinating visual insight that amplifies the record of the war years contained in the text.
