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Departing radically from traditional histories, A WAR IN WORDS tells the story of the First World War on a compelling, human scale through the letters and diaries of its participants — whether combatants, eyewitnesses, or victims. Powerful individual stories are interwoven to form an extraordinary narrative that follows the chronology of the war, in words written on the battlefield and on leave, under occupation and under siege. Taking us from the killing fields of the Western Front to the unforgiving waters of the North Sea, it is a remarkable new insight into the British at war, and a major addition to First World War literature.

Review: This should be mandatory reading for any person with the power and inclination to engage in war. The letters of those engaged in the act of warfare to those they had left at home, whether they were from one side of the conflict or the other, the tragedy of young men caught up in the quarrels of those in power comes over only too tragically. Each of those writers will be dead now, some of them soon after their letters were written. Most of them knew what lay ahead of them and faced it all so bravely. It shames those of us living in safety and in comfort, it angers us that these men were placed in such appalling conditions for a way that did nothing to improve the lot of any country. So much of value was lost, not least these men whose letters fill these pages. It is good that the researchers have done such a good job in collecting and collating these. The letters stand for themselves, and the researchers stand back as it were, making no comment. It isn’t needed.

Svetlana Palmer was born in Moscow and educated in Russia and Britain, where she has lived since 1990. She is a researcher and producer, and her credits include THE COLD WAR and THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN COLOUR. Sarah Wallis has worked as a researcher and producer on a number of contemporary and historical films about Europe, including the BBC’s award-winning PEOPLE’S CENTURY. This is their first book.