A Whispered Name - William Brodrick

[Kathie]

I found today in Johannesburg - A Whispered Name by William Brodrick - just after I had finished doing a couple of hours selling poppies for the SA Legion in Sandton City - just behind a truly ugly eight times lifesize statue of Nelson Mandela. Every tourist comes to have their photo taken here. I accosted a great many people - the most profitable address included "your grandfather must have fought in the Second World War" - amazing the mount of life stories people want to share with a total stranger.

Anyway, a refreshing cappacino in the local bookstore afterwards caused me to purchase the above book. After a very long - two hours - bath it is now finished.

In brief - three stories run parallel: a monk is todays time line is tasked by his prior with following up certain clues left by a recently deceased and much loved monk as to his involvment in the First War; a rather useless young 2nd Lt with a blot on his record is sent off to be the third officer at a court martital; a young Irish boy, in a regiment where about 65% of those he knew are now dead, decides to do a good dead and thereby suffer a death by execution which will be a death with meaning rather than the meaningless Passchendaele slaughter which is imminent.

These various stories have the good yarn of a quest for information at the PRO, France, Belgium, old Generals diaries etc.; the life and death surrounding court martials including rugby matches and soldiers and officers feeling about them; the meaning of lives lived after the War and the impact of deeds done and not done in the course of War on the lives of officers at court martials, men who form the firing squad, families who have no idea what happened in the War, women who sent children to both British and French armies.

It is, I think, a lovely read. Im going to buy two extra copies to force my book club to show some interest in things Great Warish.

Anyone else read it yet.

Kathie

[Audax]

Reading this book at the moment - good read so far.

[gracksnip]

Kathie:

I just finished "A Whispered Name" last night. It was a beautifully written and intriguing story which combined so many subtle elements, and drew a compelling picture of the futility of the Great War on many levels. I happened to find this book in Johannesburg airport on my way back from Zambia to the US, and I'm so glad that I made an impulse purchase. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Great War fiction.

Your review was excellent too, I must add.

Best regards,

JB