Generals Die In Bed

[michaeldr]

This book review appeared in last weekend’s ‘Weekend FT.’ I have been unable to find it in their on-line edition and in case it has been missed I att. it here as a JPEG

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Borden Battery]

I have a 1975 paperback edition - what is your interest in this book?

[michaeldr]

BB,

Sorry if my post was misleading; I have not read this book but came across the review and since it does not appear to be covered elsewhere thought that I would bring it to the attention of the Pals who might otherwise have missed it

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Guest bonza]

Gee Whizz!

A rap like that from Currie!

Its a wonder it wasn't a World Top Seller.

Thanks for the Lead, Michael.

ooRoo

Pat

[michaeldr]

Pat,

I don’t suppose that Currie got up to much rioting in any French towns.

Perhaps BB can comment on whether or not this novel presents a believable tale. From the review its author certainly seems to have had a modern/unromantic view of soldiers and soldiering in wartime

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Auimfo]

I've got a copy. I read it quite a while ago but from what I remember it's not a bad read.

Tim L.

[Borden Battery]

The book is considered a Canadian novel first published in England after being rejected by several publishers in the United States.

The style is short and blunt; few words are used to clearly describe conditions and situations. I feel it has a style similar to Hemmingway's Old Man and the Sea from the early 1950's.

The book was an interesting read although I tend to look for reference material. However, much like the Journal of Private Fraser or Passchendaele-The Sacrifical Ground, it does evoke a feeling of what it might have been like.

[michaeldr]

The style is short and blunt; few words are used to clearly describe conditions and situations. I feel it has a style similar to Hemmingway's Old Man and the Sea from the early 1950's.

BB,

Thanks for your comments

I like the ref to Hemmingway’s style; I heard it said that he advised writers to work as if a heavy man was sitting on one's chest

Regards

Michael D.R.

[Borden Battery]

One of my favourite Great War historical history novels is entitled "Higher Command" by Edlef Koppen and published by Faber & Faber of London in 1931.

It a realistic and modest story of one German soldier [a Adolf Reisiger, 96th Field Artillery Regiment] and the men and experiences of His war. This novel does not have the bravado of the Storm of Steel by Ernst Junger - which is perhaps another reason I enjoyed it. I have re-read it once this past summer and could read it again in a couple years.

In my opinion, it has some of the most realistic and descriptive passages of what a heavy artillery barrage must have been like - and this is from the German perspective.

[Guest]

Generals Die in Bed is an AMAZING book! If you search on Google for Generals Die in Bed, it says that grade 9+ should read it, but im in grade 7 and I understood everything! (then again, im in the enhanced learning class a.k.a the smart peoples class) Once again, its a AMAZING book! Ii totally recomend it!

[Guest webbhead]

I've been researching Harrison for some time and can offer some information for those interested in this very important but overlooked Canadian war novel. The English editions published so far include:

Hardcover - London: N. Douglas, 1930 (1st British edition)

Hardcover - New York: William Morrow, 1930 (1st American edition)

Mass market pb - Hamilton, ON: Potlach 1974 (Canadian reprint)

Trade pb - Toronto: Annick, 2002 (a "young reader's" edition)

Trade pb - Penguin Australia, 2003 (reprint)

Trade pb - London: Red Fox/ Random House UK, 2004 (just released)

Note: If you're looking to buy online, be aware that the proposed new Canadian edition from McClelland & Stewart has been cancelled... it won't arrive if you order it.

There are also old editions in French, Spanish and German translations, but these are very rare. There's even a braille edition (!) listed at the Canadian National Library.

Harrison wrote a further four novels after GDIB, three of them war-related, all of them only in out-of-print first editions (see www.abebooks.com). They are

- A Child is Born (1931- New York during WWI)

- There Are Victories (1933 - WWI from a war wife's perspective)

- Meet Me on the Barricades (1938 - surreal depictions of the trenches--very different

from the terse realism of GDIB)

- Nobody's Fool (1948 - no war connection but his best novel after GDIB)

He also wrote three non-fictional books and several public housing pamphlets. The books are:

- Clarence Darrow (1931-biography of the famous lawyer)

- Labour Lawyer by Louis Waldman (1944-ghost written by Harrison)

- Thank God for my Heart Attack (1949-an early installment in the "self-help" genre)

Hope this is of use to someone. Would love to hear more opinions/ thoughts about GDIB from those who've read it... its a controversial picture of Canadians in WWI, to say the least.

Cheers all.

[IPT]

Online version;

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks05/0500061h.html

[Black Maria]

Read it a while ago and really enjoyed it,his description of battle is very vivid.

[Ken S.]

The gentleman who ran Potlatch used to live a few streets away; I never met him, but I know someone who lived on the street and knew (of) him. The book used to be on the reading list for a CanLit course at McMaster and copies are still relatively common to find around here at thrift stores & garage sales. At one point I had three or four copies. It is an excellent book. Find it odd, though, that it would be republished as a children's book, as--if I recall correctly--that edition contains a few morbid photos.