- Hardcover
- Publisher: Vintage; Limited signed e. edition
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099474867
- ISBN-13: 978-0099474869
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (392 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,907,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Birdsong
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Authors
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
107 of 108 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read Birdsong about 14 years ago, when it was first published in paperback; it must have impressed me because it stayed on my bookshelf rather than being passed on. This second reading has reminded me why I kept it - it has to be one of the most haunting novels I've ever read, and it kept me reading well into the small hours! The early chapters deal with a love affair in which the author so clearly recreates the sense of overwhelming desire and reckless behaviour that accompanies true passion. This, however, is only the start of Stephen Wraysford's story, for we soon move on to his involvement as a young officer in the First World War and this, for me, is what makes the novel such an amazing work. Knowing that the fiction was based on real events, together with the vivid descriptions, makes the story so very moving. It's not just a chronicle of events though, Sebastian Faulks is a master of detail, which makes the readers feel they're actually there, in the mud of Flanders - there were times when I too held my breath and envisaged how the fear must have felt. The penultimate chapter was so moving, it reduced me to tears and this, for me, is unusual! Reading and remembering the words of old men from my childhood, it's hard to believe that little more than 20 years later, man embarked on a Second World War and, after both those events, it seems incredible that man has still not learned his lesson! I would urge everyone to read this novel, and if you've already done so, then read it again!
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Birdsong is set during the 1st World War and despite being a story, its historial and geographical content is accurate.
It tells the story of Stephen Wraysford and the events that shape his life. Starting in pre-war France and moving on in time, it deals with Stephen's experiences in love and war. The novel incorporates Stephen's friendship with Michael Weir, a fellow soldier and also includes the stories of other soldiers that fight alongside them.
This is a graphic and detailed novel. Faulks describes in detail the events that these soldiers lived through on a daily basis. Despite the disturbing nature of some of these scenes, the novel is so beautifully and cleverly written that it is compulsive.
Faulks ties in the events of Stephen Wraysford during the First World War to modern life with the quest of Stephen's Grandaughter, Elizabeth, to trace her past and seek out what happened to her Grandfather. She does this when she discovers the journals that her Grandfather wrote during the war.
The novel is structured so that it moves forward and back in time and reminds the reader of the benefits we have today because of the sacrifices made by so many men.
It is a poignant and moving novel and one which brings home the realities and the true atrocities that the soldiers of the First World War suffered. Once read, it will never be forgotten.
76 of 78 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This a such a powerful war novel.
I will justify this statement, not by repeating the things other people have said but through highlighting just one passage that really moved me.
This is when Michael Weir - Stephen Wraysford's closest wartime friend - goes home on leave to his parents in Leamington Spar. Weir has experienced death, squalor, disease, and utter degredation in the trenches. Yet his family cannot understand or respond when he tries to convey these experiences to them. It is beyond their imagination - as it is ours - that men could tolerate such conditions. Instead we see his parents treating him as if he has just been up to town for the week. They rebuke him, for example, for not telling them exactly the time he would be arriving. His mother fusses over him like a child: "You look a bit thin, Michael. What have they been feeding you on over in France?" You sense Weir's desperation as he realises that he cannot communicate any of the reality of the war to his family. This is so moving and heart-wrending. One can really believe that it was like that for so many men and their families when the war, for the British people, was "over there".
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Mostly a very good read, with some exceptions
I read this with no prior expectations, my partner just handed it to me off his bookshelf when I wanted something to read. Read more
Published 14 days ago by chocolatekate
Dont know what the fuss is about!
I gave up after the first love scene.
I just cant get into this story, the style of writing is hard to follow and I dont know what the hype is all about. Read more
I just cant get into this story, the style of writing is hard to follow and I dont know what the hype is all about. Read more
Published 20 days ago by book worm
Surprisingly good!
My Dad told me I HAD to read this book and that when he'd finished it he felt like he'd lost a friend.... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Good Read Hunter
Modern-day scenes poor
Faulks captures the atmosphere of the First World War brilliantly, giving us a deep insight into how it felt to be in the trenches and tunnels on the front line, but his nineteen... Read more
Published 23 days ago by Anthony R. Bayliss
A REALLY CAPTIVATING NOVEL
I liked the TV serial of Bird Song and decided to read the book. It is really worthwhile to do that. Read more
Published 29 days ago by Dalaman Man
Wow!
Wow...what a great read. One of those books I should have read a long time ago. Prompted to read by it being on the TV. So glad I picked this up to read. Read more
Published 1 month ago by DE Will
Birdsong.
A very poignant novel about a very emotive time. Informative without being too technical or fact-orientated. I would recommend this book highly.
Published 1 month ago by Robbo
Birdsong - lovely romance story
I love this book because I love good old romances. I'm engrossed with the story and only just begun reading it.
Published 1 month ago by Kaz04
catching story
After seeing the first part of the BBC adaptation I decided to read the book before watching the second part. I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 1 month ago by pat
Beautifully Sombre
I bought this book about 2 years ago and it has been sitting in my "to read" pile ever since. I recently picked it up and was entirely captivated from the first page. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Belle
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
