- Unknown Binding
- Publisher: Picador; Paperback. edition (1983)
- ASIN: B002KDQO32
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 51 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A tender and enormously inspiring little book about his experiences in Italy during World War 2, this is Eric Newby reflecting on his loss of innocence, twenty-eight years after the event. Newby would leave soldiering behind and go on to become a first-rate travel writer, a man capable of portraying passion, excitement and mystery in a calmly sophisticated prose style. In "Love and War in the Apennines" we get a mature account of his Italian exploits rather than a contemporary journal or diary.
Newby makes no apologies for transforming his memories into a seemingly seamless narrative. He delivers an enriching and thrilling account of his experiences: life is experienced as a continuum, not as edited highlights, and life in the face of danger, in prison, or on the run from recapture is one long stream of conscious awareness of what might happen next day or next moment.
Newby was captured after an abortive attempt to play a rather amateurish 'special forces' role and blow up German bombers on a coastal airfield in Italy. He describes himself as a failed soldier, and the lack of planning, blundering ineptitude of the exercise, and the humiliation of capture still, evidently rankled twenty years later.
His captivity by the Italians would not last - Mussolini was deposed shortly after his incarceration and he was liberated before the Germans could take over his prison. There then followed a period of evading recapture, dependent on the good will and courage of the locals. The war is the backcloth against which this tale is told, but its subject is liberty, the freedom of people to maintain their humanity and their cultural integrity, and ... of course ... love.
Newby fell in love with the Italian girl with whom he shared an exchange of language - she taught him Italian, he taught her English. It's a sweet, almost coy observation of the emergence of a burning love. It's also an evocation of the way of life of the people who sheltered him and the emergence of his love for the simple honesty of their peasant economy and lifestyle. This, you imagine, is where Newby learned his compassion and his willingness to understand other people.
This is a delightful commentary on war from the perspective of a man who sees nothing he does as heroic, but who sees heroism in everyone around him. It's also a useful corrective to fictional accounts of what it's like to be a prisoner of war - . A very human, humble, yet passionate work which will thoroughly entertain.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
My initial fears that this was going to be a "Boy's Own" story of military escapades proved unfounded. In fact this book is a marvellous blend of escape story, adventure, travelogue, autobiography and love story. More than anything it describes the timelessness of rural life in the Italian mountains and the self-sufficiency of such communities. It is as entertaining as it is thrilling, and the author's admiration and affection for those who assisted him is very evident. One criticism, it could have done with a more maps, and a glossary.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio Cassette
This audio version of Eric Newby's tale of his experiences during WW II after the invasion of Italy is enthralling. Richard E. Grant is the perfect choice to read Newby's story. He reads the book with great passion and a fondness of a wonderful tale of survival and love. The vividness of his voice, the loving descriptions of the countryside and the people Newby came to know, the voices used for the people and the tale itself had me listening to the whole three hour book in one sitting. Well worth a evening curled up in a comfortable chair relaxing. Will undoubtling listen to again and again.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Newby's War
For fans of Eric Newby, one of the last of the independent travellers, this is a fascinating tale. Set in Italy during the Second World War, it traces his capture and subsequent... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Taurus
charming
Can't add much to previous reviews. My only 'but' is that even if Newby states at the begginning that the book only wants to return the help and affection received from the... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Fernando Sanchez Cuenca Al
Books remembered
I first read Eric Newby's account of his time in Italy in WW2 some years ago. I found it interesting & enjoyable. Read more
Published 7 months ago by KenM
MISSING BOOK
1 BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE !!! 1 BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE 1 BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE 1 BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE 1 BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE ! BOOK DID NOT ARRIVE
Published 9 months ago by COOMES
From the O.K. British upper classes to struggling Italian peasants.
In retrospect, it is difficult to put one's finger on exactly why this is such an absorbing and touching book. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Grr
Affectionate Remembrance of Perilous Times Past
Eric Newby's war was dangerous and eventful but contributed nothing to eventual victory. An abortive project with Special Boat Services, capture and escape, life in the Italian... Read more
Published 17 months ago by G. M. Sinstadt
review of "Love & War in the Apennines"
I have been a member of a book club now for more years than I care to admit. The great part about the club is that we each take turns to nominate a book for review, I use this term... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Garry
Much more than just love and war
Eric Newby must be one of the most under-discovered travel writers of recent times. While everyone has heard of the likes of Peter Mayle and his adventures in Provence, if you... Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2009 by Lazy Lee
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