Guy Crouchback, determined to get into the war, takes a commission in the Royal Corps of Halberdiers. His spirits high, he sees all the trimmings but none of the action. And his first campaign, an abortive affair on the West African coastline, ends with an escapade which seriously blots his Halberdier copybook. Men at Arms is the first book in Waugh’s brilliant trilogy, Sword of Honour, which chronicles the fortunes of Guy Crouchback. The second and third volumes, Officers and Gentlemen and Unconditional Surrender, are also published in Penguin. Sword of Honour has recently been made into a television drama series, with screenplay by William Boyd.
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About the Author
Evelyn Waugh was born in 1903 and was educated at Hertford College, Oxford. In 1928 he published his first novel, Decline and Fall, which was soon followed by Vile Bodies (1930), Black Mischief (1932), A Handful of Dust (1934) and Scoop (1938). In 1945 he published Brideshead Revisited and he won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1952 for Men at Arms. Evelyn Waugh died in 1966.
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First Sentence
'Here's how,' said Guy. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
'Here's how,' said Guy. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Omar Sabbagh
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
Men at Arms is a curiously thought-provoking novel. I enjoyed it tremendously for many reasons, a few of which I shall outline below.
Firstly, despite not being its primary attribute, the characterization is quite evocative. This isn't due to the author's intrusive narrative on motivation etc., but is effected through quite brilliant dialogue. In fact the subtle humour that pervades this novel, a kind of kind-hearted and sorrowful satire, is produced by the brilliance of the dialogue and the way nuances of tone, character and conflict are secreted therein. There is something very authentic, immediate and alive, natural, about the writing in this book. In these respects Waugh here is a bit like Dickens, Dickens on sedatives that is.
Another thing I liked about the novel was that despite the moments of genuine anger and darkness (bubbling below the surface in characters such as Apthorpe and the Brigadier), there is a general air of comedy or good-feeling that surrounds what must be assumed as dreadful realities to anyone, especially someone such as myself who has never been near a war. In a way, this is suggested by the implicit satire of English schoolboy fantasy, which seems to set the tone for the attitudes towards war in the novel.
Except, that is, for Guy. Guy Crouchback, the main protagonist, is a mystery to me, and all the more real for that. Unlike, say, a character in a Greene novel, where the inner world and its significance is flagged all the way throughout in quite a didactic fashion, the world of Guy Crouchback is somehow more distant and enticing to the reader. We get to know this character as the story progresses, by the way he acts and reacts in the changing situations- not by any interior dialogue. This, in its way, provoked a lot of sympathy in me, and a lot of curiosity.
Finally, and this will be obvious to anyone reading it, the prose is flawless. It is clearly a work written by a master at the height of his powers. At no time does one question the writing itself. It is fluid and rich without in any way being overbearing.
If there is one fault with this novel, it is that it seems to me slightly formless. Loose ends remain unresolved, glaringly so. But then I have not read the sequels in the trilogy, which I will begin doing in a few minutes, so this objection may be mistaken.
I recommend this novel whole-heartedly!
Firstly, despite not being its primary attribute, the characterization is quite evocative. This isn't due to the author's intrusive narrative on motivation etc., but is effected through quite brilliant dialogue. In fact the subtle humour that pervades this novel, a kind of kind-hearted and sorrowful satire, is produced by the brilliance of the dialogue and the way nuances of tone, character and conflict are secreted therein. There is something very authentic, immediate and alive, natural, about the writing in this book. In these respects Waugh here is a bit like Dickens, Dickens on sedatives that is.
Another thing I liked about the novel was that despite the moments of genuine anger and darkness (bubbling below the surface in characters such as Apthorpe and the Brigadier), there is a general air of comedy or good-feeling that surrounds what must be assumed as dreadful realities to anyone, especially someone such as myself who has never been near a war. In a way, this is suggested by the implicit satire of English schoolboy fantasy, which seems to set the tone for the attitudes towards war in the novel.
Except, that is, for Guy. Guy Crouchback, the main protagonist, is a mystery to me, and all the more real for that. Unlike, say, a character in a Greene novel, where the inner world and its significance is flagged all the way throughout in quite a didactic fashion, the world of Guy Crouchback is somehow more distant and enticing to the reader. We get to know this character as the story progresses, by the way he acts and reacts in the changing situations- not by any interior dialogue. This, in its way, provoked a lot of sympathy in me, and a lot of curiosity.
Finally, and this will be obvious to anyone reading it, the prose is flawless. It is clearly a work written by a master at the height of his powers. At no time does one question the writing itself. It is fluid and rich without in any way being overbearing.
If there is one fault with this novel, it is that it seems to me slightly formless. Loose ends remain unresolved, glaringly so. But then I have not read the sequels in the trilogy, which I will begin doing in a few minutes, so this objection may be mistaken.
I recommend this novel whole-heartedly!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading Men at Arms, the first book in the Sword of Honour Trilogy. The book revolves around the experiences of Guy Crouchback, a rather tragic figure, who regards the Second World War as an opportunity to fulfil childhood dreams of honour and chivalry - without much luck. The book gives a tremendous insight into the attitudes and atmosphere of wartime Britain, far removed from the 'Churchillian - all for one' image usually portrayed by the present day media.
This book is worth reading if only for an introduction to the delightful Apthorpe and his Thunderbox.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By M. S. Bowden
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback
'Men at Arms' is a book which is a pleasure to read, and one is kept company by Waugh's sumptuous prose and exceptionally good characterisations throughout the book. There can be little doubt, that when Waugh wrote this work, he could claim to be one of the foremost masters of English prose of his time. Waugh's effortlessly rich and varied vocabulary helps to make an otherwise rather dull tale come to life.
Waugh achieves what so few writers are able to achieve; the effect of making one feel that one is there, present, beside the main character throughout the book.
One criticism which may be levelled at 'Men at Arms' is that it seems slightly unfinished. The last chapter ends as though tempting the reader with clues as to what is going to happen next. It is perhaps best, in light of this, to read 'Men at Arms' as part of the 'The Sword of Honour Trilogy'. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the beauty of the English language in the hands of masters like Waugh.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
20th Century Classic
This has got to be the best book written in English about the Second World War. It can be read as a humorous book or as one which describes the frustration and futility of war. Read more
Published 11 days ago by Cummings
3.0 out of 5 stars
Men at Arms
This is a well acclaimed book, mainly by those who admire Waugh and all his works. It was a little beyond me possibly because I have no experience of war, preparation for war or... Read more
Published 5 months ago by mr m white
5.0 out of 5 stars
Men at Arms
This novel is the first in the Sword of Honour trilogy, followed by Officers and Gentlemen (Penguin Modern Classics) and Unconditional Surrender: The Conclusion of Men at Arms and... Read more
Published 11 months ago by S Riaz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh
A story of its time but great wry humour. Part one of a trilogy and am looking forward to reading the other two in the series.
Published 15 months ago by setson51
5.0 out of 5 stars
Waugh at war
This trilogy is not only beautifully written and a good read, but shows a side to the last war that I was unaware of, and I lived through it. Read more
Published 21 months ago by bethany
5.0 out of 5 stars
Men at Arms
Thoroughly enjoyable read. Only thing I have ever read of Waugh's. Indeed, leaves me wanting more. I may well read the remaining volumes in the trilogy.
Published on 1 Sep 2010 by Jonathan Harding
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Ironic Story of War
In MEN AT ARMS, Waugh writes about the experiences in 1939 and 1940 of Guy Crouchback, the scion of an old aristocratic English family that has lost its money. Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2009 by Ethan Cooper
5.0 out of 5 stars
Listen to this - please do
Evelyn Waugh's Men at Arms is a novel set in Europe during World War II. It is about how a man deals with his life and its changes brought about by the war. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2001 by "marklee35"
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