There are many anthologies of poetry of the First World War, reflecting the huge interest there is in this subject, but "Voices of Silence" is unlike any of them. The poetry of the First World War has determined our perception of the war itself. Yet, this perception is based on the interpretation of a few poets who have become household names - writers such as Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Isaac Rosenberg. Less literary but equally important, the poetry gathered together in this volume has been drawn from old newspapers and journals, trench and hospital magazines, individual volumes of verse, gift books, postcards, and an illicit manuscript magazine put together by conscientious objectors. For the first time, the huge body of rich, exciting and often deeply moving work that complements the established literary canon has been revived. It adds a new dimension to our perception of the immediate response to war - not least in the soldiers' recurring and important use of humour. Written by the men for the men, these verses reflect an aspect of the national character which contributes to our understanding of how they were able to endure.
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About the Author
Vivien Noakes has a doctorate in the poetry of the First World War poet, Isaac Rosenberg, and has edited the definitive edition of Rosenberg's poetry for the Oxford University Press. She is the leading authority on the life and work of the nonsense poet and painter, Edward Lear, and her book Edward Lear: The Life of a Wanderer has recently been reissued by Sutton.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By M. Pearce
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Most anthologies of WW1 poetry concentrate on the well-known poets such as Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon and Ivan Gurney. This book doesn't. Instead it looks mainly at the writings of the common Tommy in the trenches (who nevertheless must have been pretty literate). Other interesting poems are from the despised conscientious objectors which were often circulated on smuggled magazines.
The book takes a chronlogical approach and each section has a brief and useful summary of the major events that formed that time period which then also act as the themes for the sections.
Some of the poems are caustic, some humorous; all are poignant. It's fascinating to see such gems produced under such cataclysmic circumstances.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. You can dip into it; read whole sections, or read it from cover to cover.It's immensely enriching and ultimately uplifting to hear these voices from the past.
The book takes a chronlogical approach and each section has a brief and useful summary of the major events that formed that time period which then also act as the themes for the sections.
Some of the poems are caustic, some humorous; all are poignant. It's fascinating to see such gems produced under such cataclysmic circumstances.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. You can dip into it; read whole sections, or read it from cover to cover.It's immensely enriching and ultimately uplifting to hear these voices from the past.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By David Myers
Format:Hardcover
I loved this book. It is the best book of world war one poetry available. There are
poems from officers and also personal ones from squaddies to their loved ones at home. Some
of it is so very moving, but some of the poems are very funny.This is a book that you can
read in one go or keep to hand to dip in and out of always finding something wonderful.
David Myers
poems from officers and also personal ones from squaddies to their loved ones at home. Some
of it is so very moving, but some of the poems are very funny.This is a book that you can
read in one go or keep to hand to dip in and out of always finding something wonderful.
David Myers
By M. Kroner
Format:Hardcover
This is a truly interesting collection of verse from WWI Britain. The points of view are kaleidoscopic, from gung-ho armchair warriors to weary trench fodder to conscientious objectors to women waiting at home. One caveat: some entries fail utterly as poetry. I think these duds are more than counterbalanced by the real gems here.
Listmania!
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