Synopses & Reviews
One of the most famous novels of the First World War brought to life a superb new translation.
Based on his own experience of the Great War, Henri Barbusse's novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted on itself. For the group of ordinary men in the French Sixth Battalion, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, lightened only by the arrival of their rations or a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in the hospital. Reminiscent of classics like Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms and Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, Under Fire (originally published in French as La Feu) vividly evokes life in the trenches the mud, stench, and monotony of waiting while constantly fearing for one's life in an infernal and seemingly eternal battlefield.
Review
One of the most influential of all war novels, Henri BarbusseÆs
La Feu appeared in 1916à and sold 200,000 copies in French. (
History Today)
Synopsis
Based on his own experience of the Great War, Henri Barbusse's novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted on itself. For the group of ordinary men in the French Sixth Battalion, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, lightened only by the arrival of their rations or a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in the hospital. Reminiscent of classics like Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms" and Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Under Fire" (originally published in French as "La Feu") vividly evokes life in the trenches -- the mud, stench, and monotony of waiting while constantly fearing for one's life in an infernal and seemingly eternal battlefield.Based on his own experience of the Great War, Henri Barbusse's novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted on itself. For the group of ordinary men in the French Sixth Battalion, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, lightened only by the arrival of their rations or a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in the hospital. Reminiscent of classics like Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms" and Remarque's "All Quiet on the Western Front," "Under Fire" (originally published in French as "La Feu") vividly evokes life in the trenches -- the mud, stench, and monotony of waiting while constantly fearing for one's life in an infernal and seemingly eternal battlefield.
Synopsis
Based on his own experience of the Great War, Henri Barbusse?s novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted on itself. For the group of ordinary men in the French Sixth Battalion, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, lightened only by the arrival of their rations or a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in the hospital. Reminiscent of classics like Hemingway?s
A Farewell to Arms and Remarque?s
All Quiet on the Western Front,
Under Fire (originally published in French as
La Feu) vividly evokes life in the trenches?the mud, stench, and monotony of waiting while constantly fearing for one?s life in an infernal and seemingly eternal battlefield.
Synopsis
Based on his own experience of the Great War, Henri Barbusse's novel is a powerful account of one of the greatest horrors mankind has inflicted on itself. For the group of ordinary men in the French Sixth Battalion, thrown together from all over France and longing for home, war is simply a matter of survival, lightened only by the arrival of their rations or a glimpse of a pretty girl or a brief reprieve in the hospital. Reminiscent of classics like Hemingway's
A Farewell to Arms and Remarque's
All Quiet on the Western Front,
Under Fire (originally published in French as
La Feu) vividly evokes life in the trenches: the mud, stench, and monotony of waiting while constantly fearing for one's life in an infernal and seemingly eternal battlefield.
About the Author
Henri Barbusse (18731935) was a volunteer who fought in World War I, a noted pacifist, and later a communist. His novels include
Clarte and
The Knife Between the Teeth.
Robin Buss is the translator of Penguin Classics editions of works by Dumas and Zola.
Jay Winter is professor of history at Yale University and the writer and co-producer of the Emmy Awardwinning TV series The Great War.
Table of Contents
Under Fire Introduction
Translator's Note
Under Fire
1. The Vision
2. In the Ground
3. The Descent
4. Volpatte and Fouillade
5. Sanctuary
6. Habits
7. Embarkation
8. Leave
9. Mighty Anger
10. Argoval
11. The Dog
12. The Doorway
13. Swearwords
14. Kit
15. The Egg
16. Idyll
17. The Sap
18. The Matches
19. Bombardment
20. Fire
21. The First-Aid Post
22. The Jaunt
23. The Fatigue
24. Dawn