Cover of Undertones of War

Undertones of War

by Edmund Blunden · 1928

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In what is one of the finest autobiographies to come out of the First World War, the distinguished poet Edmund Blunden records his experiences as an infantry subaltern in France and Flanders. Blunden took part in the disastrous battles of the Somme, Ypres and Passchendaele, describing the latter as 'murder, not only to the troops, but to their singing faiths and hopes'. In his compassionate yet unsentimental prose, he tells of the heroism and despair found among the officers. Blunden's poems show how he found hope in the natural landscape; the only thing that survives the terrible betrayal enacted in the Flanders fields.

Subject
historyhistoryMore like thisLess of thisbiographybiographyMore like thisLess of thismemoirmemoirMore like thisLess of this
Genre
war and militarywar and militaryMore like thisLess of thishistorical fictionhistorical fictionMore like thisLess of thisWorld War IWorld War IMore like thisLess of this
Themes
historyhistoryMore like thisLess of thismilitary historymilitary historyMore like thisLess of this
Setting
World War IWorld War IMore like thisLess of this20th century20th centuryMore like thisLess of thisBritishBritishMore like thisLess of thisEnglandEnglandMore like thisLess of thisworkplaceworkplaceMore like thisLess of this
Audience
adult
Length
medium · 256 pages
Form
poetrypoetryMore like thisLess of this

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“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

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