Fields of Glory

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful book
Review: By the end of this book I felt that I knew the family members intimately. This is beautifully done. The story unravels the lives of family members through the memories of a child, tracing their tragedy back to the ultimate tragedy of war. In some ways this book is very French but the feelings are universal and I strongly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: Fields of glory is the most beautifully written book I have read in more than a decade--maybe ever. Virtually every page, every paragraph, is wonderfully crafted. How I wish I could read it in French, although I can't imagine that it could be any better. Mr. Rouaud is a genious.

Rating:
Summary: A masterpiece!
Review: This book revolves around the importance dead and loved ones can have in a life, the story of a family in western France, the sufferings of French soldiers during the First World War and the impact the slaughter had on several generations afterwards. Its written in a very sober style, yet carries a tremendous emotional force.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful and Humourous
Review: This gentle book floats you through the life of a French family between the wars, as seen through the eyes of children. Human foibles are observed with a naive humour, and events are often described without the full understanding of the narrator. Much of the subject matter could be overpowering, but the depiction in this book is beautiful.