Birdsong
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In 1910, England's Stephen Wraysford, a junior executive in a textile firm, is sent by his company to northern France. There he falls for Isabelle Azaire, a young and beautiful matron who abandons her abusive husband and sticks by Stephen long enough to conceive a child. Six years later, Stephen is back
… More »In 1910, England's Stephen Wraysford, a junior executive in a textile firm, is sent by his company to northern France. There he falls for Isabelle Azaire, a young and beautiful matron who abandons her abusive husband and sticks by Stephen long enough to conceive a child. Six years later, Stephen is back in France, as a British officer fighting in the trenches. Facing death, embittered by isolation, he steels himself against thoughts of love. But despite rampant disease, harrowing tunnel explosions and desperate attacks on highly fortified German positions, he manages to survive, and to meet with Isabelle again. The emotions roiled up by this meeting, however, threaten to ruin him as a soldier.
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Add a CommentOne of my favourite books. The written word is so beautiful. The subject matter is hair raising and as I am claustrophobic, it had an element of horror for me. I believe it is just a question of time before we see this book on the big screen. A must read. 2012 update to this comment. It is now number 13 on the must read list and BBC UK broadcasted the first episode of the mini series January 22nd 2012. I will look out for it on Masterpiece/PBS.
This story has been dramatised on BBC Drama on 22/1/2012 so hopefully it will be on Canadian TV before long. It is filled in 2 parts.
After reading teen lit in my last group of books, I wasn't looking forward to reading another title off the BBC list. I knew nothing of Faulks or of the book, but was drawn in by the introduction which was written by Faulks himself, as he reminisced about how the book came to be. I am familiar with Northern France, having spent time there in school and travelling in my early 20s. So I could picture vividly the life in Amiens and the fields of Normandy after the war. Faulks writes of extremes of emotion: passion, despair, acceptance, humiliation. The idea of brotherhood was something that was well-conveyed through Stephen and Weir, and then Levi and Stephen. The book ended in such joy with the birth of John that it took me back to the birth of my own children. Romance, intrigue, war, this book was full of interest. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy (The Girl at the Lion d'Or and Charlotte Gray).
This book is unforgettable. I think it is one of the most horrifing and yet very tender rendition of w.w. 1.
Read this one slowly so that you can spend as much time with it as possible. In turns horrific and wonderful. Trench warfare, useless loss of life, misguided leadership and claustrophobia with an overlay of resignation
Loved this book. Enjoyed the theme and setting. I've lived in Europe and can picture this all taking place. His other books are excellent as well.