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mark_lm's review against another edition
2.0
The author, well known to me as a poet, was a volunteer ambulance driver in France during the First World War. He was imprisoned for suspected anti-war sentiment, but eventually released and returned to the US. This is his account of his imprisonment. I’d never heard of either his imprisonment or this work, but it was apparently quite controversial when published in the early 1920s. Several critics bombed it, essentially for being politically radical. Some critics praised it but said that it was a work of fiction and some compared it to The Pilgrim's Progress (The author has a characteristic descriptive style, which I found irritating, but he specifically denies that the book is fiction [but, what does that mean?]).
Anyway, Cummings' account held my interest, but I had some problems with it. I know Cummings was a young man, but his account has a definite adolescent quality replete with various highly offensive slang terms for his fellow inmates. The book is peppered with French; single words, phrases, and longer amounts. I suppose this is to give the flavor of the situation. I know a few words of French, but I was constantly using the Kindle to translate. Some of the words may be the slang of the times since I could not translate them. It didn’t seem to me that the book would have lost anything by being written all in one language or the other. Lastly, the book is described as sort of an ur-Catch 22. But it is hardly that. Furthermore, I'm familiar with several other anti-war writings of the time that are superior. I think this book’s obscurity is understandable.
Anyway, Cummings' account held my interest, but I had some problems with it. I know Cummings was a young man, but his account has a definite adolescent quality replete with various highly offensive slang terms for his fellow inmates. The book is peppered with French; single words, phrases, and longer amounts. I suppose this is to give the flavor of the situation. I know a few words of French, but I was constantly using the Kindle to translate. Some of the words may be the slang of the times since I could not translate them. It didn’t seem to me that the book would have lost anything by being written all in one language or the other. Lastly, the book is described as sort of an ur-Catch 22. But it is hardly that. Furthermore, I'm familiar with several other anti-war writings of the time that are superior. I think this book’s obscurity is understandable.
amittaizero's review against another edition
5.0
Hilarious. Disgusting. Sad. Cynically sharp-edged.
I was completely unaware of Cummings' ordeal until I read about it in a brief bio of Cummings in [b:War No More: Three Centuries of American Antiwar and Peace Writing: Library of America #278|27036657|War No More Three Centuries of American Antiwar and Peace Writing Library of America #278|Lawrence Rosenwald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453061906s/27036657.jpg|47077891].
Cummings' time in institutional, war-time purgatory is brilliantly, angrily written. For anyone who has spent time as a captive of the state this book will bring you back to that time. Cummings spent 89 days in Dépôt de Triage at La Ferté-Macé, Orne, France with a wildly diverse group of men. It's really not possible to describe it here.
I was completely unaware of Cummings' ordeal until I read about it in a brief bio of Cummings in [b:War No More: Three Centuries of American Antiwar and Peace Writing: Library of America #278|27036657|War No More Three Centuries of American Antiwar and Peace Writing Library of America #278|Lawrence Rosenwald|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453061906s/27036657.jpg|47077891].
Cummings' time in institutional, war-time purgatory is brilliantly, angrily written. For anyone who has spent time as a captive of the state this book will bring you back to that time. Cummings spent 89 days in Dépôt de Triage at La Ferté-Macé, Orne, France with a wildly diverse group of men. It's really not possible to describe it here.
metchap's review against another edition
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
snowbenton's review against another edition
4.0
A fictionalized-ish tale of Cummings' experience in WWI when held as a prisoner by France. It was a good excuse to practice my French, but not one I would read again. The first few pages were very funny, the bulk of the middle is distressing, and the end is suddenly poetic. It feels like it was written over the course of many years and never revised. I can't say I blame him, though his ebullience over the whole experience is definitely strange.
bwood95's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
galuf84's review against another edition
3.0
A summer camp romp where the punch lines are in French.
mcoleman1250's review against another edition
2.0
Speedy summary: As an ambulance driver in WWI, Cummings is wrongfully arrested and imprisoned in a French jail.
Thoughts: This memoir was a tough read. I will admit I'm not a huge poetry fan and e. e. Cummings is largely know for his poetry. The style of the writing certainly reflects that. I would say my biggest issue with the book isn't the writers fault necessarily. There is a large glossary in the back of the novel of all the french phrases/paragraphs. Pretty much every page you would have to flip back to it and this really threw off the rhythm of reading for me. And you could not just continue on or you would have no idea what was happening. It made it hard to get lost in the story for me.
Check out @realreaderreallife on instagram!
Thoughts: This memoir was a tough read. I will admit I'm not a huge poetry fan and e. e. Cummings is largely know for his poetry. The style of the writing certainly reflects that. I would say my biggest issue with the book isn't the writers fault necessarily. There is a large glossary in the back of the novel of all the french phrases/paragraphs. Pretty much every page you would have to flip back to it and this really threw off the rhythm of reading for me. And you could not just continue on or you would have no idea what was happening. It made it hard to get lost in the story for me.
Check out @realreaderreallife on instagram!
slferg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
amazing
I have always liked e e Cummings poetry. I was surprised to find this. He was volunteering in the ambulance corps in France and was imprisoned as a spy because of a mistranslated letter his friend wrote. His family searched for him frantically then somehow found him and not until his father wrote a letter to the President did the French officially locate him and he was released.
This book is not poetry.
I have always liked e e Cummings poetry. I was surprised to find this. He was volunteering in the ambulance corps in France and was imprisoned as a spy because of a mistranslated letter his friend wrote. His family searched for him frantically then somehow found him and not until his father wrote a letter to the President did the French officially locate him and he was released.
This book is not poetry.
colinrafferty's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
el_entrenador_loco's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0