This is a re-read.
I was reminded of its excellence in a review of a cricket match in the Guardian. Could it possibly be as good as I remembered? Getting it was easy-peasy. ABEbooks the on-line 2nd hand bookshop got it immediately AND I could have bought it from Amazon for 99p. But I went hardcore and lashed out £3.90.
Getting satire spot on is the hardest thing in the world. This hits the bullseye for most of the 17 linked short stories. And on at least three occasions it hits the heights. It is stunningly successful.
The opening story is about a 1st WW officer in the trenches.
“…The High Command…in a moment of warm-hearted, impulsive generosity, it had decreed that combatant officers might in certain circumstances be considered to be entitled to as much as half the amount of leave which every staff-officer always got…”
MacDonell was an artillery officer who was blown up in the trenches and was invalided. He had served two years in the front line prior to this incident. The book has many reminiscent events, which are powerful in their understated way. But this is definitely not a war book.
Story VI is a visit to a stately home for a weekend. Utterly hilarious, especially if you are familiar with Jeeves and Wooster. Story VII describes a village cricket match. In many ways this is the highlight of the entire book. It is absolutely unnecessary for you to like cricket. The writing will carry you along. I creased myself.
Does satire travel well? I think that there are at least 6 stories in this book, which will reach every reader and considering the price that is very good value.
Rush out and buy.
