The first of two books this month, Erich Maria Remarque’s ‘All quiet on the western front is generally held as one of the greatest war novels of all time. Not having read any other war novels, I can’t really comment on that, but I can tell you that this is a very good book.
The story centres on a group of German soldier in World War I and on one named Paul Bäumer in particular. It covers their training and convalescence as well as fighting in the trenches and details with a very neutral tone what they were put through during the course of the story.
Undoubtedly this is an anti war novel, but it seems happily bereft of any sort of liberal propaganda. Instead, it takes what seems to be a very honest look at the reality of war and the toll it takes on even the most fortunate of survivors.
That’s not to say that there is no morality or philosophy within the novel, only that these are dealt with in a brutal and simple style. There’s little intellectualism or pretentiousness, just the reality of the situation. Paul Bäumer becoming emotionality disconnected for example. This trait allows him to cope with the horror of war, the loss of comrades and the betrayal of his county, but it also prevents him from reconnecting with his friends and family when he sees them again. There is a conscious distance between them he is unwilling to cross as this would mean facing the truth about his experiences, something he may never be prepared to do.
Nationalism is also commented on frequently. Often, soldiers are encouraged to fight and die for the glory of their county. There are a few characters with this prevailing jingoistic trait that sharply contrasts with most of the soldiers’ viewpoints. They have accepted the possibility of death but want nothing more than to stay alive. Their country hardly seems relevant against this basic truth. Indeed, Paul and his friends discuss the opposing armies and come to the conclusion that it’s mostly populated with men like themselves. Their lives seem to be the coin with which their government are willing to purchase power.
I’m glad I read this book. I’ll admit, I did lose interest towards the end (around the time they get to the supply camp) but it managed to draw me back in before the finale. It proved an interesting adjunct to the other book we read this month, but I’ll talk about that in the next review.
Rating: 
