The devastating true story of a young Franco-German soldier trapped in the lethal machinery of total war on the Eastern Front in the Second World War.
An international bestseller, this is a German soldier's first-hand account of life on the Russian Front during the second half of the Second World War.
'Fascinating . . . a painful personal history' New York Times
'To his reader . . . Sajer, doomed to survival, may be as moving as an argument against war as all the corpses he unflinchingly bears witness to' Time Magazine
When Guy Sajer joins the infantry full of ideals in the summer of 1942, the German army is enjoying unparalleled success in Russia. However, he quickly finds that for the foot soldier the glory of military success hides a much harsher reality of hunger, fatigue and constant deprivation. Posted to the crack Grosse Deutschland division, with its sadistic instructors who shoot down those who fail to make the grade, he enters a violent and remorseless world where all youthful hope is gradually ground down, and all that matters is the brute will to survive. As the biting cold of the Russian winter sets in, and the tide begins to turn against the Germans, life becomes an endless round of pounding artillery attacks and vicious combat against a relentless and merciless Red Army. A book of stunning force, this is an unforgettable reminder of the horrors of war.
'A work of soul' Life Magazine
'Vivid . . . exceptional . . . highly recommended' Library Journal
Readers love this memoir:
'Heart-breaking, brutal, real, lyrical, depressing, insightful, and in some ways familiar - I simply loved this' ¿¿¿¿¿
'When I wasn't actually reading this book, I was thinking about it' ¿¿¿¿¿
'This is the fourth time I have read this true account . . . Magnificent' ¿¿¿¿¿
'A benchmark for all memoirs to be measured against' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I have passed my copy to copious friends and colleagues, the vast majority of who have no interest in military literature, but nearly all of who were touched by it' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I've never read such a long book so quickly. All 560 pages in 2 days' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I cannot think of another [book] that describes the agony of war in such a powerful way' ¿¿¿¿¿
