BOOK REVIEWS
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The Great War |
Writing in his first editorial the editor, Mark Marsay, introduces this new magazine as one which is aimed at people who are simply enthusiasts, without counting themselves as experts. Its target readership is the general Great War reader who has an interest in the human side of things. It is hoped that this focus on the human aspects of the war will continue via personal stories, writings, recollections, poetry and anecdotes.
The contents of this first issue are very promising. There is an article from Andrew Thornton, whose thoughtful and meticulously-researched articles always focus on what happened to ordinary people in those extraordinary times. (Andrew's writing will be well known to "Hellfire Corner" visitors.) Ray Westlake also chips in with a thoughtful recollection of how he came to be interested in war memorials. An article I found very interesting was the one about the work of the National Canine Defence League during the war. Dogs were used in the war of course, and I would have expected the NCDL to take an interest in the welfare of these animals, but it was a surprise to learn that the League was also active in helping care for the pet dogs which servicemen had left behind at home - homes often faced with severe financial hardship - while they served in the forces.
The letters home of underage Private George Adams, presented in a selection by Richard Leake, show the day-to-day-comfort needs of most soldiers in the war, coupled with the usual teenager's preoccupation with food and difficult-to-obtain articles which are suddenly no longer required. George's parents must have been relieved and exhausted when he was discharged and returned home in January, 1916.
So - an interesting and varied selection. But the magazine is still "growing into its tunic" as they used to say. There are two or three lengthy sections of books quoted as part of book reviews, possibly space-fillers in these early days, and of course, the "letters Page" has not really had the chance to draw in any letters yet.
If the potential disclosed in this first issue comes to fruition, then this will be an interesting quarterly, well worth waiting for. It certainly deserves a chance to succeed and to do this it will need people willing to subscribe and/or submit articles. I am putting my money and my keyboard where my mouth is and will be doing both.
The Great War
"The Little Magazine Dedicated to the Great War"
is published by :
Great Northern Publishing
P.O. Box 202
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
YO11 3GE
www.greatnorthernpublishing.co.uk
Subscription Rates : £17.99 per annum in the UK or £30.99 per annum overseas
Soft Covers
First Issue - 48 pages, text, black-and-white photographs
ISSN: 1474-4511
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