Under Fire

This book follows a squad of French volunteer soldiers on the front in France after the German invasion. The book opens and ends with broad visions shared by multiple characters. The anecdotes are episodic in nature, each with an individual chapter title. In contrast to many war novels which came before it, Under Fire describes war in gritty and brutal realism. A powerful and earnest portrayal of life at the frontline during World War I. Berbusse's depiction of the horrors and tragedies of war is staggeringly realistic. He draws the reader's attention to the appalling conditions in which soldiers lived and fought through various anecdotes. Highly perceptive and thought-provoking! Henri Barbusse was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party. Barbusse first came to fame with the publication of his novel Le Feu (Under Fire), which was based on his experiences during World War I. By this time, Barbusse had become a pacifist, and his writing demonstrated his growing hatred of militarism. Le Feu drew criticism at the time for its harsh naturalism, but won the Prix Goncourt. In 1918, he left France and moved to Moscow, where joined the Bolshevik Party. The Russian Revolution had significant influence on Barbusse's life and his later works (Elevations) show a more revolutionary standpoint.