Publisher's Synopsis
AT THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR 1, DOMINIC LANGTON LEAVES HIS WIFE TO MANAGE SINGLE-HANDED THEIR REMOTE AUSTRALIAN FARM AND RETURNS TO ENGLAND TO ENLIST IN THE BRITISH ARMY. "WHEN BLACKBIRDS SING" TRACES BOTH DOMINIC'S MILITARYAND SPIRITUAL ODYSSEY. LANGTON DISCOVERS A WORLD WHICH GRUDGINGLY ACCEPTS HIM; THE DOOMED WORLD OF THE LANDED GENTRY.HE RETURNS TO MEETHIS EX-FIANCEE, SYLVIA, WITH WHOM HE HAS AN AFFAIR. IN THE END, HOWEVER, HE BREAKS WITH THE PAST AND ALL ITS IVOLVEMENTS AND ACHIEVES A NEW MEASURE OF WISDOM WHEN HIS APPALLING EXPER- IENCES ON THE WESTERN FRONT TEACH HIMTO REJECT THE SENSELESS WASTE OF WAR WHICH CONDEMNS MILLIONS OF YOUNG MEN TO POINTLESS SLAUGHTER. IN THESE EXPERIENCES DOMINIC FINDS HIS OWN INTEGRITY. MARTIN BOYD HAS RECREATED THE VANISHED WORLD OF 1914 WITH MASTERLY SKILL IN THIS 4TH AND FINALNOVEL IN THE SERIES WHICH HAS CHRONICLED THE LIVES OF THE ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN LANGTON FAMILY.
