The Secret Battle (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Historical WWI NovelBy A. P. Herbert
Length5h 58m
About this audiobook
A. P. Herbert's The Secret Battle is a grave and unsentimental First World War novel centred on Harry Penrose, a sensitive young officer whose inner collapse is misread by military authority as cowardice. Written soon after the Armistice, the book belongs to the early wave of war testimony before the more famous disillusioned novels of the late 1920s, yet it already possesses their moral clarity. Its prose is controlled, lucid, and judicial in tone, combining battlefield realism with a devastating inquiry into honour, fear, discipline, and institutional cruelty. Alan Patrick Herbert, later celebrated as a humorist, legal reformer, and independent Member of Parliament, drew on direct service in the Royal Naval Division at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. His knowledge of military procedure, comradeship, and psychological strain gives the novel its authority. The book's anger is not abstract pacifism but the protest of a survivor who understood how imperfectly armies judged the minds they commanded. This is essential reading for anyone interested in war literature, military justice, or the moral history of 1914–18. Quiet, humane, and piercing, The Secret Battle deserves renewed attention as one of the war's most courageous acts of literary witness.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreAction and Adventure, Mystery and Thriller
Length5 hrs 58 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateOct 2, 2019
LanguageEnglish
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