Under Fire (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. World War I Novel: The Story of a SquadBy Henri Barbusse
Length13h 19m
About this audiobook
Henri Barbusse's Under Fire is one of the defining novels of the First World War, a stark, episodic chronicle of French infantrymen living and dying in the trenches. Written in a documentary yet intensely lyrical style, it rejects patriotic romance in favor of mud, fear, boredom, comradeship, and sudden annihilation. Its fragmented structure and collective viewpoint place it at the threshold of modern war literature, anticipating later antiwar narratives through its moral clarity and unsparing realism. Barbusse, a French novelist and journalist, volunteered for military service in 1914 despite poor health and was wounded while serving at the front. The book grew directly from his experience among ordinary soldiers, whose speech, habits, and suffering he records with unusual fidelity. Published in 1916, while the war still raged, Under Fire won the Prix Goncourt and helped establish Barbusse as a powerful voice of disillusionment and humanitarian protest. This is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand not only the historical catastrophe of 1914–1918 but also the literary transformation it produced. Readers of Remarque, Sassoon, or Wilfred Owen will find here an earlier, rawer testimony: a novel that honors soldiers by refusing to beautify war.
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, Literary Classics
Length13 hrs 19 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateApr 17, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
17XIII. The Big Words
2Introduction
18XIV. Of Burdens
3Synopsis
19XV. The Egg
4Historical Context
20XVI. An Idyll
5I. The Vision
21XVII. In the Sap
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6II. In the Earth
22XVIII. A Box of Matches
7III. The Return
23XIX. Bombardment
8IV. Volpatte and Fouillade
24XX. Under Fire
9V. Sanctuary
25XXI. The Refuge
10VI. Habits
26XXII. Going About
11VII. Entraining
27XXIII. The Fatigue-Party
12VIII. On Leave
28XXIV. The Dawn
13IX. The Anger of Volpatte
29Analysis
14X. Argoval
30Reflection
15XI. The Dog
31Memorable Quotes
16XII. The Doorway
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