Charles Glass (1) (1951–)

Excellent, readable portrait of, well, a number of things. For those familiar with Pat Barker's Regeneration or the film version of it (released under the title Behind the Lines"Behind the Lines"), this book will provide more detail on the Scottish hospital called Craiglockhart, where British officers suffering from "shell shock" were sent to recover, primarily in order to be sent back to the front in the nightmare that was WWI. Charles Glass introduces us to the hospital itself, to the show more psychiatric approaches of the time and their practitioners (notably William Halse Rivers and A.J. Brock), and to two of its most famous patients, poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen (there are others as well, with compelling stories worth telling). It was early in the adoption of "talk therapy," where the men reeling from unspeakable trauma, terror, and violence were encouraged not to avoid it or be distracted from it, but rather to be safely guided into remembering, facing, and processing what had happened to them. Rivers was a sympathetic father figure and he and Sassoon, already an established poet, had long, intense conversations. Brock worked with Owen, encouraging the shy, self-effacing young man to get out and about, run the hospital magazine, help tutor kids, be active and explore his poetry. His four-plus months at Craiglockhart - with the encouragement of Sassoon - set Owen on the road to blooming into the finest poet of that hideous war... until he was killed a few days before the Armistice.

It's an excellent character study of these two poets: Sassoon patrician, wealthy, fox-hunting, golfing, and hobnobbing with many friends in high places, with plenty of self-regard. He was also reckless, arrogant, unwilling to mix with his fellow inmates in "Dottyville," with very strong opinions about everything and dramatic ways of expressing them. The physically slight Owen, with a slight stammer and a modest family background, approached him with reverence as a deep-dyed fan, seeking his advice and mentorship, which Sassoon carelessly tolerated - until he recognized Owen's stunning gifts, and unbent enough to support and encourage him. Sassoon poems are bitter and fine; Owen's are immortal - see Sean Bean deliver The Last Laugh if you don't believe me.

Thoroughly researched, with generous acknowledgements and citations, the book unfortunately lacks an actual bibliography. Readers who might want to read more have to plow through the page-by-page references in the back to identify sources of interest. Crisply written, vivid, and moving - a worthy addition to the WWI war poet literature and then some. show less

I enjoyed the hell out of this. Beautifully researched. Parts of it brought me to tears because OMG what horrible things were done by human beings to other human beings. Other parts were just made of awesome. STRONG female component: lots of awesome women, several of whom were queer. Note that this is exactly what it says on the tin. The stories are of people holding American passports who stayed in Paris during the German occupation and what happened to them after the US declared war on show more Germany. A fair bit of suspense but no gratuitous horror or gore, although keep in mind that this is a book about one of the most horrific periods in recent history, so a certain amount of horribleness is inevitable. Quite a lot of the book focuses on Sylvia Beach, proprietor of the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore. show less

Very well written, well researched story of various Americans, usually famous or rich or titled who stay or are trapped in Paris during the Nazi occupation. There are many tales of treachery and danger in this absorbing story. Perhaps among the most shocking sideline is the treatment of black Americans by the U.S. military, from refusing to let them serve in integrated units to banning them from participating in General LeClerc’s triumphant liberation march ito Paris, even though they had show more been serving in integrated Free French units, show less

Non-fiction examination of “shell shock” during WWI as illustrated through the friendship between poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, two officers who were treated at Craiglockhart hospital in Scotland by doctors William Rivers and Arthur Brock. World War I was the first to be fought in a style enabled by the industrial revolution with machine guns, artillery barrages, and chemical warfare. The devastation and numbers of casualties were overwhelming, leading to psychological damage show more to the survivors.

This book recounts the methods of treatment, and the burgeoning friendship between Sassoon and Owen. It also provides the viewpoints of the day, when mental issues were not seen as legitimate illnesses. Enlisted men generally received little (if any) treatment, and some were executed for “cowardice.” The goal of the officers’ treatment was to send them back to the front as soon as possible. The doctors were placed in the difficult position of healing while realizing the potential outcomes if they were returned to the battlefields. Sassoon was against the war but determined to return to the front.

This book provides an interesting perspective on the history of treatment for what is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It showcases the value of literature in both highlighting the horrors of war, objecting to it, and healing those impacted by related psychological issues. Highly recommended to those interested in the history of PTSD or WWI.

If you ever wish to read a fictional treatment of the friendship between Sassoon and Owen at Craiglockhart, I can also highly recommend Pat Barker’s Regeneration. show less