We Wasn't Pals: Canadian Poetry and Prose of the First World War

by Barry Callaghan (Editor), Bruce Meyer (Editor), Margaret Atwood (Afterword)

For decades the literature of Canada's experience in World War One lay ignored and was dismissed by readers, critics, and literary historians. Here, at last, is the imaginative testimony of those who served in the trenches and hospitals of the Great War. These pages chronicle the struggle to put into words the horrors, the insights, and the tribulations that ultimately shaped a nation's character. In the voices of Frank Prewett, James Hanley, W. Redvers Dent, nurse Bertha Carveth, fighter pilot Hartley Munro Thomas, and other members of a generation that gave their lives and their souls to the war, is the first anthology since 1918 of poetry, fiction, essays, songs, and illustrations that adds an important new chapter to Canada's literature.

 

Contains a Preface, Foreword, Introduction, Afterword, Biographies, A Glossary, Selected Bibliography, and Questions for Discussion and Essays.

Genres: Poetry

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Barry Morley Joseph Callaghan is a Canadian author, poet and anthologist. He is currently the editor-in-chief of Exile Quarterly. He is the son of late Canadian novelist and short story writer, Morley Callaghan.

Reviews

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would have been a five star read had they not chosen Margaret Atwood to write the Afterword. Believe it or not, Canadians are not ignorant of First World War history as we regard WWI as being incredibly important to Canadian history. Had the editors chosen a scholar in this area or even a student of history to do the Afterword, it would have been better because their afterword would have had something to do with First World War history and the meaning of the war to Canadian history. Atwood is ignorant to the point of being outright insulting to the memory of the thousands of Canadian soldiers killed during this conflict. Her ignorance and stupidity has no place in a book discussing the First World War, and this afterword that she wrote should be omitted entirely from the book.

As for the book itself, this is a collection of Canadian prose and poetry of the First World War. We have letters and short stories, we have journal entries, and we have poetry. All written by those that bore witness to the tragedy and horrors of war.

It was definitely very nice to see more than John McCrae being represented in a book regarding WWI. For some reason, his poem 'In Flanders Fields' was omitted entirely from the collection, but we got to see more of McCrae's character and personality in his letters written in the trenches. I definitely loved reading Frank Prewett's poetry and F.G. Scott's works, and many more that I hadn't even heard of.

One criticism that I have is how jumbled this book is. Prewett, F.G. Scott, and Robert Service are the most famous war poets outside of McCrae- and all these poets were outspoken about their experiences in the war. Yet, this collection had all of their work strewn throughout the book without context. If the book was set up by the years of the war, then it would make sense for why some authors works were divided and put throughout the book.

On terms of the rating: The book within itself is five stars. This is due largely to the fact that for once there is a collection available regarding Canadian war prose and poetry. However, the 3 star rating is going to stick due to the outrage I feel after reading Atwood's Afterword (95% of which had nothing to do with the First World War and commemoration of Canada's war dead).

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

a valuable anthology to read to understand the soul, tenderness and reality of the soldiers during WWI. Well compiled and shared with deep respect for the struggle.