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Sergeant Nelson of the Guards
Night and the City (1938) made Gerald Kersh's reputation, but it was as a war novelist that he reached a wide readership in 1942, via a pair of books about British army recruits, led by Sergeant Bill Nelson, preparing to see service in France. This Faber Finds edition collects both books.
'[They Die With Their Boots Clean] is a picture of life in the raw in the Coldstream Guards, with all its
rigorous discipline, its humour and comradeship.' TLS
[In The Nine Lives Of Bill Nelson] the conversations are terse, ferociously slangy, full of hyperbole and outrageous wit, often irresistibly funny.' TLS
'[They Die With Their Boots Clean] is a picture of life in the raw in the Coldstream Guards, with all its
rigorous discipline, its humour and comradeship.' TLS
[In The Nine Lives Of Bill Nelson] the conversations are terse, ferociously slangy, full of hyperbole and outrageous wit, often irresistibly funny.' TLS
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1945
18 people want to read
About the author
Gerald Kersh
109 books62 followersGerald Kersh was born in Teddington-on-Thames, near London, and, like so many writers, quit school to take on a series of jobs -- salesman, baker, fish-and-chips cook, nightclub bouncer, freelance newspaper reporter and at the same time was writing his first two novels.
In 1937, his third published novel, Night and the City, hurled him into the front ranks of young British writers. Twenty novels later Kersh created his personal masterpiece, Fowler's End, regarded by many as one of the outstanding novels of the century. He also, throughout his long career, wrote more than 400 short stories and over 1,000 articles.
Once a professional wrestler, Kersh also fought with the Coldstream Guards in World War II. His account of infantry training They Die With Their Boots Clean (1941), became an instant best-seller during that war.
After traveling over much of the world, he became an American citizen, living quietly in Cragsmoor, in a remote section of the Shawangunk Mountains in New York State. He died in Kingston, NY, in 1968.
(Biography compiled from "Nightmares & Damnations" and Fantastic Fiction.)
In 1937, his third published novel, Night and the City, hurled him into the front ranks of young British writers. Twenty novels later Kersh created his personal masterpiece, Fowler's End, regarded by many as one of the outstanding novels of the century. He also, throughout his long career, wrote more than 400 short stories and over 1,000 articles.
Once a professional wrestler, Kersh also fought with the Coldstream Guards in World War II. His account of infantry training They Die With Their Boots Clean (1941), became an instant best-seller during that war.
After traveling over much of the world, he became an American citizen, living quietly in Cragsmoor, in a remote section of the Shawangunk Mountains in New York State. He died in Kingston, NY, in 1968.
(Biography compiled from "Nightmares & Damnations" and Fantastic Fiction.)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 6, 2009
Another hell of a book from Gerald Kersh. This is a fictional account of life in the Coldstream Guards, a kind of British marines. Kersh was in the guards during WWII, and this is a vibrant, manly and heartfelt fictionalization of the types of characters he encountered there. As with much of the Kersh I've read, there is so much humanity and character in the story, the characters are perfect reflections of people we all can imagine, and Kersh turns a deft and skillful phrase quite often. Many funny bits, and many sentimental bits as well, every last one of them done proper. A fine piece of writing, this. Certainly a dead hot piece of writing he's done here. Definitely.
May 3, 2015
Particularly memorable for the agnostic's prayer.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews