Not Forgotten

by Neil Oliver

There are 37,780 First World War memorials in Britain, listing names from all walks of life - estates, villages, places of work. They stand as landmarks to a defining period in British history - and yet one which is in danger of slipping away from popular memory. Accompanying the major "Channel Four" series, "Not Forgotten" is a revealing look at the untold stories that lie behind these lists of names - stories of the impact of World War One on British society, the echoes of which can still be felt today. More than a conflict overseas, it was the catalyst for an extraordinary period of rapid and radical change to the social, cultural and political fabric of the nation. Social restrictions on women were revolutionised, from jobs and the vote to new freedoms in dress, behaviour and sexuality. The class system was thrown into disarray, both at home and on the front lines; roles were reversed in family life for a large part of the population, through bereavement, evacuation and children put to work in munitions factories. And as the state took drastic measures to cope with this turmoil, so the foundations were laid for the society in which we live today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, World War I

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Neil Oliver is a Scottish archaeologist, historian, broadcaster and writer who has become widely known as the presenter of BBC television's series A History of Scotland and Coast.

His first fiction novel, Master of Shadows, is published by Orion in September 2015.

He lives in Stirling with his wife and three children.

Reviews

[Tobias]

This was ok. I must confess that I don't particularly like Oliver's style of writing, which seems overly peripatetic, jumping from place to place and never quite holding anything down. Oliver describes this as 'a story of remembrance', and not a story about the Great War, but it ends up being neither. It's not a story, rather a collection of short stories and anecdotes, with an unsatisfying and disjointed feel throughout. Where this book excels is in the depth, detail and incredible research, bringing to light little snippets that would otherwise be lost. I liked it, and I'm glad I read it, but it didn't have a satisfactory feel to it at the end. Maybe that was deliberate, in deference to the subject matter? Sadly, I don't think so.

[Rabspur]

Excellent book concentrating mainly on WW1 and the lost lives and the fact that the fallen should always be remembered, there are 36,000 war memorials in Britain, however these do not list all the fallen, thousands were never found, and their loved ones would never know the circumstances, this book is about the importance of the Men and Woman who laid down their lives not just in the Great war but all wars throughout History, and as the book states. Not to be forgotten. An easy to follow book, recommended.

[David]

So poignant. Lovely book

[Nico Beukema]

In 53 hoofdstukje vertelt Neil Oliver persoonlijke verhalen over WO1. Herdenken en blijven herdenken is het overkoepelde thema. Hoe herdenken we de overledenen? Wat voor manieten zijn er om te herdenken? Hoe heeft het herdenken zich ontwikkeld? Herdenken we alleen mannen of ook vrouwen en hoe zit het met mensen van kleur? Wie zal al die honderd duizenden doden blijven herdenken? Wat is er gebeurd met hen die wel terugkeerden uit de loopgraven? Toch weer kennis gemaakt met allerlei nieuwe feitjes. In het begin had ik wat moeite met de toon, maar in het verloop van het boek trok dat bij. Knap is uiteindelijk dat personen uit eerdere hoofdstukken soms ineens weer opduiken in latere. Op deze manier worden ze onderdeel van je eigen beleving van herdenken.

[Emma Dargue]

Beautiful and moving book telling some of the stories of the men and women whose names appear on war memorials. Neil Oliver also looks at how we as a nation commemorate and remember our war dead. The one thing I felt let the book down slightly was some of the chapters felt a little unfinished to me but apart from that I really got a lot from this book.

[Mary]

I really enjoy this author's engaging writing style and it made this book compelling. It did at times feel slightly disjointed and some stories were never completed. Overall though another important addition to the books about WWI. It highlights again how impossible it is to comprehend the numbers killed and injured and how you can remember each individual.

[Alice]

When I read this I had Neil Oliver's voice in my head the whole time - I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent.

Remembering the people who died in the first world war (and some of the survivors), a brilliant book that will reduce you to tears at several points.

[Josie]

[Audiobook version]

Not structured particularly well, but full of interesting snippets and stories -- including those of the rare women whose names are on WW1 memorials. But if the narrator had asked, "Is this remembrance?" one more time I think I might have screamed.

[Renee Cuthbertson]

Very moving.

[George Foord]

this book is not what I expected. It was collection of short stories rather than a overall history of reflection of ww1.

[Sallie White]

I can't begin to explain how much I loved this book it was wonderful

[Taff Jones]

A really good tribute to the fallen of the Great War with plenty of interesting research and great (if tragic) anecdotes along the way.

[MISS R]

So brilliantly written.

Such a moving, in depth memoir of an appalling war / wars & the aftermath. Neil is a brilliant writer. I really enjoyed this book. Highly recommend.

[Lisa Kiely]

Brilliant book

[Wallace]

An amazing book, on all levels!

Descriptive, poignant, sober, informative, challenging, scary, yes scary, and highly readable!

The personal histories in this book shake the very foundations of our humanity and cause us to ponder the act of war, family, relevance, history. humanity and so much more!

I found the book well written (I now want to watch the documentary series) and almost impossible to put down. It should be read by everyone, and especially by everyone under 100 years of age!

Lest we forget!

A 5-star read!

[Gill]

By finding out about the names on the monuments and plaques the soldiers and their families are brought to life. Neil Oliver uses his own memories and experiences to explore the nature of remembering. It was getting rather bitty but then he drew the strands together and it was very moving.

[Mr Michael R Stevens]

Thoroughly enjoyed, Oliver’s style makes this a very readable account of what it is to remember.