What do you think?
Rate this book
This Above All
This is the first important novel to come out of the war. Powerful, dramatic, deeply moving, both for its love story and for its larger significance, its action is compressed within the space of one tense and critical month in the late summer of 1940.
The heroic evacuation of Dunkirk was over and the war had been brought to England—a war in which blackouts and bombing raids had become daily realities. But it was still new and unnerving to Prue that night when she and Clive lay tensely awake in the darkness of their seaside hotel and heard the German planes come over.
It was not new to Clive. He had fought heroically with the rear guard at Dunkirk; and now, to quiet the fears of this girl whom he loved but hardly knew, he told her stories of his childhood in a world which was strange to Prue, a world of harsh reality from which she had been protected all her life. Was that England – an England of privileged castes and undernourished people – worth fighting for? He was tortured by doubts, but Prue knew, in spite of his logic, that Clive was wrong …and in the end he found out for himself the true meaning of war.
The heroic evacuation of Dunkirk was over and the war had been brought to England—a war in which blackouts and bombing raids had become daily realities. But it was still new and unnerving to Prue that night when she and Clive lay tensely awake in the darkness of their seaside hotel and heard the German planes come over.
It was not new to Clive. He had fought heroically with the rear guard at Dunkirk; and now, to quiet the fears of this girl whom he loved but hardly knew, he told her stories of his childhood in a world which was strange to Prue, a world of harsh reality from which she had been protected all her life. Was that England – an England of privileged castes and undernourished people – worth fighting for? He was tortured by doubts, but Prue knew, in spite of his logic, that Clive was wrong …and in the end he found out for himself the true meaning of war.
473 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1940
21 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Eric Knight
50 books50 followersAn author who is mainly notable for creating the fictional collie Lassie.
He was a native of Yorkshire in England, and had a varied career, including service in the Canadian Army during World War I and spells as an art student, newspaper reporter and Hollywood screenwriter.
His first novel was Song on Your Bugles (1936) about the working class in Northern England. As "Richard Hallas," he wrote the hardboiled genre novel "You Play The Black and The Red Comes Up" (1938). Knight's "This Above All" is considered one of the significant novels of The Second World War.
Knight and his wife Jere Knight raised collies on their farm in Pleasant Valley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His novel Lassie Come-Home (ISBN 0030441013) appeared in 1940. It was adapted into a movie in 1943 and has been reprinted several times since then.
In 1943, at which time he was a major in the United States Army - Special Services, Knight was killed in an air crash in Dutch Guiana (now Surinam).
He was a native of Yorkshire in England, and had a varied career, including service in the Canadian Army during World War I and spells as an art student, newspaper reporter and Hollywood screenwriter.
His first novel was Song on Your Bugles (1936) about the working class in Northern England. As "Richard Hallas," he wrote the hardboiled genre novel "You Play The Black and The Red Comes Up" (1938). Knight's "This Above All" is considered one of the significant novels of The Second World War.
Knight and his wife Jere Knight raised collies on their farm in Pleasant Valley, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His novel Lassie Come-Home (ISBN 0030441013) appeared in 1940. It was adapted into a movie in 1943 and has been reprinted several times since then.
In 1943, at which time he was a major in the United States Army - Special Services, Knight was killed in an air crash in Dutch Guiana (now Surinam).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 5, 2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwluX...Description: This Above All is a 1942 American romance film set in World War II adapted from the Eric Knight novel of the same name, directed by Anatole Litvak, and starring Tyrone Power and Joan Fontaine as a couple from different social classes who fall in love in wartime England.
Almost propaganda - especially Fontaine's speech at 1.05ish. Released at the beginning of WWII this is a rousing film to keep minds focused on the war at hand.
October 8, 2013
I love Eric Knight's books (he's the author of Lassie) and even though this is almost 500 pages and I'm not a fast reader I finished it in two days. An excellent story that everyone should read.
October 25, 2014
One of the most enchanting love stories I have ever read.
September 11, 2018
Beautifully written novel from 1941, nominally a love story about a young couple and the uncertainty around their relationship during WWII. Clive is a sensitive, self-educated working-class soldier on leave who is disenchanted with the political leadership of the country and how the war is going (not well for England at that time), and who is considering deserting. Prudence is a sensitive, upper-class WAAF who goes away with him to a seaside resort and tries to convince him to continue to fight. There are side stories about other characters who are tangentially related to the couple, including Clive's army pal; a restrained Brit who visits the U.S. on war business and is seduced by the beauty and freedom of the American west; an elderly gentleman, frustrated because he's not considered useful in this war as he was in the last, and the now-disabled woman with whom he had a youthful fling; and an estranged married couple, who disagree about where their children should spend the war safely.
I said that this is nominally a love story about the young couple. Throughout all the stories, the bombing of England and the possibility of German invasion loom large. The characters, particularly Clive and to a lesser extent Prudence, make many long, impassioned speeches about England's history, politics, leadership, and place in the world (the speeches are incredibly eloquent, but made for rough reading--it's a long book). I think the real point of the novel is the self-examination of the British at a dark time, as the characters all consider their commitment to and love of their country when it seems it may be destroyed forever.
It's poignant to read this book now, with the luxury of hindsight about the outcome of the war. It was frustrating and slow at times, but ultimately it's a memorable book.
I said that this is nominally a love story about the young couple. Throughout all the stories, the bombing of England and the possibility of German invasion loom large. The characters, particularly Clive and to a lesser extent Prudence, make many long, impassioned speeches about England's history, politics, leadership, and place in the world (the speeches are incredibly eloquent, but made for rough reading--it's a long book). I think the real point of the novel is the self-examination of the British at a dark time, as the characters all consider their commitment to and love of their country when it seems it may be destroyed forever.
It's poignant to read this book now, with the luxury of hindsight about the outcome of the war. It was frustrating and slow at times, but ultimately it's a memorable book.
October 17, 2016
I read it years ago as a young woman, and without any doubt this is one of those books that stays with you. The characters are painfully real, to the point that it doesn't feel like a book but more so a vision in which you can get into someone's head and see the world the way they do. This is essentially a book about life - love, war, social issues, and of course, duty. It never felt like a ''war book'', but like a beautiful, tastefully presented tender love story. Needless to say, brilliant writing from Eric Knight.
This book is most likely going to remain with you forever.
Will definitely read it again very soon.
This book is most likely going to remain with you forever.
Will definitely read it again very soon.
November 18, 2016
Hard work for most of the book. Dated style of dialogue. Characters became more interesting as the book progressed. A very worthwhile theme and a vivid picture of the early part of WW2 in England.
Written in 1941 before the outcome of the war was known, of course, so presenting an interesting perspective. It left me feeling a bit empty. Wouldn't read it again, although I had looked forward to reading it very much and had hard work tracking down a copy.
Written in 1941 before the outcome of the war was known, of course, so presenting an interesting perspective. It left me feeling a bit empty. Wouldn't read it again, although I had looked forward to reading it very much and had hard work tracking down a copy.
December 6, 2018
This book was excellent. It reads fast for 573 pages and is actually a fun read for most of the book. As it gets more serious it gets even better. It is so sad that this great author died while protecting his Country.
The cover and the title do not do this book justice. If you have had it getting dusty on your bookshelf, just start reading it and you won’t want to quit.
You can see by the star ratings that I am not the only one to give it 5 stars.
The cover and the title do not do this book justice. If you have had it getting dusty on your bookshelf, just start reading it and you won’t want to quit.
You can see by the star ratings that I am not the only one to give it 5 stars.
August 29, 2024
A slightly strange book -- it felt very progressive for 1941, with Clive the hero railing against Britain and empire and colonialism (even though this might be the result of brain damage - you take what you can get) -- but good lord I suggested this for bookfilm club because I thought & hoped it would deliver on the ROMANCE content, and it FAILED. That should be illegal for the book marketed as the first romance of the wartime era!! Clive simply did not seem to like Prue very much and Prue just seemed to take it. I did like that they had pretty explicit sex though I guess. A fun read in its context but not particularly a fave -- certainly I would rewatch the film over rereading the book.
March 11, 2020
I really liked it. The life story of a young couple and what happened to them and their family during the war was breathtaking. You really don't realize how hard and devastating it was for them and thousands of others.
Sadly, for Clyde, being brave and strong, was not different. The past caught up to him, and a future with Prudence was a hope that war stoled from him. And for Prudence, the war went on.
The copy I read was from 1941. The smell, paper, and style of it made me felt like I was there as I was reading it.
Sadly, for Clyde, being brave and strong, was not different. The past caught up to him, and a future with Prudence was a hope that war stoled from him. And for Prudence, the war went on.
The copy I read was from 1941. The smell, paper, and style of it made me felt like I was there as I was reading it.
November 19, 2022
What is the setting?
England just at the beginning of World War II. Dunkirk is still a fresh subject.
Tell me about the characters.
They exist.
What is the plot?
Eric Knight don't need no stinkin' plot!
How does the book end?
It doesn't.
Would you recommend This Above All?
As a form of punishment, yes.
England just at the beginning of World War II. Dunkirk is still a fresh subject.
Tell me about the characters.
They exist.
What is the plot?
Eric Knight don't need no stinkin' plot!
How does the book end?
It doesn't.
Would you recommend This Above All?
As a form of punishment, yes.
September 20, 2021
All the war stuff was really-really intrestinf. With all the conversations and ideológies. My only problem was the main couple, whose love was missing the chemistry.
December 31, 2022
elképesztően jó, egyszerre vicces, szomorú, megrázó és lenyűgöző, az egyik kedvencem lett
Read
August 2, 20115
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews