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Only Remembered

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This beautiful anthology collects favorite extracts, poems and images to create one of the most diverse and representative anthologies ever published on World War I, with previously lesser-heard voices (Punjabi soldiers, children's experiences and animal tales) brought to life by famous figures. Poems, short stories, personal letters, newspaper articles, scripts, photographs and paintings are just some of the elements of this astonishing collection. Among the many contributors are Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, Miranda Hart, Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz, Eoin Colfer, Antony Beevor, Emma Thompson, David Almond, Dr. Rowan Williams, Richard Curtis, Joanna Lumley, Raymond Briggs, Shami Chakrabarti and Sir Tony Robinson.

326 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 2014

7 people are currently reading
197 people want to read

About the author

Ian Beck

177 books84 followers
Ian Archibald Beck (born 1947 in Brighton) is an English children's illustrator and author. In addition to his numerous children's books, he is also most famous for his cover illustration on Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. He has sold more than a million copies of his books worldwide.

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5 stars
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35 (43%)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Jill.
409 reviews198 followers
September 27, 2018
Excellent selection of poems, prose, stories and recollections of The Great War selected by notable people of England.
Profile Image for Saturday's Child.
1,493 reviews
July 4, 2017
This is an anthology that shares how people feel about and they way they view the events of World War 1. As the cover of the copy I read says " Powerful words and pictures about the war that changed our world".
Profile Image for Charlotte (Escapades of a Bookworm).
448 reviews62 followers
July 8, 2014
Review can also be found on blog Escapades of a Bookworm


This is beautifully filled with a large collection of thoughts from a diverse range of public figures. Each person explains the reason behind their chosen extract or image, what it means to them and what it tells us about the war.

These extracts manage to be funny, endearing and moving while also piercing the reader. They are a wonderful mixture of poems, comic strips, letters, scripts and photographs that allow the reader an insight into the very nature of the war.

Only remembered has a scrapbook feel which pays tribute to everyone who was part of World War I. A moving and endearing read.
Profile Image for Angela.
1,089 reviews53 followers
November 20, 2014
Excellent collection by a vast array of cultural figures. The choices are all personal to them in some way; some funny, some heartbreaking and all poignant.

An advance reader copy was kindly given by the publisher through Netgalley
Profile Image for Ilze.
640 reviews29 followers
June 6, 2021
This collection of what people can remember about WWI brings the reader right into the rough-and-tumble of those years. Some state that a "whole generation" was wiped out, though some write about what their "grandfathers" experienced then ... think about it. If these young men managed to become "grandfathers", they not only survived, but they managed to have a fulfilled life in spite of the trauma, the nightmares and other scars that they had to live with. Anyone who thinks war will solve problems needs to read this first.
Profile Image for Sarah.
83 reviews22 followers
May 10, 2025
I'm really curious about the First World War because I feel like it's not as talked about, cleanly cut, whatever, as the Second World War (a point that is mentioned in this book), so all these stories and poems and photos and personal connections were amazing to see.
Profile Image for Emily Foster.
125 reviews2 followers
June 9, 2019
I really love this collection of diaries, poems and experiences from the wars.
Profile Image for Daisy May Johnson.
Author 3 books198 followers
June 6, 2014
There are a lot of books out at the moment to do with the first world war. I've been privileged to review several of them, and when I saw this on NetGalley I was very keen to take a look.

It's a powerful, precise collection this, drawing together viewpoints from a diverse range of public figures including Raymond Briggs, Miranda Hart, Jacqueline Wilson and Shami Chakrabarti. These and many more figures pick out elements ranging from poetry to comics through to newspaper extracts that mean something to them and tell something unique about the war. And they do, these extracts, they are moving and funny and piercingly exact at points (this war, any war, it happens to people, people like you and I, and it is sometimes so easy to forget that).

What's also very lovely about this is the mixture of sources and how there's some outstanding poetry (Dulce et Decorum Est, anyone?)coupled with sources such as a comic strip. I like the mixture of primary and secondary sources from a variety of media, and thought it could quite easily inspire exercises in creating similar scrapbooks. There's a lot here in these pages, and there's a lot here which pays tribute, loud and long, to the people who were there. A beautiful, eloquent book.
Profile Image for Hollie.
47 reviews
September 6, 2014
I received this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an anthology of works by various people relating to WWI. I’m kind of a history buff so I found this really interesting and I loved reading the different stories written by various people, including celebrities. I also enjoyed the variety of content in the anthology as it included things such as songs and comic strips from the war, I liked how accessible to a variety of people that made it. This book was a really thought provoking, lovely anthology and I’m glad I gave it a go.
Profile Image for Jaffareadstoo.
2,937 reviews
August 19, 2014
A lovely collection of extracts, poems and memories of the Great war . Aimed primarily at the young adult market, this is a book which can be enjoyed by grown ups too.
Profile Image for Naomi Mercieca.
24 reviews8 followers
November 2, 2018
This is a powerful collection of fact and fiction about World War I using a variety of media, which flow into one another seamlessly. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Profile Image for Steve Jones.
153 reviews2 followers
April 8, 2017
I am fascinated by WW1 so I just sat and read it from cover to cover in 1 day. I must admit I skipped some extracts from books that I had read before but overall, it I a great way to introduce people to 'The Great War' and it's horrors.
Profile Image for Rachel White.
326 reviews7 followers
August 1, 2017
More like 4.5*

I've been in a bit of a World War One kick at the moment which doesn't happen too often as it can be extremely depressing but this book was so good and showed a different side of the war.

I loved the fact that it had different sections all made up of different celebrities from actors to authors. It was such a unique way to tell the story of all those men who never came back and the sacrifice the my made. It really also helped to show the impact that the war had at home and on the front line.

Overall, I loved this and would definitely read it again!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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