Her Darling Boy: The letters of a mother, her beloved son, and the heartbreaking cost of Vimy Ridge

by Tom Goodman

The battle for Vimy Ridge one hundred years ago has been characterized as a defining moment in Canadian history. The idea of thousands of Canadian young men dying together in the mud and tangled wire of northern France was, and still is, considered by many as nation-building.
Tom Goodman generally accepted this view until he discovered a rich trove of letters between his grandmother and Archie Polson, the uncle he had never met. Reading through the exchanges, Goodman came to realize that war 
is sometimes about winning, but it is always about loss. 
He has now collected many of these letters, along with his own contextual narrative, so that we can see the true cost of war to a family and a country.

Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2016

Reviews

[Rach]

I was hoping to read a Canadian historical fiction novel for my next book, and instead of fiction, I found this. As a compelling story about a family, I was drawn in to their experiences in a way that made me feel like I was reading fiction and I couldn’t put the book down. I loved that the story was told using letters, and found myself re-reading the phrasing of the sentences and the tenderness that was conveyed. I felt nostalgic for the art of letter writing, and grateful for the speed of modern communication when the family was waiting to hear about the fate of their injured loved one. Because of my age and that I don’t come from a family with much military in its history, this was my first time learning about the experience of soldiers in Vimy Ridge outside of school. This book was accessible for a newcomer to the topic, and a wholehearted success in piquing my desire to learn more.

[Sarah]

4.5 stars

I loved this book. In history we always seem to glorify World War 1 and tend to forget that the boys who served were kids. We forget that they were people. This book immediately reminds you of it. Reading the letters is a humbling experience because they weren’t elaborate or groundbreaking letters. They were just letters talking about his day, a trip to London on leave and what he hoped his parents would send. They were true and that’s what I loved about them.