Famous, 1914-1918

by Richard van Emden, Victor Piuk

Famous tells the Great War stories of twenty of Britain's most respected, best known and even notorious celebrities. They include politicians, actors, writers, an explorer, a sculptor and even a murderer. The generation that grew up in the late 19th century enlisted enthusiastically in the defense of the country. Many would become household names such as Basil Rathbone, the definitive Sherlock Holmes, A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh, and John Laurie and Arnold Ridley who found fame and public affection as the dour Scotsman Fraser, and the gentle and genial Godfrey, in Dad's Army. From politicians such as Harold Macmillan and Winston Churchill to writers including J.B. Priestley, and J.R.R. Tolkein, from sculptors like Henry Moore, to composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, their fame and influence continue even into the 21st Century.

The authors Richard van Emden and Vic Piuk have discovered the exact locations where these celebrities saw action. They tell the story of how J.R.R. Tolkein led his men over the top on the Somme, where CS Lewis was wounded and invalided home, and how Basil Rathbone won the Military Cross for a trench raid (while dressed as a tree). Each story will be examined in detail with pictures taken of the very spot where the actions took place. There are maps of the area that will guide enterprising readers to walk in the footsteps of their heroes.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War I, Biography

342 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2008

About the author

Richard van Emden is a British author and television documentary producer who specializes in the First World War.

Reviews

[Milly Wonford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took this off the shelf because I was intrigued to find out how my favourite author, Tolkien, fought in the Great War - not previously knowing that he had. To know that perhaps some of his writing in Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit can be 'based' on his experiences makes it all the more poignant for me and I urge others to read all of his works, including his essays, as they are not just about a fantastical world.

I was also interested to read about C.S. Lewis' involvement in the Great War - also something I was unaware of, AND A.A. Milne.

This was an enlightening book and an easy read - you don't have to to pour through cover to cover either, it's easy to dip in and out, or just read about people you are interested in.

One thing I would have liked was a little bit more of a background on some of the other characters as I wasn't sure who they were and didn't come away feeling that I knew them any more than before.

Overall, it's a fascinating insight in to the history of some people we would regard now to be well-respected 'famous' people.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The introduction very much set the scene posing the question what would the world be like if there had not been so many deaths. It then goes on to give details of the war time experiences experiences of those who became famous. It is a wonder they were able to live almost normal lives but were much affected by what they experienced. The biggest impact was usually loosing close friends and seeing the dreadful carnage of men and animals. It gave an insight of how people can cope and survive.

P Smith

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book with a strange structure. Each chapter is a famous person who served in Word War I. In meticulous detail, by consulting war diaries kept by the army or consulting memoirs or other primary sources, the authors walk you through the service of each individual. Often these stories are desperate, sad, strange, and horrible. All of them contain remarkable valor and none of them glorify the war.

What's odd about the book is that each chapter starts with the service of the individual, usually right when they enlist, and it walks you through their experience. Then there is a break and they give you a biographical summary of the individual before they enlist and what happens to them after they leave the army. It's a lot like reading the middle of the story first.

Also, as a non-British person, it wasn't always clear to me why these individuals were famous until I got to the biographical summary at the end of each chapter. However, the authors will often insinuate that you should be amazed by what this person is doing because they are, you know, that famous person we all know - which I course I didn't.

I'm not sure why they didn't just tell the stories of these individuals in the proper order, maybe they thought their audience would only be in the U.K. and didn't want to bore them with details they already knew. Hard to say. But it would have been a better book had they not chosen this structure.

That said, the writing in the book is very good. Clear, succinct, and evocative. There are sections of this book I won't soon forget, and it has solidly seared in my brain the horrors of war.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a keen interest in WW1 and for this reason was very pleased to discover this book. It was easy to read, in as much as each chapter is devoted to one 'Famous' person. So in effect it's a book of short stories, the constraints of which mean there's not too much tactical description or military jargon within its pages. It's a convenient format to dip in and out of. I liked the idea that here was a group of remarkable people (all save John Reginald Christie who was remarkable in the sinister sense of the word) who against all odds survived the war and went on to positively shape our art, culture, science, also our political and social climates. We should consider therefore just how many remarkable people were lost to us....what might they have contributed, where might they have taken us, if they had not been killed.

There are twenty one mini biographies in the book. Some I was very familiar with, particularly a handful of authors I've loved for ever so long. A A Milne, Tolkein, C S Lewis. Others I knew their names but nothing about them or their war experiences and some of these were particularly interesting. Arnold Ridley (Dad's Army), Henry Moore (sculptor), Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes) to name a few. For many of these, the war was the impetus which drove them on to make the most of every opportunity, as a kind of dedication to those who didn't come home from the battlefields.

[Tony Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally moving…

All of the stories in this excellent book with the possible exception of, John Reginald Halliday Christie, the serial killer, are exceptionally moving. My pick of them however is the story of Ned Parfett, the Titanic newsboy. Fate dictated that his picture was taken while he was informing the world of the Titanic disaster. He was one of four brothers who all served their country in the Great War, but Ned was the only brother who did not survive, being killed when a rogue shell struck the Quartermaster’s Stores when he was collecting new uniform to go home in 13 days before the Armistice. I dare any student of the First World War not to shed a tear when reading his short biography. Overall an outstanding read, a real page turner and my only criticism, if indeed it is one is that I finished it way too early. Brilliant book, 5 stars.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was wonderful but there were a surprising number of typos and inconsistent spelling that made it frustrating to read.

[Sallie White · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. Interesting to know what famous people did in the war but I probably wouldn't read this again

[Steven Shinder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was curious about this because of Tolkien and Lewis. The Christie entry was very depressing.