Breaking the Silence: Veterans' Untold Stories from the Great War to Afghanistan

by Ted Barris

Never talked about it.

Genres: Nonfiction, War, History

290 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Ted Barris is an accomplished author, journalist and broadcaster. As well as hosting stints on CBC Radio and regular contributions to The Globe and Mail, the National Post, and various national magazines, he is a full-time professor of journalism at Centennial College in Toronto. Barris has authored seventeen non-fiction books, including the national bestsellers Victory at Vimy and Juno.

Reviews

[Matt Chequers · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Stephen Bedard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a different kind of book from most by this author. Instead of being organized around one particular battle, it is a collection of conversations of vets from World War One to Afghanistan. A great way to understand a measure of what vets have gone through.

[Tilly Wark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before I get into my review, I think it's important to note that I spent the entirety of my teen years as a Royal Canadian Air Cadet with 779 Squadron in Mount Hope, Ontario, which is near the Hamilton Airport.

Much of what I learned as a cadet was covered here, but from a different point of view. For example, like Barris, I also tried to make a point of learning Veterans' stories, being another keeper of the flame and keeping their memories alive. Selling poppies with veterans was always important to me, and shaking their hands every year during the Poppy Campaign is the least I can do to say thank you.Though there are many facets I could touch on where I gained another perspective into something I learned, I'll just focus on one so this review doesn't become cluttered (it's not every day you can connect with a book on such a personal level). Besides, he finds personal connections to every story he shares, so I think it's appropriate that I do the same. One of the things he discusses in this book was the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), something we would speak of annually as cadets. What I found interesting from his research was how little respect there was for the BCATP, and just as little knowledge. It never occurred to me that people wouldn't know about this program, so I'm glad he wrote about it, and had pilot testimony of its inner workings. I never got to learn that. If you're interested in expanding on that knowledge, two minutes down the road from my former squadron is St. Paul's Anglican Church. In the cemetery behind the church is a memorial garden along with a row of graves belonging to men killed in BCATP training at the Hamilton Airport. We would honour them every year with a church service dedicated to their memory followed by a grave decorating ceremony.

I've actually had the privilege of listening to Ted Barris speak during three separate Remembrance Day services in Hamton at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (he mentions CWH a few times in this book). You can tell that he's a teacher/professor/journalist; he writes the way he speaks, which is accessible for pretty much everyone. I like that Barris is able to take a complicated subject, and present it using simple, clear language that everyone can understand. Having photo sections in the book also aids in this accessibility (he does the same thing with his Remembrance Day talks).

There were only a few downsides to this book, which is why I gave this four stars. To start, this is supposed to be about getting veterans to break their silence about their war experiences. Yes, there were some vets mentioned who required prodding, but I was left with the impression that more than not spoke openly. Why were these ones more willing to break their silence? I also would have liked more about the War in Afghanistan. However, that may be more of a generational thing as I was in high school when 9/11 happened. Otherwise, this book was an interesting read.

[Rick B.H. Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book I will be reading this one again must read what a record of personal accounts of the Canadian veterans over the years. This small book has preserved the personal history of our Vets, told by them.

[E.R. Yatscoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ted is an engaging writer and this book takes in a lot about battles, veterans, soldiers, and military in general

[Jack Coleman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Its a well written book with lots of memorabilia but not enough of the reasons why veterans don't
talk.
Iam greatful every day for their sacrifice,being able to grow old in peace is not a luxury many can aspire.
I believe rememberance day is for the victims and vetrans alike. Greave the lost innocense,libraries,art,generations of traumatised people.
I've read too many books about war spare me this one.

[Edgar Lavoie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For my crime novel in progress, I needed background for a couple of characters with experience in the current Afghanistan war, and for an historical character who participated in the Great War. Veterans are notoriously close-lipped about their experiences, and this author explores that phenomenon in that time frame. Great insights!
I finished the book recently. Opinion has not changed.