Soldiers : Fighting Men's Lives, 1901-2001 by Philip Ziegler (Author)

ISBN: 9780712667388

Publisher: Pimlico, 3 December 2002

Paperback, 320 pages

A fascinating in-depth study of the character and spirit of soldiers.

Rich in narrative and anecdote, this involving, poignant book takes as its starting point interviews with Chelsea Pensioners, who saw action from the First World War to Korea, and whose lives in the army span the 20th century. Ziegler is intrigued by the values the veterans share, which he believes the army must have instilled in them -- self-discipline, acceptance of risk and pain, patriotism, and solidarity with their fellow soldiers.

But he also acknowledges the bigotry, narrow-mindedness and even blinkered stupidity that are part of a soldier’s life. Above all, he celebrates the lives and attitudes of soldiers, and comes to an understanding of the world that means so much to them.