Death of a Hero (Penguin Classics)

OneofthegreatWorldWarIantiwarnovels—honest,chilling,andbrilliantlysatiricalBasedontheauthor'sexperiencesontheWesternFront,RichardAldington'sfirstnovel,DeathofaHero,finallyjoinstheranksofPenguinClassics.OurheroisGeorgeWinterbourne,whoenlistsintheBritishExpeditionaryArmyduringtheGreatWarandgetssenttoFrance.Afterarashofcasualtiesleadstohispromotionthroughtheranks,hegrowsincreasinglycynicalaboutthewaranddisillusionedbythehypocrisiesofBritishsociety.Aldington'swritingaboutBritain'signoranceofthetribulationsofitssoldiersisamongthemostbitingeverpublished.DeathofaHerovividlyevokesthemorallydegradingnatureofcombatasitrushestowarditsastoundingfinish.