Journal Entry 1 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Friday, February 18, 2005

War novel written from German side. Very moving. 

Journal Entry 2 by RockDg9 at on Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Released 8 yrs ago (3/22/2005 UTC) at

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Journal Entry 3 by lauraloo29 from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Monday, April 04, 2005

Arrived today. Thank you! 

Journal Entry 4 by lauraloo29 from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Friday, March 30, 2007

I've been trying to get into this book. Not sure what the problem is. Going to look for a new home for it. 

Journal Entry 5 by lauraloo29 from Edmonton, Alberta Canada on Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Journal Entry 6 by brewster13 from Calgary, Alberta Canada on Friday, April 20, 2007

This little book just arrived in the mail today. I'm in the midst of another read, and this will be next! thanks lauraloo!! 

Journal Entry 7 by brewster13 from Calgary, Alberta Canada on Thursday, May 03, 2007

An incredible novel! It doesn't matter which 'side' is telling this story -- it is universal. Disturbing, enlightening, engrossing. So many parts of this novel will stick with me for the rest of my life. Here are a few of the more memorable passages:

on training:
"So we were put through every conceivable refinement of parade-ground soldiering till we often howled with rage. Many of us becamse ill through it; ... We became hard, suspicious, pitiless, vicous, tough -- and that was good; for these attributes were just what we lacked. Had we gone into the trenches without this period of training most of us would certainly have gone mad. Only thus were we prepared for what awaited us. ... But by far the most important result was that it awakened in us a strong, practical sense of esprit de corps , which in the field developed into the finest thing that arose out of the war - comradeship."

on fighting on the front line
"Our hands are earth, our bodies clay and our eyes pools of rain. We do not know whether we still live."

on leave
"I bit into my pillow. I grasp the iron rods of my bed with my fists. I ought never to have come here. Out there I was indifferent and often hopeless; -- I will never be able to be so again. I was a soldier, and now I am nothing but an agony for myself, for my mother, for everything that is so comfortless and without end.
I ought never to have come on leave."

on young soldiers
"The war has ruined us for everything."

There are so many more parts of this novel that cut to the bone ... it truly is extraordinary -- I've never read anything like it. This novel illustrates how war took these young men and turned them right back to animals. They poop in a circle with a margarine lid balancing on their knees so that they can play cards ... they'll sit like that for hours. They capture and kill any animal they can, eating horse hide, killing geese and pigs to roast only to suffer bad bowels for hours. They are starving, exhausted, many are hurt but are thrust back to the front lines. Nothing is sacred on the battlefield, not even taking a crap.

Thank you so much Lauraloo for sharing. This will be mailed off either later today or tomorrow to bartonz. I hope all who read this enjoy it was much as I did. 

Journal Entry 8 by brewster13 from Calgary, Alberta Canada on Thursday, May 03, 2007

Mailed to bartonz today. Enjoy :-) 

Journal Entry 9 by bartonz from Bellevue, Washington USA on Friday, May 11, 2007

It's here! I look forward to reading it :) 

Journal Entry 10 by bartonz from Bellevue, Washington USA on Wednesday, May 23, 2007

This telling of the battles of World War I from the viewpoint of a German soldier bolsters my opinion that nobody who ends up fighting in a war really wants to be there and the people who make these decisions to send citizens to battle should instead go themselves.

It's on its way to Bibliocrates 

Journal Entry 11 by Bibliocrates from Fort Collins, Colorado USA on Monday, June 04, 2007

This book was caught in the mail some time last week. Thank you very much for sending it my way bartonz. It looks like I'm to ship it to the Netherlands, not sure when I'll be able to do that, but I will start it as soon as possible nonetheless. 

Journal Entry 12 by Bibliocrates from Fort Collins, Colorado USA on Friday, July 13, 2007

Journal Entry 13 by Bibliocrates at Bookray in Rotterdam, Netherlands -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (8/8/2007 UTC) at Bookray in Rotterdam, Netherlands -- Controlled Releases

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This book will be sent on its way to rapturina in the Netherlands this afternoon, hope you enjoy it rapturina! Sorry to have kept the book so long everyone, lauraloo29, have had quite a few things to mail out these past couple of weeks, pocket book almost couldn't handle it! 

Journal Entry 14 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, August 23, 2007

It's here! Along with a few other ringbooks, as usual. :D I will try to get to it soon though. Thanks for sending it across the ocean, Bibliocrates! 

Journal Entry 15 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, September 07, 2007

This was definitely not a fun read, but very impressive nevertheless. This book very brutally illustrates what it's like to be in a war - it directly tells you about the horrors of the front line, but also has a lot of rather philosophical reflection going on that'll keep you thinking for a while. I'm glad I read this book.

I have ana-b's address and will send the book on to her sometime next week most likely.

ETA: Sent to ana-b on Sept. 14th. 

Journal Entry 16 by ana-b from Gouda, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, September 16, 2007

Book arrived Saturday by mail. Thanks. Has to wait for I'm reading two other books at the moment. 

Journal Entry 17 by ana-b from Gouda, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Thursday, October 18, 2007

What an exceptional, gripping story. I could not read at one go. I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. Now I will send it to the next person on the list. 

Journal Entry 18 by ana-b at on Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Released 5 yrs ago (10/31/2007 UTC) at

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On its way to Cross-Patch. Hope you'll enjoy the book as much as I did. 

Journal Entry 19 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Sunday, November 04, 2007

Thank you, the book has arrived. I'm not sure if this is a good time to read this at the moment, so I shall give it a couple of weeks before I give it a go. 

Journal Entry 20 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, November 26, 2007

Chilling and thought provoking.
Going to NICNIC2 today. 

Journal Entry 21 by NICNIC2 from St Andrews, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Received today - thank you for including me. I have a few to read before this one but I'll get to it as soon as possible. 

Journal Entry 22 by NICNIC2 from St Andrews, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Compelling story. This anti-war novel is very passive in its tone which makes the violence and ugliness of the great war more obvious. I'm glad I read it. Thanks for including me. Will be sending on to the next reader this week. 

Journal Entry 23 by NICNIC2 at By mail in A bookray, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases on Thursday, January 03, 2008

Released 5 yrs ago (1/3/2008 UTC) at By mail in A bookray, A Bookcrossing member -- Controlled Releases

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On its way to stubee today 

Journal Entry 24 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Thanks yet again lauraloo29 for another 1001 bookray I'll get onto it shortly; thanks NICNIC2 for sending it my way! :-]

lauraloo29 - KT-J doesn't appear to be on your list but is it ok if she reads it too???? 

Journal Entry 25 by stubee from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 17, 2008

I finished this WWI title this morning, it was an interesting read especially as it was from the point of view of German soldiers. I never seen or read anything from their point of view before but this was a good story of despair, anguish and war! Just passed this to KT-J this morning. 

Journal Entry 26 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 17, 2008

Received from Stubee today and good timing as I've just finished my current read! 

Journal Entry 27 by KT-J from Bury, Lancashire United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

I'm glad I read this book although I found it disturbing in places. The fact it was from a German point of view was largely irrelevant, it is a horrifying glimpse of what happened to a whole generation of young men sent to die, and which is still happening although the weapons and techniques have changed. The camaraderie sections were poignant but overall it wasn't a particularly pleasant read.

Thanks lauraloo29 for sharing this. I've PMd cat207 so will send this on once I get an address.

Edit 03/03/2008 - this was posted on 01/03/2008 

Journal Entry 28 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Arrived in today's mail. Thank you KT-J and lauraloo29 for sharing. 

Journal Entry 29 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Friday, March 14, 2008

A difficult and tragic read. Thank you for including me, lauraloo29. 

Journal Entry 30 by cat207 from Gladstone, Queensland Australia on Sunday, March 16, 2008

Off to lake44 in US in today's mail. 

Journal Entry 31 by lake44 from The Wrack Line, -- Not a city, Geographical features, etc. -- USA on Thursday, March 27, 2008

Just received this in the mail today, along with a fire-breathing postcard (cool!). Thank you to Cat207 for mailing and to Lauraloo29 for staring this ring. I'll start reading tonight and will either find a reader or release into the wild. 

Journal Entry 32 by lake44 from The Wrack Line, -- Not a city, Geographical features, etc. -- USA on Friday, March 28, 2008

I ended up staying awake long into the night...couldn't put this down. When I was finished reading, I stayed awake a bit more, thinking about what I had just read. Although this marvelous account of war was published forty-five years ago, I imagine that many of today's combat participants could relate the same feelings. The "technology" changes, but war remains the same.

 

Journal Entry 33 by lake44 at on Thursday, April 03, 2008

Released 5 yrs ago (4/3/2008 UTC) at

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Mailing some books to Jare. Can be used for GLBT festival in May. 

Journal Entry 34 by jare from Gibsonton, Florida USA on Saturday, April 12, 2008

This arrived today for our BC table, thank you SO much for your help! 

Journal Entry 35 by ZiaBookCrossers from Albuquerque, New Mexico USA on Saturday, April 12, 2008

Reserved for a Bookcrossing table at Albuquerque Pridefest on June 13 & 14, 2008!