- 'The Soul of the War'
- by Philip Gibbs
- What the Reviews Say
Press Opinions on 'the Soul of the War'
Daily Telegraph -- "A living piece of literature, dignified, unhysterical, and strong . . . likely to survive as an historical document among the most suggestive and significant of its time."
Daily Graphic. -- "Mr. Gibbs has the mind of the descriptive writer, but what be bas seen has got bold of his soul, so that he writes with passion, and with a depth of feeling that shakes off the Conventions of journalism. . . . One of the books that will outlast the war."
Daily Express. -- "One of the half-dozen war books that have any real value."
Daily Mail. -- "Has brought before us with an amazing clarity a panorama of invasion and retreat; he has painted for us the Soul of Paris, brave, sensitive, and wayward; and he has shown us how the horrors of war have struck one who holds that war is the very worst of human crimes."
Standard. -- "A splendid and fascinating book of realistic adventure."
Time. -- "A moving and sincere book of brilliant impressionism . . . the book is valuable; it is so plainly true."
Sheffield Daily Telegraph. -- "By far the most vivid and realistic book on war so far published ... a living book--and a book that will continue to live ... a real live full-blooded book, with a human story on every page."
Field. -- "THE SOUL OP THE WAR combines all the vividness of journalism written on the spot with much of the considered judgment of a man who can collate his first impressions. Mr. Gibbs, too, has written with the deep desire, ' the sacred duty of preventing another war like this.' He has determined ' to etch its images of cruelty into the brains of his readers.' And he succeeds."
Punch. -- "Not a book for the faint-hearted or the empty-beaded -- if there be any such left. The others should read it for its truth, its sincerity, and the candour of its criticism."
Evening News. -- "Just before going to bed last night I picked up Philip Gibbs' book ' THE SOUL OP THE WAR.' I read on and on until three o'clock this morning. It is vivid, compelling, with fine splashes of raw, red truth."
Globe. -- "This delightful book. . . . Poetry runs through the book and deep feeling, and a very human sympathy with suffering. . . . admirably written, with a very clear insight. Its style is lively and entertaining. Nothing nearly so good has yet been written on the subject."
Truth. -- " ‘THE SOUL OF THE WAR' is calculated better than any book I have read to stimulate the somewhat sluggish British imagination into a realization of the insanity and savagery of war generally, and of the special senselessness and devilishness of this titanic conflict."
T.P.'s Journal. -- "This war is sure to produce some fine books: it can scarcely produce a finer than this one Mr. Philip Gibbs has written. It is moving, human, keenly seen, gravely handled, and excellently written, and it makes an appeal to the senses that is almost enormous in its cogency. . . . That story is perhaps one of the severest indictments of war Mr. Philip Gibbs could make. It is part of his great scheme of illumination. His book is certainly valuable, and those who miss reading it are missing one of the most essential and powerful documents bearing on Armageddon."
Illustrated London News. -- "One of the most readable books yet published . . . filled with love and pity, and is written with the natural and unforced sense of style that can never fail to appeal."
Spectator. -- "A very striking phantasmagoria . . . the present volume seems to us to mark his greatest literary success."
