This book was a collection of thoughts and feelings, as expressed by those on the front line during WWI. It also covers a partial diary of a woman living in those times as well. I could have kept on reading this book, it was really fascinating! Poignant as all out, of course, since life expectancy at the front was short.

I enjoyed the fact that the author obviously did a lot of research around the letters that she read e.g. we read what happened to a particular soldier, if they survived the war and if they did, what they ended up doing. I enjoyed reading the letter by 8 year old Olivia too :)

WWI seems such a long time ago now, and it was, but wars continue to be waged around the world and this book is yet another cautionary tale about sending millions of young men as "cannon fodder" and the futility of it all. There were some very brave and stoic soldiers in this book and it was lovely to hear their voices in this way. They had the same hopes and dreams of any of us and I am saddened that so many of them didn't get the opportunity to have the lives they deserved.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pen & Sword.

Great book for all lovers of history, but especially World War I enthusiasts. The book does a good job of presenting the effects of war upon people from a variety of backgrounds. Great use of family and public archives. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy to read and review.

Really well put together. I have studied a personal ancestor (great uncle) and read his letters, which mirrored these, brought some more personal connection to the book. This would companion well with the movie "They shall not grow old"

Letters from the Trenches: The First World War by Those Who Were There is mostly what is promised by the title. A selections of letters from servicemen serving in the British Army during the First World War. It is not a history of the first world war, and would be best read by those with at least an awareness of the major campaigns and events of the war.

Jacqueline Wadsworth appealed for letters through newspapers, magazines, and family history groups and despite the assumptions of gathering letters from archives and library she instead was approached by families throughout the former British Empire, including Australia, India and South Africa. This work is centered on transcriptions of the letters, but for each one Wadsworth contextualizes it within the greater scope of the war.

Though some of the letters are presented chronologically, overall they are more structured to adhere to Wadsworth's themes which align to the expected major events, technologies or common imagery of the war. The letters themselves are interesting as they are the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the soldiers as they presented them to their correspondent.

However, as a whole it felt lacking in depth. While the letters are wonderful primary sources, the course of time has lowered the number of surviving letters. And often what does survive is one sided, the soldier writing home. It often felt like Wadsworth was writing a series of biographies instead of speaking more collectively of the experience of the serving man, as detailed in their writings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Letters From The Trenches. This is a haunting look into the reality that was World War 1. This is a beautiful collection of memories that will stay with you long after you finish the book.

Unfortunately this title wouldn’t download to my Kindle .It’s a shame as I’m sure it would have been very interesting. Pen and Sword publications have been an invaluable aid to my family history , so I’m sure this would have been the same