Reading in World War I

[FliegerJG1]

Ever wonder what the guys at the front in the trenches and aerodromes were reading? This article I found at abebooks.com has some interesting comments on how the guys passed the time and kept their minds off the depressing aspects of the day.

WWI reading material

FliegerJG1

[Chock]

There's one very famous book not on that list, which many soldiers read in WW1 (for obvious reasons), and that was Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. Apparently many soldiers identified strongly with the tale.

Al

[bristol scout]

In point of fact the first decades of the century showed a remarkable rise in education of the masses by the masses themselves!

They were the heyday of the 'penny libraries' the flowering of evening classes, Workers Education Groups--indeed, the aquisition of Knowledge for the sake of it--the strong belief that knowledge was a virtue in itself-- was a powerful charm.

That being so the kind of books being read were also rather 'top end' highbrow---even arcane--History, science and philosophical works----indeed those little books where everywhere----I remember them as my grandfathers had box full's of them----duly passed to my Father and mother---thence to me.

Dave.