Rating: 5/5
Review:
Little gems by a master
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed and was moved by these
stories.
The stories are very short and are essentially character
studies of those involved in and affected by the activities of a heavy bomber
squadron in WWII, flying Stirlings on raids into Nazi-held territory. Each one, told by the unnamed narrator
("Pilot Officer X") is a portrait of a pilot, a gunner, a girlfriend,
a bereaved family and the officer speaking about the death of their son and so
on. They give fine understated insights
into what the war really means to these people and the toll it takes. The quiet tone, reflecting the modest,
unemotional language of the airmen themselves, makes the impact of the action
and the emotion all the more powerful, I think.
They also paint a vivid picture of heroism, but less of the daredevil
valorous kind and more the quiet, persistent courage needed to do one's best in
terrible circumstances, like bringing a terribly damaged plane home through
skill and steadiness under fire – the kind of inner strength and courage for
which, as Bates remarks, we have not yet struck a medal.
H.E. Bates is a rather little-read writer these days and
might be almost entirely forgotten were it not for the TV adaptation of The
Darling Buds Of May. He deserves to be
far better remembered and widely read; these stories are little gems which
still resonate strongly today and justify Graham Greene's description of Bates
as "one of the best short-story writers of my time." Warmly recommended.
(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)
No comments:
Post a Comment