 |
Above
The War Front
Norman Franks, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi
Publisher: Grub Street
Hardcover
Pages: 224
Norman
Franks and Russell Guest continue in their research to record the
lives and scores of these "aces" of World War I. Gregory
Alegi joins them in this volume, with his knowledge of Italian aces,
to produce detailed biographies of Italians and Austro-Hungarians,
Belgian and Russian aces.
|
 |
Aces
High
Alan Clark
Publisher: Cassell Military
Pages: 192
hardcover
Aces
High serves to remind us that, if not an entirely scrupulous politician,
nor a perfect husband, Alan Clark really was a superb military historian.
There has evolved something of a myth about the war in the air between
1914-1918. The myth goes that, while in the filth and gore of the
trenches below, any idealism and chivalry quickly sputtered and
died in the purer air above; the last noble heroes battled with
each in one-to-one dogfights like knights of old. It is a myth that
Clark shoots down in flames, with characteristic iconoclasm.
This
wasn't chivalry, it was war, and although more elegant to watch,
it was every bit as lethal as Passchendaele. The book is also superbly
illustrated; there is a photograph of another ace, Albert Ball,
who died at the age of 20. Here he is in black and white, looking
like Rupert Brooke, only more handsome, clean- shaven, eager, boyish
... and quietly murderous. It is an image both troubling and unforgettable--much
like the book.
|