Bibliograph

The book at war, how reading shaped conflict and conflict shaped reading, Andrew Pettegree

Type

Label

The book at war, how reading shaped conflict and conflict shaped reading, Andrew Pettegree

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Illustrations

platesillustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The book at war

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

1375289580

Responsibility statement

Andrew Pettegree

Sub title

how reading shaped conflict and conflict shaped reading

Summary

A "magisterial" (Sunday Times) illumination of how books were used in war across the twentieth century--both as weapons and as agents for peace. We tend not to talk about books and war in the same breath--one ranks among humanity's greatest inventions, the other among its most terrible. But as esteemed literary historian Andrew Pettegree demonstrates, the two are deeply intertwined. The Book at War explores the various roles that books have played in conflicts throughout the globe. Winston Churchill used a travel guide to plan the invasion of Norway, lonely families turned to libraries while their loved ones were fighting in the trenches, and during the Cold War both sides used books to spread their visions of how the world should be run. As solace or instruction manual, as critique or propaganda, books have shaped modern military history--for both good and ill. With precise historical analysis and sparkling prose, The Book at War accounts for the power--and the ambivalence--of words at war

Table Of Contents

Building the fighting nation -- The mobilisation of knowledge -- The home front -- Books for the boys -- The bomber will always get through -- 1945-89: War as peace

Target audience

adult

Classification