Her Privates We cover

Her Privates We

by Frederic Manning

Originally published in a censored version, thanks to the realistic level of swearing in the soldiers' dialogue, 'Her Privates We' offers a unique insight into the life of a British infantryman in the trenches in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of the Somme. The author was an educated misfit who served alongside ordinary working class men; this gave him both the ability and the motivation to record in honest detail his first-hand experiences: the combination of the day-to-day struggle to survive with some degree of dignity and comfort behind the lines, mixing boredom and army routine with brief moments of pleasure in the cafes of the French towns and villages, followed by their fatalistic preparation for another 'over-the-top' assault on the German lines, with the memory of the recent carnage of the Somme still fresh in their minds. A little-read masterpiece that stands comparison with 'All Quiet on the Western Front'.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?