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Chilling quote.

Linda wrote: "Chilling quote."
Linda, I agree - Remarque's sentences are hard-hitting like sledgehammers.

Very apt assessment of Remarque’s sentences, Ilse. I always think of him when I use the phrase �� words are fists.��

Daniel wrote: "Very apt assessment of Remarque’s sentences, Ilse. I always think of him when I use the phrase �� words are fists.��"
Thank you, Daniel - "words are fists" is so very true in this context, one feels bashed to bits after finishing. A razor-sharp book. Even if one cannot imagine the reality of war when not having experienced it oneself, Remarque depicts the horrendous atrocity in which the soldiers live, suffer and die and their interior state of numbness so evocatively and convincingly one cannot but feel the reality of it - did you watch one of the film adaptations?

I watched the original when I was in high school and also the 1979 version. Actually, I was more moved by the 1930 production( that was the year it came out but was NOT the year I saw it🤣).

it is quite a journey from the classroom to the hospital, it strikes me that we can read this novel as a bildungsroman which contains a criticism of bildung!

Daniel wrote: "I watched the original when I was in high school and also the 1979 version. Actually, I was more moved by the 1930 production( that was the year it came out but was NOT the year I saw it🤣)."
Daniel, I wasn't aware there was a 1930 adaptation of the book as well, and that so soon after the book was published! I looked at a trailer of the 1930 film, black and white somehow suits the images this book put in my mind more. Do you consider watching the new film? I wasn't picturing you as a centenarian at all so your pun made me chortle :)).

Ilse, glad you were able to chortle! You make an interesting point about the original in black and white fitting the book well. Our discussion moves me to seek out the newest version, although I generally do not warm to second and third iterations of the original. However, my curiosity is aroused.

Sometimes the biggest books we read are the ones that inspire the shortest reviews.

I agree with Julie's comment. Sometimes the novels can be so impactful that they leave us speechless. That quote you shared, dear Ilse, is shattering and so true. I watched the old black & white film adaptation and still remember how everyone was silent as we were leaving the cinema (it was a wonderful cinema that ran thematic film cycles or those dedicated to the particular film directors). This and other quotes you posted on your reading updates make me want to read this novel.

Jan-Maat wrote: "it is quite a journey from the classroom to the hospital, it strikes me that we can read this novel as a bildungsroman which contains a criticism of bildung!"
Well put Jann, that is an excellent reading of it, and Remarque recurrently makes that point of total disillusionment by fiercely criticising the outcome of a particular view on the ideal of Bildung (there is a little come-uppeance by sending the chauvinist teacher to the front as well). Sadly this generation had little (or no) time between the classroom and front/death/hospital, their life cycle shortened and compressed and experiencing bitterly the discrepantion between the lofty ideals proffered during their education and their turning into killing machines or canon fodder.

Ilse wrote: "Jan-Maat wrote: "it is quite a journey from the classroom to the hospital, it strikes me that we can read this novel as a bildungsroman which contains a criticism of bildung!"
Well put Jann, that i..."

yes, and...
in countries with conscription, military service is part of bildung - quite intentionally ie that is the purpose of the exercise, or indeed we can see the novel both as a criticism of a particular Bildungs process but itself as a traditional bildungsroman - a youth is put through a series of experiences that cause them to grow and develop as a person

Daniel wrote: "Ilse, glad you were able to chortle! You make an interesting point about the original in black and white fitting the book well. Our discussion moves me to seek out the newest version, although I generally do not warm to second and third iterations of the original. However, my curiosity is aroused."
Daniel, I have not read reviews on the newest version yet but generally prefer to read about war rather than watch films because other than with film I can read a book at the pace I feel up to take in the horror. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you would decide to watch the new one. I have only recently started to watch films and series again after years of only reading books and understand your reluctance to watch several takes on an original - I nevertheless enjoyed very much watching the two different takes on Doctor Zhivago - film and series - to compare the different choices and accents in both adaptations. I am considering to do the same for 'Picnic at hanging rock' - and finally read the book too :)

Julie wrote: "Sometimes the biggest books we read are the ones that inspire the shortest reviews."
Or, as in this case, leave us so speechless that it wouldn't make sense to even try, Julie :) - though this book is endlessly quotable, this particular quote for me summarizes what war truly means in a way I haven't come across before often.

A devastating quote, Ilse, that shines a spotlight on hospitals to see what war means. Or meant, in World War 1 where most wounded were soldiers and the hospitals were military hospitals. Now that most warfare is conducted remotely, civilians are victims and it’s no longer military but any or all hospitals.

Vesna wrote: "I agree with Julie's comment. Sometimes the novels can be so impactful that they leave us speechless. That quote you shared, dear Ilse, is shattering and so true. I watched the old black & white film."
Dear Vesna, I couldn’t agree more on the impact of some books �� and this is indeed the kind of novel that simply left me crushed, words feeling trite thinking of the powerful writing of Remarque and the harrowing content, of which I am confident you will not ‘enjoy�� reading it (a word which feels so inappropriate in this context) but profoundly appreciate it when you would get to read it �� I admit I am glad the quotes rather than putting you off make you consider to read the book, I would highly recommend it. I admit that after reading this I find it hard to engage with what I am currently reading. You make me nostalgic about such cinema (in the city where I studied I remember such cinema as well, running nocturnal cycles on Fassbinder and on Pasolini, wonderful days of student life). Your cinema experience sounds quite the memorable one and is quite telling on the quality of the black and white film adaptation. You and Daniel have both warmed me to try the film, thank you so much!

Jan-Maat wrote: "yes, and...
in countries with conscription, military service is part of bildung - quite intentionally ie that is the purpose of the exercise, or indeed we can see the novel both as a criticism of a particular Bildungs process but itself as a traditional bildungsroman - a youth is put through a series of experiences that cause them to grow and develop as a person.
The critical take on Bildung is indeed double (from another country with conscription, that bildung purpose of the army already was looked at ironically, as the motto goes 'In the army you don't have to think, the army thinks for you instead') - Remarque's critical take on the traditional bildungsroman renders following the process even more wry, the development and growing insightfulness of his soldiers - also experiencing that books and writing have nothing to tell them anymore and leave them indifferent - cruelly shortlived.

A wonderful grab there Ilse - important to remind us of the humans behind all the misery and horror of war. When reading this book, and watching the recent movie - the fact these were just young birght-eyed lads really hit home. It was also refreshing to read/watch something from the German perspective - horror is horror hey, no matter who you fight for?

Have you seen the movie - I thought it was outstanding and the soundtrack was really, really good.

Too true and well said Ilse. Fabulous point to pull out 💖

....and it still continued happening, and is happening again... 😪 Completely senseless.

Lyn wrote: "A devastating quote, Ilse, that shines a spotlight on hospitals to see what war means. Or meant, in World War 1 where most wounded were soldiers and the hospitals were military hospitals. Now that most warfare is conducted remotely, civilians are victims and it’s no longer military but any or all hospitals"
Absolutely, Lyn - I am afraid your observation is spot on. And despite international humanitarian law prohibiting attacks on medical facilities come on top of that :(.

Mark wrote: "A wonderful grab there Ilse - important to remind us of the humans behind all the misery and horror of war. When reading this book, and watching the recent movie - the fact these were just young."
Thank you very much, Mark �� your observation all too true �� I am currently reading a book solely based on what the author, the historian Peter Englund, learned from the writings of soldiers and citizens alike on the events of November 1942, as experienced by the people who lived through it –showing the impact of war on the individual compellingly (in Dutch, a translation in English will be published in September, November 1942: An Intimate History of the Turning Point of World War Two). From poetry, film, songs and testimonies we are aware about the fate of these young boys, sent to the horror when they barely finished school, but Remarque’s rendition of it hit particularly hard (particularly with a son of 20 at home). For me it was one of the first accounts on the first world war I read from the German perspective. Remarque’s descriptions reminded me a lot of the graphic novels of Tardi (It Was the War of the Trenches) �� drawing the horror from the French perspective, a mirror of the experiences worded by Remarque in visual form. I agree, the horror is equal �� and Remarque doesn’t shy away to clarify he is conscious of that as well. I haven’t seen the movie despite it must have been on tv over and over again for decades �� in Dutch it is known as ‘no news from the western front�� �� It took me years to discover it was actually based on this book. With your endorsement I cannot but watch it one day!

At first I was surprised Ilse, that you used a quote rather than the invariably eloquent assessment you normally write, but then I realised it was a wise approach, both because of the eloquence of the novel itself and because it is so widely known.

I possibly have a minority opinion on the recent film as I didn't like it. I won't bore you with my reasons though. It might be fun to discuss it one day!

Margaret M - Semi hiatus wrote: "Too true and well said Ilse. Fabulous point to pull out 💖"
Margaret, the stellar review you recently posted was another welcome push to finally pick this novel up, thank you very much!

I read this book last fall- a devastating read! Brilliant quote you shared, Ilse!

Ilse wrote: "Mark wrote: "A wonderful grab there Ilse - important to remind us of the humans behind all the misery and horror of war. When reading this book, and watching the recent movie - the fact these were ..."

Thanks for that reply IIse, I have added Peter Englund's book and am looking forward to its release. The movie I am referring to is the most recent one - the one that won a few awards at the Oscars recently - it (and the soundtrack) are worth watching. It's on Netflix over here 🤗

Traveller wrote: "....and it still continued happening, and is happening again... 😪 Completely senseless."
Such a shame, but sadly all too true, Traveller - maybe it is because it all feel so senseless that we keep reading about war and studying it, trying to grasp what feels so totally incomprehensible :-( ?

Ian wrote: "At first I was surprised Ilse, that you used a quote rather than the invariably eloquent assessment you normally write, but then I realised it was a wise approach
Ian, I am so glad you thought so positively about my choice not to try to write a review on this book - not only would I have not been able to do it justice and it left me speechless, but it is one of those books that are so powerful the one thing that feels right doing is urging other readers to read it as it speaks many volumes itself. Besides, I didn't post this but added the quote when I marked the book as 'read' and rated it (that alone feels ridiculous here) and it must have popped up in the feed because of my kind friends like you commenting on it..
You have already watched the new film! You have me intrigued on not liking it much, I hope to be able to discuss it with you one day! In the meantime I'll look for the old black and white one first...

Antoinette wrote: "I read this book last fall- a devastating read! Brilliant quote you shared, Ilse!"
Antoinette, I couldn't agree more. I can understand why this book is considered 'the' novel one has to read about what war really means - and why readers decide to read everything by Remarque they can lay their hands on!

Mark wrote: "Thanks for that reply IIse, I have added Peter Englund's book and am looking forward to its release. The movie I am referring to is the most recent one - the one that won a few awards at the Oscars recently - it (and the soundtrack) are worth watching. It's on Netflix over here 🤗
Mark, I think you will get along well with the Peter Englund book �� I couldn’t put it down and would like to read his previous book as well, in which he apparently uses a similar approach (The Beauty and the Sorrow: An Intimate History of the First World War). I thought it interesting how he creates an impression of synchronicity by telling what is happening on different places at the same time in the war for just one single month - and pulling the reader into the minds of the people he follows, how they try to gather information on what is going on elsewhere. I’ll check Netflix for the film �� you have me intrigued on discovering the soundtrack!