Back to the Front: An Accidental Historian Walks the Trenches of World War 1
Language: English
Published by Bloomsbury USA, 2001
- Softcover
- Used
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.Wonder Book
AbeBooks seller since November 1, 1997
Condition: Used - Good
£ 5.33
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Seller Inventory # H09K-00105
- Title
- Back to the Front: An Accidental Historian Walks the Trenches of World War 1
- Author
- O'Shea, Stephen
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury USA
- Publication year
- 2001
- Condition
- Good
- Binding
- Soft cover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0802776183
- ISBN 13
- 9780802776181
World War I is beyond the memory of almost everyone alive today. Yet it has left as deep a scar on the imaginative landscape of our century as it has on the land where it was fought. Nowhere is that more evident than on the Western Front-the sinuous, deadly line of trenches that stretched from the coast of Belgium to the border of France and Switzerland, a narrow swath of land in which so many million lives were lost.
For journalist Stephen O'Shea, the legacy of the Great War is personal (both his grandfathers fought on the front lines) and cultural. Stunned by viewing the "immense wound" still visible on the battlefield of the Somme, and feeling that "history is too important to be left to the professionals," he set out to walk the entire 450 miles through no-man's-land to discover for himself and for his generation the meaning of the war.
Back to the Front is a remarkable combination of vivid history and opinionated travel writing. As his walk progresses, O'Shea recreates the shocking battles of the Western Front, many now legendary-Passchendaele, the Somme, the Argonne, Verdun-and offers an impassioned perspective on the war, the state of the land, and the cultivation of memory. His consummate skill with words and details brings alive the players, famous and faceless, on that horrific stage, and makes us aware of why the Great War, indeed history itself, still matters. An evocative fusion of past and present, Back to the Front will resonate, for all who read it, as few other books on war ever have.
"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Toronto-born author and journalist Stephen O'Shea moved to France in the early 1980s. There, he took up journalism, shortly after completing postgraduate degrees in politics at the Université de Paris 1 (Pantheon-Sorbonne) and the prestigious Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.
In 1989, Elle magazine relocated O'Shea to New York to be a senior features editor of their American edition. In 1993, he returned to Paris, where he worked as Variety's film critic, and published articles on French culture and politics for American, British, French, and Canadian magazines, including The Observer, The Times of London, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Allure, and Mother Jones.
To research The Perfect Heresy, O'Shea moved to Perpignan in southern France in 1997, where he spent two years immersing himself in Cathar lore. In addition to The Perfect Heresy, O'Shea is also the author of the widely acclaimed Back to the Front (Walker & Company, 1997), a hiker's meditation on the trenches of World War I.
Stephen O'Shea currently lives with his wife, Jill Pearlman, and two daughters in Providence, Rhode Island.
Toronto-born author and journalist Stephen O'Shea moved to France in the early 1980s. There, he took up journalism, shortly after completing postgraduate degrees in politics at the Université de Paris 1 (Pantheon-Sorbonne) and the prestigious Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris.
In 1989, Elle magazine relocated O'Shea to New York to be a senior features editor of their American edition. In 1993, he returned to Paris, where he worked as Variety's film critic, and published articles on French culture and politics for American, British, French, and Canadian magazines, including The Observer, The Times of London, Harper's Bazaar, Interview, Allure, and Mother Jones.
To research The Perfect Heresy, O'Shea moved to Perpignan in southern France in 1997, where he spent two years immersing himself in Cathar lore. In addition to The Perfect Heresy, O'Shea is also the author of the widely acclaimed Back to the Front (Walker & Company, 1997), a hiker's meditation on the trenches of World War I.
Stephen O'Shea currently lives with his wife, Jill Pearlman, and two daughters in Providence, Rhode Island.
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Wonder Book
Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 5 to 9 business days | 3 to 6 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | £ 0.00 | £ 8.12 |
Payment methods
Store description
Association member
Seller's business information
Wonder Book
Wonder Book and Video, 1550 Tilco Drive
Frederick, MD U.S.A. 21704
Terms of sale
We want you to be satisfied with the book you order. Our general description is
conservative and the book should be as good or better than our general
description
may indicate.
As we often get many requests for the same book, in some cases the book may
already be sold. We will email you regarding the availability.
RETURNS are cheerfully accepted up to 30 days. We ship out within 1-2 business
days and U.S. Standard Shipments usually arrive within 6-9 business days,
Priority 3-6. We want you to be satisfied with the book you order. Our general
description is conservative and the book should be as good or better than our
general description may indicate. We respond to every order inquiry within 2
business days, however our emails may occassionally get moved to spam/junk
folders or refused from your internet/email provider. IF YOU HAVE EMAILED US AND
HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE - PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM SETTINGS AND/OR ADD OUR
EMAIL TO YOUR ADDRESS BOOK.
Right of withdrawal
If you are a consumer you can withdraw from the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.
Information regarding the right of withdrawal
Statutory right to withdraw
You have the right to withdraw from this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.
The withdrawal period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the last good or the last lot or piece.
To exercise the right of withdrawal, electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". We will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a withdrawal on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.
To meet the withdrawal deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right of withdrawal before the withdrawal period has expired.
Effects of withdrawal
If you withdraw from this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).
We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.
We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to withdraw from this contract.
We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.
We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back, or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.
You shall send back the goods or hand them over to Wonder Book, Frederick, Maryland, U.S.A., without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your withdrawal from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.
Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
The right of withdrawal does not apply to:
- The delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
- The supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not withdraw once delivery had started.
Shipping terms
STANDARD DOMESTIC U.S. SHIPPING IS FREE. Priority Shipping is only $6.99 for first item, $1 each additional. Orders ship within 2 business days. Shipping outside of U.S. is typically between $8-13 and takes between 8-15 business days. Heavier books may require additional shipping. Faster Needs Please Inquire.