"The Middle Parts of Fortune" is a wartime story by Frederic Manning. In the 1920s the demand for writing on the First World War started to grow, the catalyst being the play 'Journey's End' written by R. C. Sherriff. A friend urged Manning to use his undoubted talent to write a novel about his own intense wartime experiences. To capture the moment, Manning worked rapidly, with little opportunity for second drafts and revisions. The result was "The Middle Parts of Fortune", published anonym...

“The finest and noblest book of men at war” Ernest HemingwayThe classic novel of the Great War, set during the battle of the Somme.Her Privates We follows the story of Private Bourne, an ordinary soldier dealing with extraordinary circumstances.As well as conveying the camaraderie and heroism of the trenches, the novel explores the terror and monotony of being a soldier. A cloud of fatalism hangs over the narrative, which is brightened up through friendships, a shar...

'They can say what they bloody well like, but we're a fuckin' fine mob.'Deep in the mud, stench of the Somme, Bourne is trying his best to stay alive. There he finds the intense fraternity of war and fear unlike anything he has ever known.Frederic Manning's novel was first published anonymously in 1929. The honesty with which he wrote about the horror, the boredom, and the futility of war inspired Ernest Hemingway to read the novel every year, 'to remember how things really...

First published privately in 1929 as The Middle Parts of Fortune, Her Privates We is the novel of the Battle of the Somme told from the perspective of Bourne, an ordinary private. A raw and shockingly honest portrait of men engaged in war, 'that peculiarly human activity', the original edition was subject to 'prunings and excisions' because the bluntness of language was thought to make the book unfit for public distribution. This edition restores them. An undisputed classic of war writing ...

In "Poems," Frederic Manning presents a compelling collection that showcases his mastery of lyrical language and profound emotional depth. The poems, imbued with a reflective sensibility and a nuanced understanding of the human condition, traverse a range of themes from love and loss to nature and the passage of time. Manning'Äôs writing style is characterized by a blend of vivid imagery and incisive introspection, making each piece resonate with authenticity and contemplation. This collec...

Noon smote down on the field, Burning on spears and helms, Shining from Theseus' shield. As a wave of the sea that whelms A rock, and its crest uprears, Through the wreck of the trampled wheat The charge of the charioteers Thundering broke. A sleet Veiled light, and the air was alive, As with hissing of snakes, as with swarms Of the Spring by a populous hive, As with wind, and the clamour of storms: So hurtled the arrowy hail Loosed from the Amazon ranks, Smote ringing on brazen mail, Stru...

Frederic Manning's "Eidola" is a richly woven tapestry of existential exploration and philosophical inquiry, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Europe. The narrative, characterized by its stream-of-consciousness style and vivid imagery, delves into the complexities of identity and the human condition, as the characters navigate their fragmented realities. Manning's potent symbolism and lyrical prose invite readers to reflect on the illusions that shape our perceptions, making i...

"Scenes and Portraits" features a series of stories and character studies that reflect Manning’s keen observations of human nature and society. The collection captures a variety of scenes from everyday life, presenting vivid portrayals of different characters and settings.The stories range from intimate character studies to broader social observations. Manning’s writing is noted for its psychological depth, attention to detail, and evocative descriptions. He delves into the inner lives of ...

When Merodach, the King of Uruk, sate down to his meals, he made his enemies his foot-stool; for beneath his table he kept an hundred kings, with their thumbs and great toes cut off, as living witnesses of his power and clemency. When the crumbs fell from the table of Merodach, the Kings would feed themselves with two fingers; and when Merodach observed how painful and difficult the operation was, he praised God for having given thumbs to man. "It is by the absence of thumbs," he said, "th...

A brilliant book that makes it impossible to forget the barbarity of war........................... A brilliant book that makes it impossible to forget the barbarity of war...........................

The Complete Works of Frederic ManningThis Complete Collection includes the following titles:--------1 - Eidola2 - Poems3 - The Vigil of Brunhild4 - Scenes and Portraits

The Middle Parts of Fortune is a novel by Frederic Manning that depicts the experiences of ordinary British soldiers, particularly Private Bourne, fighting in the trenches of World War I.Primarily focused on the brutal realities of the Battle of the Somme, including the trauma, camaraderie, boredom, and moments of bloodlust they faced, the book has been praised, since its publication in 1929, for its authenticity and raw depiction of war's psychological impact.