If You’re Reading This...: Last Letters from the Front Line

by Siân Price

In this brilliant and profoundly moving collection of farewell letters written by servicemen and women to their loved ones, Sian Price offers a remarkable insight into the hearts and minds of some of the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the past three hundred years. Each letter provides an enduring snapshot of an impossible moment in time when an individual stares death squarely in the face. Some were written or dictated as the person lay mortally wounded; many were written on the eve of a great charge or battle; others were written by soldiers who experienced premonitions of their death, or by kamikaze pilots and condemned prisoners. They write of the grim realities of battle, of daily hardships, of unquestioning patriotism or bitter regrets, of religious fervor or political disillusionment, of unrelenting optimism or sinking morale and above all, they write of their love for their family and the desire to return to them one day. Be it an epitaph dictated on a Napoleonic battlefield, a staunch, unsentimental letter written by a Victorian officer, or an email from a soldier in modern day Afghanistan, these voices speak eloquently and forcefully of the tragedy of war and answer that fundamental human need to say goodbye.

Genres: War, Nonfiction, History, Unfinished

292 pages, Hardcover

First published February 19, 2012

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 2 star review reflects the book's analysis and not the content of the letters. Fans of letters of note will be disappointed as there are more excerpts than complete letters, with the analysis for each war offering little insight. Saying that it is interesting to see how the style of the final letter changes over time and with each conflict. It would have been more interesting if there were more letters available from 'the other side' demonstrating the finality all soldiers had to come to terms with.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

If You’re Reading This

Every year we remember our war dead in the main from the two world wars and the recent conflicts, but as a nation we have over the years, had many who have paid the ultimate price for their country. With literacy improving and media we learn more what is happening in the conflicts that occur, but the one part we do not see are those private letters home. All modern soldiers now right a final letter in the event of being killed in action for their loved ones to open; in earlier wars they may have written those letters while fighting. These are often sad and poignant letters the final words from the lost.

Sian Price has brought together in If You’re Reading This .... the Last Letters from the front line, starting with Britain’s war against France, to the conflicts out in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is great value in this book in that it revives the memories of past generations of men, who went to war under our flag, and sent their final letters home. During the reading of this book we notice the change of attitude in those serving but one enduring theme is the disgust and disillusionment of the men towards the politician. The people who send them to war but not possessing the balls to do their own dirty work, the one thing a soldier of the Napoleonic Wars have in common with the modern soldier is the black humour but that is required when facing death on a daily basis.

Sian Price in her introduction writes “All farewell letters have been written at very specific times in people’s lives and are intrinsically linked to their situation at the time” and “The reaction of families to these priceless letters have remained unchanged throughout history.” This is something that you feel as you read through the book especially when you think of the situation many of the men were in. This book does not glorify war but it does shine a light on how our fighting men feel about being in a situation generally not of their making.

In each of the chapters there is an introduction to the conflict that the soldiers are fighting in, then there is a reproduction of a letter from a soldier, their name and whether they lived or died or for some, executed. Letters from all ranks in all conflicts to names we may remember to those we never knew it will stir various feelings mostly those of sorrow and when you view the names you think about how old they were and it really brings it home.

If You’re Reading This.... Is a poignant book that brings the harsh life of being in the front line and as a read it makes you think of how easily we forget to thank those men for their service. This is one of the most touching, at times heartbreaking books that I have read in a long time and I am very grateful that I have.

[Stryder Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad book by any means but not necessarily a book you would read start to finish. This book provides great insight into what soldiers dealt with when facing the potential carnage of wartime death. I would certainly recommend this book as a resource to humanize soldiers on both sides of a war effort.

[Martyn Legg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disturbing book, peoples last thoughts and loves, it felt voyeuristic, looking in on these last hopes, dreams and losses. Sensitively written, yet another reminder of the futility of war.

[Patrick Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad book about farewell letters written by soldiers at war. Not all letter were from soldiers that died. I was sorry there were no letters from the vietnam era. I think those would be the most interesting. I do recommend this book.

[michael baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a very emotional read. It puts faces and backgrounds to men who have fallen in battle or survived with mental scares. Too often we hear statistics of lives lost in the armed forces during conflicts that politicians have decided a true cause of action. This book is so well written that it brings forward the anguish for families left behind and the courage and fears of those writing their final farewell. As an x serviceman I found it captivating and beautifully written.

[Babs M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book 4.5 stars. I enjoyed it very much but seeing as the author is not American she did not devote any letters to the Vietnam War. That is the war I am most interested in because the guys my age were the ones that fought it and many of my friends had to serve there.

[Gary Daly · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Anyone who writes one of these letters is basically saying I'm very sorry I'm not there. I wish I still was." (Colonel Bob Stewart) This collection of letters by servicemen and women ranges from the Napoleonic Wars through to Afghanistan. Not all letters are 'final' letters as some are written by people who survived their experience in hell. Yet, the majority are written by those who were killed in battle shortly after writing their 'last letter'. The book does not simply provide the letter in isolation. Many of the letters have a comprehensive historical background of the individual concerned as well as feelings and thoughts from family. This is not an exhaustive collection and I asked myself when reading the collection, 'What is an exhaustive collection?' The stories cut across time, culture and history and the universal outcome is of determination, waste, fear and horror regardless of the historical period. A valuable and interesting historical resource.

[Marcin Adamczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Książka, która pozwala odczytać myśli zapisane w listach tych, którzy spotykali się z wizją śmierci. Przedstawiono szerokie spektrum: od wojen napoleońskich po współczesne bitwy w Afganistanie i Iraku, co pozwala dostrzec uniwersalny, ponadczasowy przekaz.
Niezależnie od czasu powstania listu czy specyfiki pełnionej slużby (rodzaju wojsk, wysługi, stopnia wojskowego) czytelnik ma okazję przeczytać to co żołnierze chcieli przekazać najbliższym. Intymne, wzruszające słowa.

To lekcja o najważniejszych w życiu wartościach, o kruchości życia i potrzebie dbania o relacje każdego dnia.

Polecam czytać w odstępach, by historie poszczególnych żołnierzy nie przeplatały się i każdej historii poświęcić odpowiednią uwagę.