A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry

The trench warfare of WW I jumps vividly alive in this novel about a young Irish soldier. There is an underlying conflict for the Irish who were looking for Home Rule and were in that sense rebelling against England. Nevertheless, a lot of Irishmen enlisted with the British in the war to save Europe from "the Hun." The story's hero, Willie, is only nineteen when he goes off to fight in Belgium and the experiences of his service affect his relationships with his girlfriend and his family. Sad and poignant, A Long Long Way is also poetic and beautifully written.