The Longest Spring
Lieutenant Alexander Ryan has firm ideas about what constitutes leadership when he reaches the front in March 1916. He’s in the same battalion as Captain James Eden, a famous and gallant hero. Alex’s thoughts on what to expect are more akin to going camping, but he’s never fired at a human being before, and reality differs greatly from what he imagines.
The only color in France is brown. Men, rats, and mud coexist in the trenches. When fighting occurs, chaos reigns. During a night raid, Alex makes a fatal mistake – one that Eden uses against Alex when it suits. There are other indicators that his hero worship is misplaced, but he pushes these aside until one of his men witnesses an act that confirms Alex’s suspicions. His efforts to protect this soldier result in dire consequences for the young man. Eventually, Alex must confront truths about himself and others, and decide whether he will cross the line that separates him from Eden as both a leader and a man.
Sherrard’s inspiration comes from the diaries of soldiers who participated in the disastrous Battle of the Boar’s Head Salient, an attempt to misdirect the enemy’s attention. The grittiness of life in the trenches, as well as interludes in French towns, are contrasted with conflicts fought both in action and personally, as Alex comes to grips with the realities of war. The book opens in June when Alex must decide which path he will follow, before stepping back to March when he first arrives at the front. The characters, which span the gamut from doing one’s duty to fervid passion to no-holds-barred commitment, are strongly developed and utterly unique. The story lends itself to discussion, while characters’ choices evoke provocative feelings within the reader.
