Abstract
A review by Joanna Kohlhepp of the book, The Veterans' Tale: British Military Memoirs of the Second World War
Highlights
In The Veterans’ Tale: British Military Memoirs of the Second World War, Frances Houghton addresses a scholarly vacuum at the intersection of military life-writing, memory studies, auto/biographical studies, and history
Houghton suggests that veterans wrote memoirs to engage with their children, to inform generations that have never experienced battle, and to mentor generations heading into battle
Having provided an overview on the ways that veterans captured their recollections of military service, Houghton uses chapters seven and eight to probe how veterans used these texts to reflect upon their past selves and to, again, claim agency over their stories
Summary
In The Veterans’ Tale: British Military Memoirs of the Second World War, Frances Houghton addresses a scholarly vacuum at the intersection of military life-writing, memory studies, auto/biographical studies, and history. Chapters one and two examine veterans’ motives and their experiences composing and publishing memoirs. Houghton asserts that veterans were motivated to write memoirs to communicate with three audiences: the self, civilian readers, and combatant comrades.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
