Wooden Crosses

Wooden Crosses is a novel written by Roland Dorgeles, originally published in 1919. It is a war novel set during World War I and follows the experiences of a French soldier named Gilbert Demachy. The novel is known for its vivid and realistic depiction of the brutality and horrors of trench warfare. The story begins with Gilbert's enlistment in the French army and his journey to the front lines. The novel then follows his experiences in the trenches, including the constant shelling, gas attacks, and hand-to-hand combat. Despite the hardships, Gilbert forms close bonds with his fellow soldiers and finds moments of camaraderie and humor amidst the chaos. Throughout the novel, Dorgeles portrays the toll that war takes on both the soldiers and civilians, highlighting themes of sacrifice, loss, and the futility of war. The novel is also notable for its use of poetic language and imagery, which contrasts with the stark realism of the war scenes. Overall, Wooden Crosses is a powerful and moving portrayal of the human experience of war, and remains a classic of French literature.Ricordeau, who had been sitting at the entrance to the dug-out, rushed out, and without paying any heed to the bullets whining about him he leaped on a pile of sandbags and looked out over the parapet: it was the attack. Little flaky bombs were bursting in the fields, and already shells were arriving, exploding in thick clouds. Going to earth under the salvoes, then starting off again, our men were charging. Dispersed, scattered, like crumbs, they were so tiny that they appeared lost in that immense plain.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.