This Is the Schoolroom

by Nicholas Monsarrat

The turbulent Thirties, and all across Europe cry the discordant voices of hunger and death, most notably in Spain, where a civil war threatens to destroy the country. Aspiring writer, Marcus... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1842321587
• ISBN13: 9781842321584
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: House of Stratus
• Length: 448 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.6" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Nicholas Monsarrat's First Quality Novel

This predates his very good WWII writing "Three Corvettes." I could write that this is a British version of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" with a happier ending. Published in September/October 1939(overshadowed by the start of War) it came out almost a year before Ernest Hemingway's Spanish Civil War novel was published in July 1940. Partly autobiographical, Monsarrat graduated with a degree in law from Trinity College Cambridge and worked in a Nottingham solicitor's office for two years before moving to London to become a freelance writer. Some of his 1930's terminology and slang may be unfamiliar, particularly with non-UK readers but wikipedia and google are useful resources which may be helpful. His description of the Cotswolds is beautiful, and there are some rather clever phrases like: "And though of course one must guard against too high a degree of specialization-you remember the definition of a specialist? 'A man who learns more and more about less and less, until finally he knows everything about nothing.'" I admire his low-key but perceptive realism, avoiding melodrama. Courage & Reason, not Fear & Rage.