Behind the Lines

Behind the Lines

Behind the Lines
Edited by Andrew Carroll
Scribner

Andrew Carroll traveled the world for three years collecting letters written by soldiers. Behind the Lines is a powerful read that offers a highly personal glimpse of warfare from the American Revolution to the current battles in Iraq. The letters are riveting, fascinating, and, bound together, serve as a valuable addition to history bookshelves. Carroll categorizes the letters topically; in "Letters About Animals in Wartime," a missive from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee describes his horse in detail to his cousin, artist Martha Williams, so she can paint a portrait of the trusty steed. In an entry from the section "Line of Fire," a bedridden World War I soldier writes his mother that he has survived a barrage of "tear-gas" grenades, a new entry into warfare weaponry. "I’m all right, no danger at all," he reassures her. For readers, the letter is a reminder that though the tools of war advance over time, one thing never changes: families anxiously await word from the front lines to know if their loved ones are alive.

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