This book not only captures the atrocities of the frist world war, but it also manages to catch those flickering sparks of humanity, and even happiness that was found at times amongst the troops. Probably one of Berton's best books, and most definately one of the most facinating book I've read on WWI.

A good overview of the battle, and its Canadian participants. Its particular strength is the personal accounts and the feel it gives for the sheer horror of the war. Fairly uncomplicated in its structure and thus readable. The story deals with the prelude and the battle itself. It is very much into extolling the virtues of the Canadian fighting machine in comparison with the Brits - UK class division and the Canadian lack of it. Berton suggests that the Brits were unimaginative and hide bound while the Canadians were creative and less susceptible to treating the wholesale slaughter of its own troops with indifference or more correctly as the price of war. Berton believes that Byng (a Brit) was more comfortable with the Canadians than with his own Army. Currie (1st Div Comd) and McNaughton (Corps Counter Battery) are given a great deal of coverage in part I believe because of their role in WW2. Berton emphasizes Canadian studies of past failures and successes and attempts to incorporate ideas from where ever they could get them. Much emphasis was put on location of enemy artillery and new techniques (sound locating etc.). Also much attention was given to rehearsals and split second timings. Each divisions ( 4 divisions) attack is given its own chapter. There is some discussion at the end as to what the battle contributed to in terms of Canadian identity etc. It seems that it was indeed a major emotional contributor and as such provided both style and substance to Canadian nationhood. The book does have some technical errors and is not a particularly good military history - but that was never its purpose. It would be one of several books that should be read if one was to do a study of Vimy.

As a long time fan of Pierre's work, I can recommend without reverence this great literary piece to anyone with a love for Canada and the young men that endured incredible hardships in the trenches during WW1. Pierre Berton has done a fantastic job on this highly patriotic story of sacrifice and courage which was a great building block in our young nations history.