Gone to Soldiers: A Novel [Hardcover]

Marge Piercy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1987

This complex story of humanity at war depicts a young girl's search for fulfilment in wartime Detroit, the struggle of a code-breaker in Washington and the ill-fated conviction of an old established Jewish family in Paris who believe that they will remain immune from Nazi policies.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

In a stunning tour-de-force, Marge Piercy has woven a tapestry of World War II, of six women and four men, who fought and died, worked and worried, and moved through the dizzying days of the war. A compelling chronicle of humans in conflict with inhuman events, GONE TO SOLIDERS is an unforgettable reading experience and a stirring tribute to the remarkable survival of the human spirit.
"Panoramic...This is a sweeping epic in the best sense."
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 703 pages
• Publisher: Summit Books; 1ST edition (May 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671634216
• ISBN-13: 978-0671634216
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #868,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of Piercy's Finest Tales, September 4, 2002

By 

Kim "Kim" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gone to Soldiers (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a sweeping history of World War II, told from the perspective of several different characters, all but one Jewish. We see the war from many views, from the inside of a concentration camp, through a journal, letters and firsthand accounts. Each character (and there are 10 total) gives something new and interesting to the overall story and the history is built from memory and perspective rather than from a lecture or a history book.

Piercy brings you into the minds and hearts of each person as you live inside of their world, chapter by chapter. It's incredibly well written and entertaining as well as providing a lot of important history

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Amazing, April 3, 2003

By 

ZipZipZips (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gone to Soldiers (Mass Market Paperback)

Gone to Soldiers is one of the more brilliant books I have ever read. The characters very complex and multidimensional and I connected with each of them. This book really made me realize a lot about the emotional turmoil connected with World War II. I have read many Holocaust books, but this touched me even deeper than those did. This book is so different than any book I have read for many many reasons. Many authors have tried intertwining stories, but none have accomplished it as well as Marge Piercy has in this book. Each character is distinct and amazing, yet they all fit perfectly in the grand scheme of this book. I have also never read a book in which characters feel what they feel in this book. Murray and Bernice were so unique and felt such unique things, I was blown away. By the way, this book isn't just for adults...I am 15 and I love it. It is rather hair raising, so I wouldn't recommend it for most children, but all adults should read this book. Especially you and your family and friends.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of her best, January 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Gone to Soldiers (Mass Market Paperback)

In my opinion, this is one of Piercy's best novels to date. In a similar vein to City of Darkness City of Light, Piercy explores a period of history viewed from several different angles, each illuminating a different aspect of the history. This allows her themes to come through the novel gently, without appearing heavy-handed or overly biased.

The novel is set during World War II, with the plot set in different parts of the US France and Britain (the intention was that it would also have a section based in Russia).

Being a Marge Piercy novel, you know it's going to be packed with believable, well-developed characters, with many of the key characters women. She follows these characters through the novel, as they become more aware of themselves, the situations around them and their role in history.

Definately one of my favorite books.