Unhappy Far-Off Things


Read by LibriVox Volunteers

(2.9 stars; 7 reviews)

Better known today for his influential fantasy writings, Lord Dunsany also wrote a number of sketches during World War One. This compilation of essays written from time spent in France in 1916. Much more thoughtful and melancholy than the pieces written for the War Office earlier in the war. - Summary by Alan Winterrowd (1 hr 26 min)

Chapters

Preface and A Dirge of Victory (Sonnet) 2:14 Read by Travis Wakeman
The Cathedral Of Arras 8:55 Read by Travis Wakeman
A Good War 8:09 Read by Travis Wakeman
The House With Two Storeys 8:35 Read by Travis Wakeman
Bermondsey versus Wurtemburg 6:28 Read by Travis Wakeman
On An Old Battle-Field 8:41 Read by Travis Wakeman
The Real Thing 6:23 Read by Travis Wakeman
A Garden Of Arras 8:53 Read by Brian Murphy
After Hell 3:00 Read by Brian Murphy
A Happy Valley 3:33 Read by BettyB
In Bethune 8:47 Read by BettyB
In An Old Drawing-Room 6:05 Read by BettyB
The Homes Of Arras 6:43 Read by BettyB

Reviews

Pronounciation


(1 stars)

Part 4, chapter 3 "The House With Two Stories," the word VOILÀ, meaning 'here it is' or 'look at this," should not be pronounced like the musical instrument VIOLA which is spelled in a very similar way. It's a very distracting error in a chapter about the destruction of a village. I think anyone listening to this story would agree.

Whiney anti-war diatribe


(4.5 stars)

The Author, a white male, whines and complains about the tremendous loss caused by the Great War. The Author failed to realize his world was unlawfully stolen from Native Americans and other nonbinary BIPOCs. Its destruction was justified to establish social justice. If you are a NAZI, this is a very very moving account on the futility of war. Since, I am a good anti-raycyst, i realize war is always good, and can always be justified by pointing out how the other side is homophobic. As the Mahatma Ghandi, a BIPOC warrior for justice, said "The cause of social justice is a great excuse to wage a war. Social justice will be justified by cities and nations layed waste to fight inequality." War, by killing fighting age males, allows womxn to leftfully assume the role of the matriarchal head of the household. War advances the feminist ideal and allows womxn to find meaningful work in munitions factories. Womxn are no longer forced to slave away in the home. War is good.