Under Fire: The Story of a Squad

An English translation of the French World War I novel "Le Feu", written by a French soldier and dedicated to "the memory of the comrades who fell by my side at Crony and on Hill 119." Barbusse was invalided out of the army after 17 months in 1915, and given a clerical job, during which time he penned this work. He was greatly influenced by the Russian Revolution and joined the communist party. - Summary by Lynne Thompson (12 hr 19 min)

Chapters

The Vision	8:08	Read by Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
In the Earth part 1	40:42	Read by Jim Locke
In the Earth part 2	48:16	Read by Jim Locke
The Return	9:34	Read by Lynne T
Volpatte and Fouillade	17:24	Read by Lynne T
Sanctuary	50:31	Read by Celine Major
Habits	11:41	Read by Lynne T
Entraining	17:26	Read by Jim Locke
On Leave	16:26	Read by Jim Locke
The Anger of Volpatte	41:08	Read by Jim Locke
Argoval	5:05	Read by Joseph McWombie
The Dog	30:57	Read by Lynne T
The Doorway part 1	32:09	Read by Mike Pelton
The Doorway part 2	20:42	Read by Mike Pelton
The Big Words	3:22	Read by Jim Locke
Of Burdens	37:41	Read by Jim Locke
The Egg	6:10	Read by Roger Melin
An Idyll	9:48	Read by Lynne T
The Sap	6:54	Read by Joseph McWombie
A Box of Matches	11:55	Read by Romano
Bombardment	35:10	Read by Romano
Under Fire part 1	46:48	Read by Anna Simon
Under Fire part 2	25:49	Read by Anna Simon
Under Fire part 3	45:13	Read by Anna Simon
The Refuge	43:37	Read by Romano
Going About	18:56	Read by Jim Locke
The Fatigue-Party	38:14	Read by Jim Locke
The Dawn	59:45	Read by Jim Locke

Reviews

Unbearable

(1 stars)

Satyaban

This reader's poor pronunciations makes this story unbearable. How could this butchery go unnoticed?

WAR REALLY IS CRUEL.

(5 stars)

tripet

THIS IS A STORY THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD EITHER READ OR LISTEN TO. EVERYBODY SHOULD KNOW WHAT THE SOLDIERS WENT THROUGH. THS STORY HAS MADE ME CRY, MADE ME ANGRY. I KNOW MOST WANT TO SHUT OUT THESE THINGS BUT NOT ME. I AM 81 AND AUSTRALIAN AND THOUGH BECAUSE WE HAD A BIG FAMILY WE FELT CERTAIN HARDSHIPS WITH FOOD COUPONS AND THE LIKE BUT WE HAD NO IDEA AS CHILDREN HOW BAD THINGS, THAKS TO THE WRITER AND TO ALL OF THE READERS, THOUGH SOME WERE A BIT MONOTONE AND SOME RECORD THESE BOOKS TOO QUIETLY. I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS AND KINDNESS IN VOLUNTEERING. CHEERS TRIXIE.

Pronunciation

(1 stars)

seventyeight

Chapter 2/track 2 the word Boche, French slang for soldiers of the German Army--the word is pronounced as if it's spelled BOSH. The reader pronounces it twice as if it is spelled BOKAY. That's a pretty significant word to mispronounce in a book about WWI.

(3 stars)

Robert Kaufman

A quality depiction of World War I after only the first part of the war and a dozen years before All Quiet on the Western Front and A Farewell to Arms. With a final statement critiquing war, soldiers, and society. Numerous readers of mixed quality.

substandard readers