When the Great War broke out in Europe in 1914, most Americans were convinced that the fighting had nothing to do with the United States. There were precious few with the foresight to demand that America enter the war on the side of the allies. Arthur Guy Empey wrote OVER THE TOP to show his countrymen that the battle that the allies were fighting was our battle as well. His book, which reads like a novel, is more of a personal narrative in which he describes his volunteering to join the British Army and fight 'over there.' Much of his book deals with the daily dreariness of the horrors of trench warfare. Empey skillfully draws a composite picture of the average Brit soldier, whom he nicknames Tommy. His book is at once brutal, comic, and mundane--much like trench warfare had to be. By the end, the reader becomes convinced with the justness of the British cause, which true enough and soon enough, became the American cause. A very fine book.

I was loaned a copy of this book a few years ago by a co-worker who is almost as nuts about military and industrial history as I am. Though his reason for having me read was for the human aspect, not the technical.

Now, I have read many personal accounts of soldiers and sailors in wartime, from the American Revolution, the War Between the States through Vietnam, Beirut, and the Gulf War, some well written, some just interesting, and some frightening.

This book is all of those. It is well written, informative, and scary. Not having ever been exposed to hostile conditions, I cannot directly relate to what the author shares, but I am definately deeply affected by the emotion and imagery portrayed therin.

The Mr. Empey joined the Royal Army while he was still a recruiting Sergeant in the NY National Guard in 1915. Unable to convince Americans that we were destined to fight in the European War raging overseas and needed trained, disciplined and motivated troops, he did the next best thing by going "over there" himself.

After completing his training then being assigned to a replacement company in France his real adventures began.

The trenches of the western front had been in place for some time when he arrived and they were replacing the casualties of
stagnated lines. Regular artillery barages, probing raids, snipers, dysentary, trench foot, disease and madness all took there toll.

Mr. Empey tells the story from a persanal point of view sharing his insights and observations. You almost feel icky from the cold,oozing clay, and catch a chill from being wet all the time as though you were there in the mud with him.

I was impressed with his inclusion of all the activities in the field. He even describes the primitive sanitary conditions at the rear while on rotation from the front. In spite of the prescence of the International Red Cross, conditions at the front (and in the rear) were atrocious. many casuaties were from the inadequate sanitation... and not from enemy fire.

I applaud Mr. Empey for publishing this book when he did, for even after being invalided out of the British Army, he was still thinking of the naive American Boys who would follow soon in 1917. He tried to share his experiences so that others would benefit.

I do not know how well recieved this book was with Mr. Empey's contemporaries, or how well the book sold, but I think this book should be recommended reading for all military personnel...

This is a very good read for anyone with the strength to stomach it.

This book is fast reading because it's so hard to put down. It was written when America's entrance to the Great War was imminent, though uncommitted. Moreover, it was written by an American that joined up with the British forces via Canada. The author had vast combat experiences as an infantryman, machine gunner, bomb thrower, and artillery observer. It's hard to imagine that the author would have survived the War if it wasn't for a wounding that sent him to 'blighty' for good. Empey's writings are about daily life within the Western trenchs; the obvious, the unthinkable, and the overlooked. Further, Empey's writing style is fluid and crisp making the work much more than a diary or a guidebook. Definately a fine piece of literature to hold to and not "lend to a friend".