All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I. The book describes the extreme physical and mental stress experienced by German soldiers during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front.

The novel is primarily concerned with the effect of war on young men and depicts war as it was actually experienced, replacing the romantic picture of glory and heroism with a decidedly unromantic vision of fear, meaninglessness, and butchery.

The main themes of the book are comradeship in the face of death, the terrible brutality of war, and the scathing critique of the idea of nationalism.

The book portrays war as a tool used by those in power to control a nation’s populace and shows how nationalism is a hollow, hypocritical ideology. The novel also uses nature in several ways, revitalizing the soldiers after terrible hardships, reflecting their sadness, and providing a contrast to the horrors of war.

Useful takeaways from the book include a better understanding of the devastating effects of war on young soldiers, a critical view of nationalism and political power, and an appreciation for the importance of comradeship in the face of death.

What I Liked

One of my absolute favorite books. This book hit me hard when I read it the first time as a 16 year old…and I’ve re-read it 4 more times since.

I’m a big fan of anything that Remarque published. I think he had a keen insight for how massive global events affected regular people…and how to preserve our own humanity in the face of historical events.

What I Did Not Like

Nothing – it’s the best novel ever IMO.