Zero Hour (novel)
| Author | Georg Grabenhorst |
|---|---|
| Original title | Fahnenjunker Volkenborn |
| Language | German |
Publication date | 1928 |
| Publication place | Germany |
Published in English | 1939 |
Zero Hour (originally published as Fahnenjunker Volkenborn) is an autobiographical war novel by German author Georg Grabenhorst.[1] The book was initially published in Leipzig Germany in 1928 and was translated into English the following year.[2] Zero Hour was later re-published by the University of South Carolina Press in 2006, with an introduction by Robert Cowley.[3]
The book has been compared to All Quiet on the Western Front.[4]
Synopsis
The book follows Hans Volkenborn's experiences in the German army during World War I. He initially goes into the war with some enthusiasm, taking pleasure in the camaraderie with his fellow soldiers. This eventually turns sour as he goes through the toil and bloodshed of war.
Reception
Initial reception in 1928 was mixed to positive,[5][6][7] with the book garnering positive reviews from the Daily Sketch and the Daily News.[8] The Miami News stated that it "does for a German officer what "All Quiet" did for the common soldier",[9] while a reviewer for The Window commented that "one feels that the author's memory of details is defective".[10]
References
- ^ "Classic Returns". Library Journal. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ Grabenhorst, Georg (2006). Zero Hour. University of South Carolina Press. pp. xi–xvi. ISBN 1570036624.
- ^ "BOOKS OF THE BATTLEGROUND". The State. November 19, 2006. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ Remarque, Erich Maria (2009). All quiet on the western front. Bloom's Literary Criticism. p. 115. ISBN 160413402X.
- ^ Knowles, James (1930). The Twentieth Century: (1930), Volume 108. Nineteenth Century and After, Limited. p. 125.
- ^ Saturday Review, Volume 6. Saturday Review Associates. 1929. p. 682.
- ^ "More German War Stories". Lawrence Journal-World. Nov 23, 1929. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ The Fortnightly Review, Volume 132. Fortnightly Review. 1929. p. 867.
- ^ "War Refought in Avalanche of New Books". The Miami News. Oct 13, 1929. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
- ^ Eric Partridge, Bertram Ratcliffe (1930). The Window, Volume 1. p. 85.