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Classic Literature

Back to Life: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition

Back to Life: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Published by Pop Culture Files••2 min read•Automatically generated · review not guaranteed
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject

Back to Life is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Gibbs, Philip (1877–1962).

Catalogue synopsis

Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:

"Back to Life" by Philip Gibbs is a historical novel written in the early 20th century. The narrative unfolds in the aftermath of World War I, capturing the experiences of soldiers and civilians during the liberation of Lille, France. The story focuses on characters like Wickham Brand, a war correspondent, and his interactions with the local population that has endured years of German occupation, portraying their mixed emotions of joy, relief, and deep-seated resentment towards their oppressors. The opening of the book establishes a vivid scene as the protagonist recalls the day of Lille's liberation after four years of war. Brand and his fellow officers experience a tumultuous arrival into the city, where civilians greet them with tears of joy and gratitude, but also with tales filled with bitterness and suffering under German rule. The emotional weight of the narrative is heightened by Brand's reflections on the character of his friend Wickham Brand, who, despite the joy of liberation, is burdened by the trauma of war and the collective memories of those who suffered. The mix of exultation and haunting recollections of hardship provides a poignant backdrop for the unfolding story of healing and the quest for understanding in the aftermath of conflict.

Book and edition facts

  • Title: Back to Life
  • Author credits: Gibbs, Philip (1877–1962)
  • Catalogue language: English

Catalogue subjects

  • World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction

Gutenberg collections

  • Category: British Literature
  • Category: Historical Novels
  • Category: Novels

Read this edition

View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.

Source notes

Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.

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