Milton Wolff (1915–2008)

This is one of the best novels about war I've ever read. It's an "autobiographical novel" written by the man who was the last commander of the Lincoln Brigade, the battalion of American volunteers who went to Spain to fight against Franco in support of the Republic in the Spanish Civil War. It's very well and and very humanely written. It gives a great picture of combat, from the point of view of someone who's more or less a natural-born warrior, as well as from the point of view another character who realizes once he gets there that he doesn't have the stomach for the dangers of combat. The political realities of the Spanish Civil War are gradually laid out, as well, as are the horrifying frustrations of fighting a righteous battle against fascism while being denied aide by the democracies who should have known better.… (more)