Review
"..reader will feel like a first hand witness while turning the pages.... The doughboys have been referred to as America's Lost Generation, though they are not forgotten. This book provides an intimate look at what the grueling warfare along the Western Front must have been like for them..."
Toy Solder & Model Figure
"... a very well written and readable account of an important but often overlooked aspect of World War. It's an exemplary example of its genre and very highly recommended."
Military Modelcraft International
"All in all, this book is a bit of a gem. It is a well paced easy read and you will find yourself rooting for our hero. I am glad he led a fulfilling and prolific life. Len Fairfield was a top bloke and even from this distance he deserves our thanks."
War in History
"…through contacts with the sources listed, Bilder has been able to incorporate many accurate historical details, reflective of Army enlisted life before deployment, during deployment and during postwar occupation duty…
The Journal of America’s Military Past
"...a lively account of the 58th Field Artillery Brigade’s role in World War I…this role is often overlooked in war literature, so Bilder has found a new element to an incredibly crowded market... a fresh, well-researched perspective on a heavily covered subject. There is plenty to interest the military enthusiast, while the emotional angle of Bilder’s grandfather acting as the narrative’s central character works very well,..."
All About History
"The additional perspective of the war is a valuable contribution as are the photographs used to illustrate the book."
First World War Studies
Using the perspective of what students of literature call an "omniscient observer", Bilder recreates thoughts, conversations, and actions based upon information gleaned from the above-mentioned sources, particularly Casey's diary.... Bilder covers training methods, artillery tactics, and tools and equipment used by artillerymen plying their deadly trade. We learn about their duties, to include working with recalcitrant horses and moving mountains of ammunition crates from depots to the gun pits. Len, a dutiful if reluctant soldier, was smart and cynical, with an acerbic sense of humor... you will appreciate this book as an addition to the overall history of the experiences of the American soldier in the Great War.
Roads to the Great War
"…moves quickly; it entertains and provides a decent overview of the life of an American Doughboy"
San Francisco Book Review
"The author's vivid prose style makes it seem almost as if his grandfather is telling the story himself. . . . For general readers and undergraduates interested in the personal experience of an artilleryman during the First World War and, besides military matters, in the details of working-class lives of the time.”—Michigan War Studies Review
Michigan War Studies Review
About the Author
James Bilder has a BA degree in Journalism from Lewis University and a Masters in Science from Loyola University. He served as the mayor of Worth, Illinois from 1993 to 2001 and currently works in private industry, living in Chicago. His interest in military history stems not only from his grandfather Len Fairfield, but also from his father, Michael Bilder, an infantryman who was awarded the Legion of Honour, France's highest decoration, for his World War II service.
