The author always wanted to be an American soldier, and he describes almost affectionately the techniques used by modern trainers to develop esprit-de-corps and team spirit. Those techniques are rough, noisy, vulgar, and effective. They are not brutal. Sleep deprivation and verbal abuse are not brutality.

The author is proud of having become an American soldier. He uses words like integrity, valour, and honour.

Regrettably, the politicians use similar words. It will be interesting to read this author's future memoirs. There is a quality of hopefulness in this first book that makes the author seem to be on his way to his own first, world, war.

Here are words from another First World War: "Now all my lies are proved untrue And I must face the men I slew. What tale shall serve me here among Mine angry and defrauded young?" I don't say that the author has told lies. It's not clear from the book, however, that he's been trained to recognise them.