The Soldier's Return

Unsentimental, truthful and wonderful Beryl Bainbridge, Independent Books of the Year

When Sam Richardson returns in 1946 from the Forgotten War in Burma to Wigton in Cumbria, he finds the town little changed. But the war has changed him, broadening his horizons as well as leaving him with traumatic memories. In addition, his six-year-old son now barely remembers him, and his wife has gained a sense of independence from her wartime jobs. As all three strive to adjust, the bonds of loyalty and love are stretched to breaking point in this taut, and profoundly moving novel.

An outstandingly good novel...utterly credible, utterly compelling, and very enjoyable Allan Massie, Scotsman

Deeply felt, beautifully realised John Sutherland, Sunday Times

The first Great War came alive in Faulks s Birdsong; the second Great War, and in particular the Burma campaign, comes very much alive in Melvyn Bragg s The Soldier s Return wholly absorbing John Bayley, Evening Standard

Sympathetic, touching, infinitely believable...This is a highly accomplished novel D.J. Taylor, Literary Review

Winner of WH Smith Annual Literary Award 2000
Winner of WH Smith Literary Prize 2000

“Unsentimental, truthful and wonderful - Beryl Bainbridge, Sunday Times Books of the YearOutstandingly good . . . utterly credible, utterly compelling, and very enjoyable - Allan Massie, Scotsman Sympathetic, touching, infinitely believable . . . a highly accomplished novel - D.J. Taylor, Literary Review The first Great War came alive in Faulks's Birdsong; the second Great War, and in particular the Burma campaign, comes very much alive in Melvyn Bragg's THE SOLDIER'S RETURN . . . wholly absorbing - John Bayley, Evening Standard Deeply felt, beautifully realised - John Bayley, Evening Standard”

Unsentimental, truthful and wonderful - Beryl Bainbridge, Sunday Times Books of the Year

Outstandingly good . . . utterly credible, utterly compelling, and very enjoyable - Allan Massie, Scotsman

Sympathetic, touching, infinitely believable . . . a highly accomplished novel - D.J. Taylor, Literary Review

The first Great War came alive in Faulks's Birdsong; the second Great War, and in particular the Burma campaign, comes very much alive in Melvyn Bragg's THE SOLDIER'S RETURN . . . wholly absorbing - John Bayley, Evening Standard

Deeply felt, beautifully realised - John Bayley, Evening Standard

Melvyn Bragg's first novel, FOR WANT OF A NAIL, was published in 1965 and since then his novels have included THE HIRED MAN, for which he won the Time/Life Silver Pen Award, WITHOUT A CITY WALL, winner of the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, THE SOLDIER'S RETURN, which won the WHSmith Literary Award, and A SON OF WAR and CROSSING THE LINES, both of which were longlisted for the Booker Prize. He has also written several works of non-fiction including THE ADVENTURE OF ENGLISH and 12 BOOKS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD.

Unsentimental, truthful and wonderful Beryl Bainbridge, Independent Books of the Year When Sam Richardson returns in 1946 from the Forgotten War in Burma to Wigton in Cumbria, he finds the town little changed. But the war has changed him, broadening his horizons as well as leaving him with traumatic memories. In addition, his six-year-old son now barely remembers him, and his wife has gained a sense of independence from her wartime jobs. As all three strive to adjust, the bonds of loyalty and love are stretched to breaking point in this taut, and profoundly moving novel. An outstandingly good novel...utterly credible, utterly compelling, and very enjoyable Allan Massie, Scotsman Deeply felt, beautifully realised John Sutherland, Sunday Times The first Great War came alive in Faulks s Birdson g; the second Great War, and in particular the Burma campaign, comes very much alive in Melvyn Bragg s The Soldier s Return wholly absorbing John Bayley, Evening Standard Sympathetic, touching, infinitely believable...This is a highly accomplished novel D.J. Taylor, Literary Review

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