A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

That's a good book, 17 Sep 2008
I find this book really useful to improve skills of business English. It's well done, lessons are short to avoid receiving too many information all in one, and also the layout is easy-to-look and make the study more interesting.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

That's a good book, 17 Sep 2008
I find this book really useful to improve skills of business English. It's well done, lessons are short to avoid receiving too many information all in one, and also the layout is easy-to-look and make the study more interesting.

Very useful indeed!!!!!, 13 Jan 2005
This book has been constantly in my bag ready for me to grab for ideas, information and guidance. Having started the GTP scheme in secondary drama last term I have found this book really helpful in planning all of those lessons! Definately worth its money!.

A really useful drama handbook!, 02 Dec 2004
I recently purchased this book as a BA Drama and Performing Arts student wishing to become a drama teacher. This book is fantastic! It gives a great insight into Drama in the National Curriculum and I found the example drama games and activities really useful. The book also includes images and extracts that can help with classroom activities. I would really recommend this book both to teachers and to those wishing to be teachers. It's definately inspired me and given me some great ideas which will also help me on my degree course!

A must for all would be or established drama teachers, 11 Oct 2001
I am currently applying for a PGCE in Drama and have found this book an invaluable source of information about good teaching practice. It covers everything from lesson planning to assessments and is a must for being able to talk about drama teaching at an interview!

A welcome guide for assessing students of Drama in schools., 12 Sep 2001
This is a long awaited excellent basis for creating levels of assessment for Drama in schools. Kempe and Ashwell are now well known and highly respected authorities on curriculum Drama. The book begins by outlining a philosophy for Drama teaching which sets the subject out as an art form separate from the teaching of English. It then provides Drama teachers with crucial information on "baseline" assessment followed by a detailed table of Levels of Assessment to bring our subject in line with all others. (These Levels can be downloaded from the heinemann website and adapted together with the Hampshire Levels to create a new set appropriate to your school.) The book also contains some good schemes of work and lesson plans. Most important -- the book's Levels of Assessment fill an important gap in the U.K. National Curriculum. Should be read by teachers, headteachers and the U.K. Government. Excellent.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

That's a good book, 17 Sep 2008
I find this book really useful to improve skills of business English. It's well done, lessons are short to avoid receiving too many information all in one, and also the layout is easy-to-look and make the study more interesting.

Very useful indeed!!!!!, 13 Jan 2005
This book has been constantly in my bag ready for me to grab for ideas, information and guidance. Having started the GTP scheme in secondary drama last term I have found this book really helpful in planning all of those lessons! Definately worth its money!.

A really useful drama handbook!, 02 Dec 2004
I recently purchased this book as a BA Drama and Performing Arts student wishing to become a drama teacher. This book is fantastic! It gives a great insight into Drama in the National Curriculum and I found the example drama games and activities really useful. The book also includes images and extracts that can help with classroom activities. I would really recommend this book both to teachers and to those wishing to be teachers. It's definately inspired me and given me some great ideas which will also help me on my degree course!

A must for all would be or established drama teachers, 11 Oct 2001
I am currently applying for a PGCE in Drama and have found this book an invaluable source of information about good teaching practice. It covers everything from lesson planning to assessments and is a must for being able to talk about drama teaching at an interview!

A welcome guide for assessing students of Drama in schools., 12 Sep 2001
This is a long awaited excellent basis for creating levels of assessment for Drama in schools. Kempe and Ashwell are now well known and highly respected authorities on curriculum Drama. The book begins by outlining a philosophy for Drama teaching which sets the subject out as an art form separate from the teaching of English. It then provides Drama teachers with crucial information on "baseline" assessment followed by a detailed table of Levels of Assessment to bring our subject in line with all others. (These Levels can be downloaded from the heinemann website and adapted together with the Hampshire Levels to create a new set appropriate to your school.) The book also contains some good schemes of work and lesson plans. Most important -- the book's Levels of Assessment fill an important gap in the U.K. National Curriculum. Should be read by teachers, headteachers and the U.K. Government. Excellent.

Excellent and essential help to passing this difficult exam, 16 Jan 2001
Well researched and comprehensive book of MCQ's.A must ofr every candidate for this exam.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

That's a good book, 17 Sep 2008
I find this book really useful to improve skills of business English. It's well done, lessons are short to avoid receiving too many information all in one, and also the layout is easy-to-look and make the study more interesting.

Very useful indeed!!!!!, 13 Jan 2005
This book has been constantly in my bag ready for me to grab for ideas, information and guidance. Having started the GTP scheme in secondary drama last term I have found this book really helpful in planning all of those lessons! Definately worth its money!.

A really useful drama handbook!, 02 Dec 2004
I recently purchased this book as a BA Drama and Performing Arts student wishing to become a drama teacher. This book is fantastic! It gives a great insight into Drama in the National Curriculum and I found the example drama games and activities really useful. The book also includes images and extracts that can help with classroom activities. I would really recommend this book both to teachers and to those wishing to be teachers. It's definately inspired me and given me some great ideas which will also help me on my degree course!

A must for all would be or established drama teachers, 11 Oct 2001
I am currently applying for a PGCE in Drama and have found this book an invaluable source of information about good teaching practice. It covers everything from lesson planning to assessments and is a must for being able to talk about drama teaching at an interview!

A welcome guide for assessing students of Drama in schools., 12 Sep 2001
This is a long awaited excellent basis for creating levels of assessment for Drama in schools. Kempe and Ashwell are now well known and highly respected authorities on curriculum Drama. The book begins by outlining a philosophy for Drama teaching which sets the subject out as an art form separate from the teaching of English. It then provides Drama teachers with crucial information on "baseline" assessment followed by a detailed table of Levels of Assessment to bring our subject in line with all others. (These Levels can be downloaded from the heinemann website and adapted together with the Hampshire Levels to create a new set appropriate to your school.) The book also contains some good schemes of work and lesson plans. Most important -- the book's Levels of Assessment fill an important gap in the U.K. National Curriculum. Should be read by teachers, headteachers and the U.K. Government. Excellent.

Excellent and essential help to passing this difficult exam, 16 Jan 2001
Well researched and comprehensive book of MCQ's.A must ofr every candidate for this exam.

Excellent - someone who understands the teaching of drama, 11 Jul 2001
Clear, well-formulated lessons, capable of easy adaptation to suit teacher's peculiarities (not to mention those of the children). Good sequencing of material. Securely skill-based, a different imaginative take on familiar theme areas. Fab.

A drama teacher's caramel chocolate bar!, 02 Jul 2001
As a drama teacher at Alsager School, now in charge of the Key Stage 3 syllabus, I am forever searching for ideas and new ways to achieve exactly what I want! I stumbled across Bennathan's resource and what a stunning collection of intelligent, youthful, original and through provoking lesson plans - with resources for 11-14 year old children. Teach from the book or adapt. Incredible. The secret weapon in my quest for brownie points from my Head of Faculty and the kids!

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed my life forever. Few books in my nearly six decades of reading have done that.

Very good guidebook, 08 Jun 2008
I bought this book when I started out teaching Business English in Paris. It has a wealth of advice and highly useful activities. Working under the pressure that most of us will identify with, I need to thank Sylvie Donna for frequent rescue operations: this book has seen more metro stations than any of my others! The only thing it does not do is highlight the importance of making learning stick: there are no tips and techniques for continuous reviewing and for varying learner styles - there are assessment forms and needs analyses but that's different.
Still: well worth its money.

Learning how to Teach Business English, 31 Jan 2008
I brought this book whilst I was studying 'Teaching Business English' and I found it to be a great help. Well structured, very informative and generally well written. This is the second English language book I have bought in the Cambridge Handbooks for language teachers - and I can fully recommend their series of books to both new comers and veterans of English teaching.

'The Lonely Planet Guide' for Business English Teaching, 20 Jun 2001
Donna's book does for the novice Business English Teacher what Lonely Planet Guides do for the nervous first-time traveller. This thorough and methodical introduction offers precisely the reassurance, practical advice and wealth of ideas one needs when starting out on the Business English journey.

That's a good book, 17 Sep 2008
I find this book really useful to improve skills of business English. It's well done, lessons are short to avoid receiving too many information all in one, and also the layout is easy-to-look and make the study more interesting.

Very useful indeed!!!!!, 13 Jan 2005
This book has been constantly in my bag ready for me to grab for ideas, information and guidance. Having started the GTP scheme in secondary drama last term I have found this book really helpful in planning all of those lessons! Definately worth its money!.

A really useful drama handbook!, 02 Dec 2004
I recently purchased this book as a BA Drama and Performing Arts student wishing to become a drama teacher. This book is fantastic! It gives a great insight into Drama in the National Curriculum and I found the example drama games and activities really useful. The book also includes images and extracts that can help with classroom activities. I would really recommend this book both to teachers and to those wishing to be teachers. It's definately inspired me and given me some great ideas which will also help me on my degree course!

A must for all would be or established drama teachers, 11 Oct 2001
I am currently applying for a PGCE in Drama and have found this book an invaluable source of information about good teaching practice. It covers everything from lesson planning to assessments and is a must for being able to talk about drama teaching at an interview!

A welcome guide for assessing students of Drama in schools., 12 Sep 2001
This is a long awaited excellent basis for creating levels of assessment for Drama in schools. Kempe and Ashwell are now well known and highly respected authorities on curriculum Drama. The book begins by outlining a philosophy for Drama teaching which sets the subject out as an art form separate from the teaching of English. It then provides Drama teachers with crucial information on "baseline" assessment followed by a detailed table of Levels of Assessment to bring our subject in line with all others. (These Levels can be downloaded from the heinemann website and adapted together with the Hampshire Levels to create a new set appropriate to your school.) The book also contains some good schemes of work and lesson plans. Most important -- the book's Levels of Assessment fill an important gap in the U.K. National Curriculum. Should be read by teachers, headteachers and the U.K. Government. Excellent.

Excellent and essential help to passing this difficult exam, 16 Jan 2001
Well researched and comprehensive book of MCQ's.A must ofr every candidate for this exam.

Excellent - someone who understands the teaching of drama, 11 Jul 2001
Clear, well-formulated lessons, capable of easy adaptation to suit teacher's peculiarities (not to mention those of the children). Good sequencing of material. Securely skill-based, a different imaginative take on familiar theme areas. Fab.

A drama teacher's caramel chocolate bar!, 02 Jul 2001
As a drama teacher at Alsager School, now in charge of the Key Stage 3 syllabus, I am forever searching for ideas and new ways to achieve exactly what I want! I stumbled across Bennathan's resource and what a stunning collection of intelligent, youthful, original and through provoking lesson plans - with resources for 11-14 year old children. Teach from the book or adapt. Incredible. The secret weapon in my quest for brownie points from my Head of Faculty and the kids!

Best book I've ever read, 21 Nov 2008
This book left me thinking about what it must of been like to live like that. How he could of live in all those ways. Little food little water, and trying to hide from everyone he saw. This book really makes you think how it must of been like for a 12 year old boy to go on like that with no adult, and no one to care for him. Many of the things in this story leave you hanging and a very big cliffhanger. Making you think in many ways what's going to happen next. Is he going to give up or is he going to keep going till he finds what he is looking for. I also love the way the author explains things in such a strong way. Cannot recommend it enough.

superb book, 12 May 2008
I am David is both a deeply moving and thought provoking read. Although written as a book for children I could not put the book down. David's story is the story of each one of us as we try to make sense of life. It is beautifully written and wonderfully translated. I can not recommend this book highly enough.

Amazing, 15 Sep 2007
This is a story about a young boy's epic journey across Europe, and his budding emotions and sense of the wonder of life.

The facts are simple. David is a 12 year old boy. He has lived all his life in a concentration camp somewhere in eastern Europe. He does not know anything about his parents or where he comes from, or why he is in the camp. All he knows is that he is David. One day, without any explanation, a guard arranges for him to escape. The electric current is switched off from the perimeter fence for half a minute, just long enough for David to climb over. He is given bread and water and a compass. He is told to head south for Salonica, stow away on a ship sailing to Italy, and then walk north until he comes to a country called Denmark. And that is what David does.

Now, what kind of person would you be if you had spent all your life in a concentration camp? The first thing you may notice about David is his extraordinary isolation. He has survived in the camp by never allowing himself to think further than the next meal. After the death of his friend and teacher, Johannes, he never permits himself to have any affection for anyone. Out of the camp and on the run he believes, not unreasonably, that 'they' are after him. Of all the people that he meets on his long journey, he doesn't feel able to trust anyone. And so he shoulders the burden of the journey alone. Consequently, of course, all the judgments he makes about other people and their actions, and his own actions, are governed entirely by his own moral standards.

He has very high moral standards. For instance, he refuses to accept payment for a small service that he renders voluntarily to a stranger. For him, I think, to chose to observe high moral standards is a symbol of his new-found liberty. And should anyone fall below his own exacting standards he is an unforgiving opponent:

Haven't you seen that David hates Carlo? Not like boys who fight and then forget about it because there is really nothing serious to fight over. David hates Carlo as a grown man hates. He talks to him only when he has to, and then he speaks politely and coldly and refuses to look at him.

But as David journeys across Europe he begins to comprehend that he cannot live life entirely alone. He does need other people, Maria, whom he saves from the fire, and the dog, and perhaps a mother of his own ... And it works the other way round - other people may need things from him. It is not good enough for David simply to hate evil when he finds it in others. If others say they are sorry for their evil acts then he must also learn to forgive, because relentless unforgiving is another kind of cruelty.

The book is not set in a real time or place. Although the circumstances seem real enough, David's background is a synthesis of all the terrible persecution that happened during the Second World War and the subsequent years of cold war communism. This helps to make David a very powerful and pure figure. I don't think he is particularly real. Anne Holm uses him as a blank canvas on which can be drawn the first experiences of life - beauty, knowledge, trust, religion, love, everything.

And what pleasure he discovers in the simple things of life:

Before he had come to the town he had known about nothing but death: here he had learnt to live, to decide things for himself; he had learnt what it felt like to wash in clean water in the sunshine until he was clean himself, and what it felt like to satisfy his hunger with food that tasted good; he had learnt the sound of laughter that was free from cruelty; he had learnt the meaning of beauty -

More of a discussion paper than an adventure story, but atmospheric and quite thought-provoking. If you want to know whether David eventually finds a place to settle down, you will have to read the book.

The greatest story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen, 11 Jun 2007
I Am David is one of the most evocative books I have come across to read aloud to a class of children. I say that as a teacher of twenty years experience and having taught in schools in four continents. It is a magical book - not afraid to confront some difficult themes, but always maintaining the unique perspective a child with David's background would have.

Indeed the only gripe I have with this book is nothing at all to do with Anne Holm's creation but the stupidity of the United States' publishing industry in insisting on retitling classic European books (in the US this classic story is titled "North to Freedom"!) As "I Am David" this book successfully explores far more profound questions than freedom. David's journey is a process of self discovery and a self-imposed restructuring of a broken human spirit. Though told in the third person, the narrative invites us into David's young mind and allows us to see the wonder of objects and concepts that we all take for granted but which are new to the young escapee. Music, play, the taste of an orange, the feeling of being clean, language, colour! David's voyage of discovery is a bitter sweet mixture and we learn the awful truth about his past during his trek across Europe at the same pace as he does himself.

I have read this book with classes of children from fourth to seventh grade, as well as with adults. It is a book for all seasons, and I can still turn the pages with pleasure and wonder.

The wonder of realising what it is to say "I Am David" is what the book is all about! "North to Freedom" is a lousy title - meaningless in fact; David's first steps to freedom take him south! But this should not dissuade anyone from reading Anne Holm's book. The greatest children's story to come out of Denmark since Hans Christian Andersen.

The Film does Justice to a great Book, 04 Feb 2007
I agree with all the other positive reviews of this profound book. Our family has just watched the American DVD/movie of this book with Joan Plowright, Ben Tibber and Jim Cavaziel. The film, too, is very moving and should be viewed by anyone who doesn't realise that Communism and Nazism are in essence the same. Th UK version will be available soon.

A superb resource, 03 Apr 2007
This book is bursting to the seams with ideas and more importantly how to use them in context. Each activity is fully explained and it has some great ideas that can be used in any circumstances - in the hall with a full class or in the classroom with limited space and a handful of pupils.

The best drama for children book I've found., 11 Aug 2006
I'm an actor and drama teacher. Every drama teacher knows that coming up with fresh ideas is the bane of our job and we've probably all waded through countless books in search of inspiration. For me, one book is far superior to all the others I've found. It's One Hundred Plus Ideas For Drama, which has more good ideas in each chapter than most books have from start to finish and it's thoroughly explained how to get the best from the ideas.
I strongly recommend it to you. And thanks to Anna Scher and Charles Verrall for sharing all this with us.

imaginative, clear and versatile book, 06 Mar 2001
If you've already got 100+ ideas for drama you'll know why you bought 'Another 100+ ideas for drama. It is a book heaving with theatrical ideas for a wide range of abilities and ages. The games can be adapted and modified according to the children. The ideas are clear and easy to understand and the layout of the book makes it easy to dip into when stuck for what to do.

I now have both books which I use every time I plan a lesson. I highly recommend this book written by a very talented teacher.

anti-war literature at its best, 25 Jun 2008
Great novel. The journey from childhood to manhood is supposed to be full of joy and mystery, but this novel shows, doesn't tell, of what that journey is like during a world war. This book was banned by the Nazis when they came to power in 1933. If you read this novel, you'll understand why it was banned in Nazi Germany.

Read this before you die!, 08 Jun 2008
I bought an original 1929 copy on ebay and this is one hell of a book. If anyone has any idea that war is glorious you will be jarred severely by the this story. The true horror of the ordinary man fighting to keep alive is documented with crystal clear vision.

I initially found the style of writing a little off putting, but I have to say I rarely get sucked into a story as thoroughly as this one, I even have had nightmares about it's content!

In a similar way that Das Boot shared the human side of the 'enemy', AQOTWF does the same.....at the end of everything we are all very similar, whether English, French or German. We all worry and care about our loved ones.


AQOTWF was one of the books the Nazi's burnt in the 30's. That is sufficient reason to read it.

I can't say you will enjoy it, but I'm sure it will give you a valuable insight into the hellish lives the brave soldiers of all nations who suffered so much. God rest their souls.

If you are buying this book get a hold of Birdsong, it follows a similar thread.

Fantastic, 06 Mar 2008
I am one of these people who always wanted to read a great classic and enjoy it.

Unfortunately what usually happens is that I never finish a book of this type because it is too much like hard work and I go back to something less challenging.

Not so with this book. It grabbed me immediately and I lapped up every page. The author succeeded in bringing across difficult emotional subjects in an effortless way and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

Exposes well the despair and hopelessness of trench warfare, 02 Dec 2007
Very tragic and horrific account of the lives of a group of German ex-classmate soldiers in the trenches of WWI. The novel brings across well the hopelessness and futility of it all, especially at the very end of the story. Most of the time the story could be about the experiences of any group of WWI soldiers from any country as there are relatively few specifically German reference points apart from the characters' names. The writing is in the present tense, which I usually find annoying and did so to some extent here, but it does bring across the drama of the action very vividly. The language is very simple and the book was a quick read despite its nearly 300 pages.

The last enemy ..., 13 Nov 2006
Erich Marie Remarque was a truly great writer of his generation. Imagine how fresh this novel was when first published - imagine reading it in the original German language. Notwithstanding the many decades that have passed it remains a masterpiece. I first read 'All Quiet' in the 1960's.
I promise you, it changed