In France during World War One, a young British lieutenantAn army officer of middle rink. named Stephen Wraysford struggles to survive some of the bloodiest battles of the 20th Century. All around him lies death and destruction. Sixty years later, his granddaughter Elizabeth Benson is piecing together his life through coded diaries and conversations with veterans. Their two journeys interweave throughout Sebastian Faulks's moving novel, Birdsong, which was published in 1993. The book is an important exploration of the horrors and violence of war — and tackles the responsibility of future generations to remember this history decades later.
Birdsong
Glossary
Lieutenant - An army officer of middle rink.
Inarticulable - Unspeakable.
Epiphany - A moment of realisation. Epiphany is also a Christian celebration on 6 January. People remember the visit of the Three Kings, also known as the Wise Men or the Magi, to Jesus.
Archetypal - A perfect example of something.