REACH FOR THE GROUND

by Richard de la eguera ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1964

A worm's eye view of the Spanish Civil War, this novel chronicles the education by fire of a naive Nationalist and his pathetic death. Despite the narrow aperture through which the novel scans the war, it is far more rewarding emotionally and better written than Gironella's more portentous One Million Dead (p. 735). The author himself fought in franco's army. A simple-minded student, Augusto Guzman is drafted in his late teens and sent to the front as a raw recruit. Most of the friends he makes are his own age, but his first companions always are hunger, cold and death. His company's first major encounter with the enemy is a disaster and a nightmare, with the sun warm one minute and rain streaming down the next while apocalyptic beasts ride the sky. His second awakening comes during a visit from his sister and his much older brother-in-law, who are both short on sympathy and fail to grasp the horrors he has undergone. His best friend drifts and drifts away from him. He falls in love but fails at that; is wounded in a reak accident, and is fianlly killed back at the front on the very day his transfer comes through. Despite all, he dies courageously, still with illusions.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1964

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: belard-Schuman

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1964

Categories: FICTION