The Diary of a French private: war - imprisonment 1914-1915

London: George Allen & Unwin, 1916.

Uncommon first hand account of World War I, in particular the Battle of the Marne, from the perspective of a French soldier, documenting his experiences on the front lines and his subsequent imprisonment. Riou's observations extend beyond the immediate hardships and into reflections on national characteristics of the German army and the German people encountered during his captivity. First English edition, originally published in French as "Journal d'un Simple Soldat", Paris, 1916. pp 315 + [5] adverts. Original blue cloth, edges and ends of the spine well rubbed, endpapers tanned, else a clean and tight copy free of any old inscriptions or owner names.