TO THE LAST MAN

Real-life WWI figures such as General John "Black Jack" Pershing and Baron Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron) mix with Jeff Shaara's fictional characters in this novel with a documentary feel. Philip Bosco narrates with a dramatic sense that prevents the necessary historical background from becoming dry and brings the fictional elements to life. The moments that shine are the most human ones: a soldier reading a letter from relatives in Italian or the members of the Lafayette Escadrille comparing notes after a rough physical exam. The novel creates a sense of being on the scene, from the trenches of the battlefield to the skies over Europe. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]