War Is A Truly, All-Encompassing Event

War is a truly, all-encompassing event, argues Helen Simonson in her novel The Summer Before the War. The novel deals with the early days of World War I, and how the war comes to change the lives of the residents of, and society and culture of, Rye.

The residents of Rye are not war-hungry, and hope that war can be avoided, but when war is thrust on them by the Germans and the Central Powers, the residents of Rye respond in great force. Men in the area, including Hugh and Daniel, ultimately volunteer for military service. Even underage men, like Snout, volunteer for service. Men unfit or unable to serve in the military take on local tasks devoted to the war effort, such as guarding the town’s little harbor.

The war quickly brings about inflated prices and food shortages, but...