I picked up 'Crumps' expecting a straightforward war memoir. What I found was something much weirder and more interesting.

The Story

The book is presented as the personal account of Louis Keene, a Canadian who fought in the trenches of World War I. But from the first page, he's not talking about himself. He's telling us the story of his friend, a soldier everyone called 'Crumps.' We follow Crumps through the mud, the fear, and the mind-numbing boredom of war. We see his reactions to shelling, the loss of friends, and the slow grind of survival. The whole narrative is filtered through Keene's eyes, making us wonder what he's not saying about his own experience.

Why You Should Read It

This book got under my skin. It's not a flashy action story. It's a quiet, psychological look at how people process unbearable things. By focusing on Crumps, Keene might be hiding from his own pain. The writing is simple and stark, which makes the emotional moments hit even harder. You're left piecing together the truth of both men from what's shown and what's clearly being held back. It feels honest in a way that polished, heroic war stories often don't.

Final Verdict

This is a great pick for readers who enjoy historical memoirs but want something different from the usual front-line heroics. It's perfect for anyone interested in the psychology of trauma, or for fans of stories where the real plot is hidden between the lines. It's a short, thoughtful book that proves sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones someone else can't bring themselves to tell directly.