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divided by rank as well as class. Their only other friend in the army is
Bennett, an officer with socialist ideas. They are commanded by Major Glendinning, a ruthless officer who shares Alec's mother's belief in the class system and divisions between rank, demanding that there be 'no flaw in the machinery'. Eventually, Jerry finds out that his father is missing, and leaves to find out what has happened to him. During Jerry's disappearance, Bennett gets sick and is brought away for medical attention. Jerry returns soon after, having discovered that his father is dead, but he is arrested for desertion. Glendinning commands that Alec command the firing squad that will shoot and kill Jerry. Instead, Alec has a final talk with Jerry before shooting Jerry himself, at which point he is imprisoned and sentenced to death.
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parents grows up lonely and friendless on his parents' estate in
Wicklow during the early years of the 20th century. His parents have a difficult relationship and it is stated that "their only meeting place was the child." He meets a local boy, Jerry, who shares his passion for horses. Alec's mother,
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When re-reviewing the novel in 2011, Philip Womack described the novel as "slim but emotionally hefty." For Womack, it's a poignant retelling of how the First World War erased lines of class, and its emotional toil: "Johnston's novel conveys both the insanity of war and the poignancy of unspoken
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would be of great benefit to his mother. Alec feels no compulsion to sign up until his mother tells Alec that his father
Fredrick is not his biological father and in that moment he is so frustrated with his mother he impulsively signs up. In France the two friends are stationed together, but now
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who believes strongly in the class system of early twentieth century
Ireland, discovers the friendship and forbids him to spend any more time with Jerry. Their friendship is thereafter conducted in private until the outbreak of the
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The novel has a complex and lyrical style. Critique Philip Womack described
Johnston as effectively using "oblique speech, knotty lyricism and careful description" to depict the chaotic environment created by war.
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The novel also includes small abstracts from poetry and songs. The title of the novel is derived from a traditional nursery Rhyme,
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The story is the complex tale of a friendship between two boys in
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Publishing House Dulce et
Decorum published a Dutch translation of How many miles to Babylon?
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and directed by David
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This article is about the novel. For the nursery rhyme, see
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In 1982 it was adapted for television by the BBC, starring
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194:Will I get there by candlelight?
618:The Essential Jennifer Johnston
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226:In 2005 the actor and director
16:1974 novel by Jennifer Johnston
392:"Macbeth is coming to Tinteán"
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767:Novels set during World War I
343:"Genre:Language, Use of Song"
782:Novels set in County Wicklow
268:The piano teacher (Mr. Cave)
762:Novels by Jennifer Johnston
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772:Hamish Hamilton books
713:Andante un Poco Mosso
646:The Gingerbread Woman
641:(2000) (Contributor)
605:(1997) (Contributor)
357:on 25 November 2015.
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273:In the Army
245:BBC Radio 4
157:Anglo-Irish
153:World War I
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402:5 December
295:References
251:Characters
223:as Jerry.
721:The Porch
610:Two Moons
526:The Gates
503:Works by
202:Reception
82:Doubleday
73:Publisher
147:Synopsis
55:Language
103:Ireland
63:Subject
58:English
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452:IMDb
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94:1974
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