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Goodbye to All That

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | YA | Published in 1929

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Book Brief

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Robert Graves

Goodbye to All That

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | YA | Published in 1929
Book Details
Pages

347

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

England • 1910s

Theme
Publication Year

1929

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Good-Bye to All That by Robert Graves chronicles his journey from an upper-middle-class childhood in England, through the traumatic experiences of World War I as a military officer, to his early years as a veteran. The autobiography details Graves's coming-of-age, his literary aspirations, and familial relationships, ultimately leading to his academic tenure in Egypt and his life in Majorca. The book includes descriptions of wartime violence and coping with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Melancholic

Nostalgic

Dark

Contemplative

Reviews & Readership

3.9

14,930 ratings

72%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Graves' Goodbye to All That is praised for its vivid, unflinching portrayal of World War I and the post-war period. Critics commend Graves' eloquent prose and candid narrative. However, some find the memoir's structure disjointed and its tone bleak. Overall, the book offers a poignant, if at times harrowing, insight into a soldier's experience.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Goodbye to All That?

A reader who enjoys Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves is likely passionate about World War I history, memoirs, or literary accounts of personal resilience. Fans of Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front or Siegfried Sassoon’s Memoirs of an Infantry Officer will find Graves' poignant narrative compelling and insightful.

3.9

14,930 ratings

72%

Loved it

19%

Mixed feelings

9%

Not a fan

Character List

Robert Graves

A young, middle-class Englishman with a literary background, who serves as an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers during World War I. After the war, he becomes a writer, penning poetry, novels, and nonfiction, and eventually lives in Majorca, Spain.

An upper-class Englishman and close friend of Robert Graves, who also serves in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Known for his bravery and poetry, he wrestles with his feelings on the war and expresses them in his writing.

An independent and feminist woman who marries Robert Graves. She is an atheist and a supporter of socialism and the Labor Party, participating in activism alongside Graves.

Book Details
Pages

347

Format

Autobiography / Memoir • Nonfiction

Setting

England • 1910s

Theme
Publication Year

1929

Audience

YA

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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