Eric Newby: Love and War in the Apennines (July 2022)

Eric Newby, famous for his travel writing, wrote this account of his time as a prisoner of war, his escape, and the help he received from the local people who hid him in the Apennines. He also met his future wife and travelling companion, Wanda.

The Italians were kind to him in their brusque way, sharing what food and resources they had, often showing their emotions only when he had to leave their homes. They regarded the war as a dreadful misfortune that heaped misery on everyone.

At one point Eric is summoned to the a meeting with the village dignitaries as an important decision has been made. He, and the reader, fear that he will be told to leave because of the danger in which he is unwillingly placing them. Instead of this they have a plan to build him a house hidden in the side of the mountain.

They say that they have sons husbands and brothers missing in Russia and feel honour bound to help Eric as they hope that Russian people might be coming to the aid of their men.

Even so, their courage is astonishing given the danger of their actions. We wondered how brave we might have been if tested in that way.
The book was written as a tribute to to these people and Eric Newby downplays his own stoicism with dry humour.

Some of the book dragged a little, we felt, and the ending was very abrupt. We wanted to know what happened after he was recaptured and how he managed to reconnect with Wanda.

But on the whole, a good read that left us thinking that we would like to read more of Eric and Wanda’s travel books.

3/5