Officers And Gentlemen

Officers And Gentlemen (1955) by Evelyn Waugh is the second volume of the Sword Of Honor trilogy. I have to admit I didn't like it as much as the first volume, Men At Arms, even though it had many of the same elements: satire about the military and society, a comic figure in "Trimmer," and some excellent stylish passages. I think most of this had to do with the situations Guy Crouchback found himself in: training, military transport, surrender, and being adrift at sea. The action packed scenes were few, but I suspect they accurately describe a soldier's life, which is mostly comprised of waiting for things to happen. Furthermore, I don't think Trimmer was as interesting of a character as Apthorpe from Men At Arms. There is an interesting passage which discusses how the second war was different from the first in terms of classes mingling. It was enjoyable, but not as entertaining as the first volume in my opinion, but still looking forward to the last volume.