A Moment of War
Encyclopedia
A Moment of War by author Laurie Lee
is the last book of his semi-autobiographical trilogy. It covers his time as a combatant in the Spanish Civil War
from 1937-38. The preceding books of the trilogy are Cider With Rosie
(1959) and As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
(1969).
The book describes how, in December 1937, Lee set out for Spain to fight for the Republican
cause. He could not persuade anyone to help him and so eventually crossed the Pyrenees alone in a snowstorm. After encountering Republican sympathisers, he was suspected of being a Nationalist
spy and imprisoned. On the day scheduled for his execution, a fortunate encounter led to him being released and finally joining the International Brigade. The book then recounts Lee's experiences as a Republican soldier in Figueres, Valencia, Tarazona, Madrid, Teruel and Barcelona. He left Spain
in February 1938.
There is some doubt about the historical accuracy of the book. Lee himself wrote that his diaries had been stolen and so he relied on memory for the eyewitness accounts.
Laurie Lee
Laurence Edward Alan "Laurie" Lee, MBE was an English poet, novelist, and screenwriter, raised in the village of Slad, and went to Marling School, Gloucestershire. His most famous work was an autobiographical trilogy which consisted of Cider with Rosie , As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and...
is the last book of his semi-autobiographical trilogy. It covers his time as a combatant in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
from 1937-38. The preceding books of the trilogy are Cider With Rosie
Cider with Rosie
Cider with Rosie is a 1959 book by Laurie Lee . It is the first book of a trilogy that continues with As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning and A Moment of War...
(1959) and As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning is a memoir by Laurie Lee, a British poet. It is a sequel to Cider with Rosie which detailed his life in post First World War Gloucestershire...
(1969).
The book describes how, in December 1937, Lee set out for Spain to fight for the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
cause. He could not persuade anyone to help him and so eventually crossed the Pyrenees alone in a snowstorm. After encountering Republican sympathisers, he was suspected of being a Nationalist
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
spy and imprisoned. On the day scheduled for his execution, a fortunate encounter led to him being released and finally joining the International Brigade. The book then recounts Lee's experiences as a Republican soldier in Figueres, Valencia, Tarazona, Madrid, Teruel and Barcelona. He left Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in February 1938.
There is some doubt about the historical accuracy of the book. Lee himself wrote that his diaries had been stolen and so he relied on memory for the eyewitness accounts.