The return of the soldier is a profound resonant book it tells its moving story with emotional integrity at the same time meditating upon the nature of love the punishing but necessary cruelty of reality and our responsibility towards one another sadie jones. The return of the soldier is the debut novel of english novelist rebecca west first published in 1918 the novel recounts the return of the shell shocked captain chris baldry from the trenches of the first world war from the perspective of his cousin jenny. I had put the return of the soldier on my to read list years ago but decided after adding more of rebecca west books it was time having never read her before all i knew about this story was it was written by rebecca west and it was about a soldier from world war 1 this brilliantly written story is an ultimate favorite of mine. The return of the soldier by rebecca west 9780349010380 sadie jones spellbinding probably her best fiction sunday times rebecca west highly intelligent highly gifted vital original combative formidable and kind was a great woman victoria glendinning when chris baldry returns from the trenches so badly traumatized . Editions for the return of the soldier 0812971221 paperback published in 2004 014118065x paperback published in 1998 1844086984 paperback publish home my books