While much of the action takes place during the Second World War, this is not a war book.

It is much more than that. It is a beautifully written, superbly constructed work of literary fiction creating a universal tale that will appeal to anyone who loves an important story well told. Although set in the past it has strong contemporary resonance. It offers perceptive insights into issues like conscientious objection as well helping better understand new concepts like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

In turns humorous and tragic, and both heartbreaking and uplifting, it is poetically written and delivered with strong regard for great Scottish poetry, including new poems exclusive for the book. It is captivating and unforgettable, and will have enduring appeal.

 

It starts in Edinburgh 1940. Europe is ravaged by war. Masses flock to sign up, struck with sudden spirits of patriotism but others are filled with dread. Eddie Muir is one such man, wrestling with his moral and political constraints as a conscientious objector. What will a young pacifist do when his country calls on him to take up arms to stop the fascist advance?

 

“I cannot kill another human being,” says Eddie.

“It’s our duty to fight evil,” replies his brother Ken.

 

A story of morality being pushed to its limits, The Unmaking of Eddie Muir presents a fascinating canvas of wartime life and its aftermath in Scotland, and lays bare the turmoil of a young man wrestling with his conscience and the first stirrings of love. He returns from war traumatised, but what are the hidden secrets that will not let him rest?

 

The book raises key questions like

What does war do to us?

How do soldiers who witness unspeakable violence and loss deal with the trauma?

Are the decisions we make ever really ours, or are we swept along in the tide of events, doing things that will haunt us forever?

A journey of one man’s transformation through the grim realities of the war. The Unmaking of Eddie Muir skilfully and sensitively showcases how fundamentally changed one man can become, when he experiences first hand the unimaginable cruelty and violence of warfare. 

Book Information
ISBN 9781917011037
Author Angus Roxburgh
Format Paperback
Page Count 298
Imprint Ringwood Publishing
Publisher Ringwood Publishing