I have many autobiographies waiting for me, but this one shot to the top of the list when I listened to Sabaton's newest single release, The Unkillable Soldier, and realized it was about this incredible man.
If you want the short story, this man survived 3 wars and was shot multiple times. When I say multiple, I'm not saying once or twice. Not only did he lose his left eye, he was shot in various body parts and always went back for more. He was a POW, survived plane crashes and had his own set of pajamas in his room at the hospital where they knew him well. Seriously, just look him up and be amazed at what the man went through.
He's famous for saying in these memoirs, "Frankly, I had enjoyed the war." At first, this may seem to raise some red flags. Did he enjoy the killing? I don't think so. His memoir focuses mostly on the people that he served with. He barely mentions his injuries. They're in there as another part of his journey. He mentions so many people by name that I find it amazing. In the preface, he mentions that he may have things out of order since he never kept a diary. For goodness sake, he didn't plan on writing his memoirs until he broke his back and didn't think he'd be able to walk again! His memory is spectacular!
There may be a fine line between insanity and bravery, but I don't believe that Carton de Wiart was insane, nor do I think he was a murder-hungry man. I think he enjoyed the camaraderie that came with war. He judged men fairly, no matter what side they were on. The only time he mentions any sadistic tendencies was removing snails from their garden while he was a POW. Other than that, he criticizes or praises men and women whether they be his ally or not. He also enjoyed solitude at times, but he was drawn to sportsmanship. He has a whole chapter about the house he had in Poland where he would hunt and observe the habits of the local birds.
This was one of the better autobiographies I've read. I loved his humor and his honesty. I think the most amazing thing is that he lived to the age of 83. Any one of these injuries would've probably knocked me out of anything for good, but this man never quit. Good Book!
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