This work investigates how French writers and intellectuals processed the trauma and societal shifts caused by the First World War. John Cruickshank, a scholar of French literature, examines a diverse array of literary responses to the conflict, ranging from immediate wartime reactions to later retrospective accounts. He argues that these texts provide a critical lens through which to view the changing French national identity and the psychological impact of industrialized warfare.

Scholars of French literature frequently cite this work as a nuanced exploration of the intellectual climate in post-war France. Experts note that the text offers a sophisticated analysis of how trauma is translated into narrative form.