Sailor's Heart

Reviews / Votes

REVIEW FROM DUNDEE COURIER (Book of the Week);
"Campbell's extensive research, Sailor's Heart itself, and the awful conditions and experiences of naval warfare in the Arctic shine through.; A combination of fictional novel, documentary and extrapolation of research makes this an interesting read, which often had me reaching out to the internet. to determine which was which!"

TOP REVIEWS FROM AMAZON;
1."To try and understand the effect of war on men exposed to physical and physiological trauma Martin Campbells' book is a must read. The three central characters, Marco, Duncan and Clarence find themselves deeply affected by their own traumatic experiences in the Navy. The detail of their backgrounds and how they find themselves suffering their individual anguish is brilliantly written in a way that you very quickly become invested in each of these three very different people. Their treatment by a Navy desperate to bring these three men back to active service is described in a graphic detail that is thought provoking and disturbing. To find out how Marco, Duncan and Clarence deal with all of their experiences, I highly recommend you buy this book."
2. "An amazing book on the conditions faced by sailors in the Artic convoys and the unbelievable stress they were under and the treatments used to get them back into service when they broke down.It's the story of the horrors of war you kind of thought happened to servicemen but was never mentioned.I think this book would make a very interesting TV programme."
3. "This enthralling book combines documentary and fiction to tell the story of the men who developed psychological problems after suffering horror and privation on the arctic convoys. The navy was desperately short of manpower and employed all sorts of techniques, sometimes brutal, to get them fit enough to return to sea. Meticulously researched and at times quite harrowing this is a compelling read. Highly recommended."

TOP REVIEWS FROM GOODREADS;
1. "One of the best books I have read in a long time.; Martin Campbell's account of three sailors labeled cowards, dodgers, malingerers and a basket of assorted other labels is mesmerizing. The fictional trio, Clarence, Duncan, and Marco are sailors in arctic convoys during WWII but find themselves struck with a malady described as Sailor's heart--the loss of interest in the battle and then the will to fight or the will to live. Sentenced to "rehabilitation" in a Royal Navy hospital, with the goal of returning the men to battle, they are left to the mercy of doctors who carry out unseemly experiments for fame and fortune. But the story is more than a story. Campbell bases his work in a solid underlayment of fact. His research is impeccable. And, oh yes, I can see this on the big screen."
2. "Sailor's Heart is a real page turner! I had trouble putting it down. Martin Campbell did a wonderful job developing the three main characters in the book - Clarence, Marco and Duncan. They were put into situations beyond their control in the Battle of the Atlantic during WWII and then thrust into even more harrowing experiences. I found myself rooting for them throughout, as their circumstances became even more dire. Campbell's writing lets you feel for these characters as if you were right there with them through their physical and mental struggles."
3. "A fascinating and superbly written piece of fiction, based on the harrowing facts of how psychiatric health issues were, or rather were not, treated during times of conflict. Three intriguing characters add to a fine portrayal of a little discussed subject for those who were at sea, in particular during the Second World War."