Customer Reviews
Magnificent - a book to read and re-read - By: Lesley, 10 Dec 2008 
I first read this book at school for GCSE English - & now, 15 years later, I still regularly read it. If ever I find myself searching for a book to read (all those bookworms like me out there will know the feeling - you want a book that will grab you, you want to lose yourselfin it's story) I glancein the bookcase & there it is - I find myself reaching for it, I am still engrossedin it, I am still moved by it. Other reviewers have touched on political aspects of the story, the harrowing narrative of the First World War, yes, it's allin there - but the part that gets me is the depth of the friendship between Alec & Jerry, their connection, their loyalty to each other, that's what keeps me gripped everytime - an emotional read.
A heart-wrenching First World War story - By: SB, 07 Feb 2008 With the huge popularity of other more recent World War One literature, such as "Birdsong", "Regeneration" etc., Jennifer Johnston's wonderful story has been largely forgotten about - but not rightly so.
In 'How Many Miles to Babylon' the author really gets to the heart of life for young menin the trenches of Northern France & she writes a truly mesmerising & horrifying story, with great skill & few words, which leaves you quite stunned at the end.
The story centres around Alec, a boy whom we meet at a young age, growing up with Anglo-Irish parents on a country estatein Southern Ireland. Alec leads a sheltered & lonely life as a boy, & neither parent provides him with companionship, so he is delighted to find a friendin a boy from the village, Jerry. The boys keep their friendship secret as both are acutely aware of class divisions & know that neither should be seen with the other. When their friendship is discovered a few years later both boys are desolate but some bonds cannot be broken, & the boys enlist & go off to war together. Jerry is off to learn to fight so he can put his skills to use for the Irish Nationalist Cause, & Alec (who vaguely believesin Home Rule) finds himself goaded into war by his mother. Kinship survives despite further class dividein the army, but some obstacles are insurmountable & the two young men find themselves facing a greater horror than the War itself.
Although there are other convincing novels that deal with trench warfarein the First World War, this one really stands out for me. You won't be disappointed.
Quick but enjoyable! - By: Celtise, 16 Jan 2007 I just LOVE this book to pieces. I,too, like some of the other reviewers had to read it as part of my english coursein the Leaving cert but it was oceans away from the normal boring pros that are obligatoryin school.
Basically, his book is about two young men, Alexander & Jerry, & the growth & development of their relation as they leave childhhod & progress into adulthood during a age of stormy political & religious tensions. Orin other words, they were on different sides of the political & religious divide when the troubles were at their hightestin Ireland at the beginning of the 20th century & thus the book details if/how their relationship survives such an obstacle & other challenges that face them.
The end of this bok is the best part. In school i couldn't wait for the class to finish it so i read on-its one of a very small few of books to which i can cry to(over & over again as i have since discovered).
The only bad thing about this book is how short it is-but then again if it had been longer the main scenes may have been lost or changed by Jennifer Johnston(the magnificent Irish author behind this bok).
Buy it. Read it. Remember it. And hope that you too have the chance to experience such a true friend.
How many miles to Babylon? J.Johnston A glimpse of world war 1 young Irish manhood beset by class and country, - By: poilin ni breatnach, 09 Sep 2006 
This short novel holds a few surprises well worth waiting for. Written by the Dublin born Ms Johnston, now living across the borderin Derry, it examines the Irish political landscape,
through a personal not a political lens as it follows the fortunes of Alex from the Big House & Jerry, an Irish peasant.
Written by Alex as a first person narrative it gives the reader a distinct feeling of getting up close & personal. You feel like you're eavesdropping.
Truth to tell nothing much happens for a while. A sense of ennui begins to setin for the reader mirroring the lifestyle of the two young protagonists. At times you wonder if it is just another tableau of the Anglo- Irish class & their peasant peers. World War 1 is the backdrop.
A surprising element for me was finding Patrick Pearse , leader of the Irish 1916 revolution, coming to lifein its pages. Pearse is so often nothing more than a relic of some very distant past.
The book takes off when the two young men enlist & set off to serve at the Front.
Johnston never resorts to hyperbole, yet she manages to convey a very real sense of the horror & degradation of the trenches of World War 1.Both young men are so credible. Neither of them especially motivated by lofty political ideas but rather like most people stumbling along through life's events trying to make some sense of it all.
But no cosseted lifein the Big House nor the discipline of Army life could adequately prepare the two young protagonists for the dilemma they face towards the end.This was a veritable crisis of conscience where nothing less than a personal response would do.
The descriptions of nature & the changing of the seasons capture the quintessence of the damp Irish climate like no other I've come across.The Big House is beatifully captured bothin its splendour & its often dark, dismal interiors.
This is not the usual tale of larger than life war heroes but a down-to - earth portrayal of the harsh reality of war. A glimpse of young First World War manhood together with telling glimpses of class division. Once you get started you can't stop till you finish it. Well worth reading.
this book is simply awesome - By: , 22 Jan 2002 I must say I was first put off by the small amount of pagesin the book(156 pages) but after reading it, it didn't make a blind bit of differance,It's simply amazing, a real page-turner.
I had to read this book as part of my course for the leaving cert.in school. I'm glad we were made read it as I would never have discovered such a gem of a book otherwise.
Johnston brings the characters of Alec & Jerry
vividly to life & the detail she describes from the big house to lifein the trenches is simply outstanding.
