Book Review: ‘Bar-Room Ballads’ by Robert Service.
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Feb.11, 2021, under Books
Bar-Room Ballads by Robert Service
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A nifty collection of verse by Robert Service. Most are great fun or a nifty story with a twist.
Favorites are ‘The Ballad of Lenin’s Tomb’, ‘Security’, ‘The Ballad of Casey’s Billy-goat’. My favorite is ‘The Ballad of the Ice-Worm Cocktail’.
Each are well thought out and written.
Two items to note: The “Bar-Room” part of the title is misleading. The entries are not of any specific subject and just a couple even mention a bar.
Of greater note is that this collection was published in 1940 in the U.K. just as all Hell was about to break loose across England.
The last 7 or so verses by Service are anti-war and pointedly against sending soldiers to war.
I’m guessing this book sold poorly as that information got around those in Great Britain.
Bottom line: I recommend this book. 9 out of ten points.
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