The Regeneration Trilogy

Based on real historical events and characters, Barker’s books deal with the emotional and mental trauma suffered by those who served in the First World War, an often-overlooked element of the war experience. The novels are based on meetings between the psychologist WH Rivers and the poets Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, and they explore the development of ideas around ‘shell shock’ as a medical condition, and the burgeoning science of psychology. These books also paint a believable portrait of British society during the Great War, looking at some of the less-investigated issues such as attitudes towards homosexuality, pacifism and the dissonance between conditions on the frontlines and how they were presented at home. Each book comes with historical notes and recommended further reading about the people involved.