Piece Comment

Review of Unquiet Graves


A lovely piece.

For those weaned on wars where personal sacrifice has been neither a prerequisite nor an option, the stuff Marjorie describes might seem strange, archaic. But in this wonderful concoction, she reminds us that radio is always about people -- not just the jewel-like traditionbearers who "put you there," but all the people who chat along the lines of parade routes, among the ghosts of former battlefields.

For those who think 9/11 changed everything, they clearly weren't there for Paschendale during the Great War, but 245,000 men were lost here.

I don't know how PDs should make a piece like this relevent, but listeners seem sensitive to numbers, don't they?

A curious mix of heart-breaking and inspirational. An obvious thing for 11.11, but post-war tape informing the story would be fabulous on any date.