The book is my favorite novel, hands down. It’s less a straight war-is-awful story (as the 2022 Netflix movie portrayed it) and really more about about being a child growing up into a young man and being robbed of innocence and hope against a backdrop of trauma and violence. And so many poignant and wonderful moments between the narrator (Paul) and his comrades. The movie completely left out the dynamic between Paul and his mother - it replaced this with the diplomacy in the rail carriage - but that relationship is beautiful and tragic … and one I suspect many of us can relate to. I can not recommend the book more for any guy between the age of 13-35, it’s just still so relevant and timely. Should be required reading.