Great for fans of contemplative, leisurely-paced historical fiction, and for fans of animal narrators.

Every once in a while you read a book that is truly unique and this one certainly falls in that category. When you describe a book as being half-narrated by a taxidermied pigeon, most people will be skeptical. But this is a wonderful story which only gains strength as it works its way to the end. It is a wrenching tale that somehow manages to not leave the reader unhappy.

Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey were actual historical figures. Cher Ami was an English homing pigeon sent off to carry messages during World War I, and Major Whittlesey was an American army officer who served in France during a memorably historic Great War event as the leader of the Lost Battalion.

The story itself is interesting, but it is the insights about war and coming home from war that are compelling and searing. The conclusions are harsh and sorrowful and there is a special perspective on the extra burden that war heroes must carry and what it costs.

This is a book that I suspect will stay with me as memorable for a long time. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dnf 80% through. I tried, I wanted to like this book but at this point, I found I didn't care for the characters or what happened. If you want a bland version of what happened to the lost battalion than this is for you. Cher Ami’s chapters probably got me this far. Honestly, if the whole book was from her point of view I would have found it more tolerable.

For his heroic service, Cher Ami was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm. He was returned to the United States and died at Fort Monmouth, N.J. on June 13, 1919, as a result of his wounds. Cher Ami was later inducted into the Racing Pigeon Hall of Fame in 1931, and received a gold medal from the Organized Bodies of American Pigeon Fanciers in recognition of his extraordinary service during World War I. - from the Smithsonian

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"…in a contest against passion, truth always makes a poor showing."

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"Even the few who had come through the incident largely unhurt looked like shades; greeting the new arrivals with yellowed grins and vacant eyes"

Two kinds of heroism are on display in Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey. The usual sort is displayed by a homing pigeon, Cher Ami of the title, braving and taking enemy fire to bring news back to base of the dire situation faced by a battalion caught behind enemy lines. The other was the courage Charles Whittlesey, the commander of that battalion, mustered to remain in place when the urge to retreat was almost overwhelming. Movement would have offered no assuredness of survival, and probably would have resulted in annihilation, the other option, surrendering to the surrounding German army, again offered no certainty of survival, but confidently promised the collateral damage of severe disgrace. A very Anthony Fauci decision, selecting the least of the available evils, but Whittlesey chose the one offering the greatest hope for the best results.

This novel is a fictionalized account of a real-world event. Cher Ami is indeed in the Smithsonian. Charles Whittlesey did lead his men in dire circumstances. The Lost Battalion was a major media event in the waning days of World War I.

News coverage at the time had focused on the Metropolitan Division more than most segments of the Army prior to the event. It was made up primarily of New Yorkers, and thus a large contingent of immigrants, some of whom did not even speak English, many of whom were not yet naturalized citizens, draftees fighting for their home country of choice. So, there was much more news sent home about the 77th Division, of which the battalion was a part, than there might have been had the incident afflicted a less reported-on force. You could read all about the plight of The Lost Battalion in the New York papers, and then across the country. One of the main writers covering the story was a reporter for The New York American, a Hearst newspaper. He had a readership, based to a considerable degree on his sports journalism, but he was more than just a sports writer. You may have heard of him. His name was Damon Runyon.

Whittlesey’s piece of the 77th, part of an Allied offensive into France’s German-occupied Meuse-Argonne Forest in October 1918, did their jobs too well, continuing to advance, even when forces on either side of them had ceased their forward progress, unbeknownst to Whit. It is called a salient when you advance past enemy lines and find yourself surrounded by the enemy on multiple sides. Not a good thing. We get to see Whit’s decisions, and the efforts that had to be made to try to get word back to base, and the herculean task of keeping his soldiers’ spirits up, trying to keep them as safe as possible, countering any enemy moves while meting out diminishing supplies and tamping down those who would welcome capture just to end their awful situation.

"Each man was the miserable monarch of a kingdom that squirmed with vermin, one that consisted of the dirt and a bit of sky each one could see from the dirt, of their feet in their boots in the mud—a kingdom indistinguishable from a grave."

But the battle and the heroism displayed is only one part of the story, albeit a compelling one.

The periods portrayed are, like all Gaul, divided into three parts, the lead-up before their engagement in the war, wartime duties, and postwar experiences, including the psychological and political processes and actions that radiated from that Lost Battalion event.

The story has two narrators, Charles Whittlesey and the homing pigeon of the title, Cher Ami. Chapters alternate. Do not think that just because we have a pigeon narrating half this book that it is in any way a children’s tale. It most certainly is not. Cher is an amazing character whom Rooney uses to great effect. She has a rich social and emotional life, offers astute observations of human nature and behavior, and teaches us a lot.

We meet her (yes, her, Cher was mis-gendered and named as a male, an error that persisted even into her descriptive display at the Smithsonian) in the present day, inhabiting, as she has for a century, a place of honor in the National Museum of American History in DC. It is from this perch that this highly decorated war hero looks back on her life, the events that led up to her heroic act, and her life after she completed her final wartime mission. Whittlesey is no longer with us, stuffed or otherwise, but tells his first-person tale in the present of his actions.

The alternating chapters cleverly share opening lines that lead each narrator to offer their cross-species perspectives on similar processes and events. Chapter 1, for example, opens with Monuments matter most to pigeons and soldiers. Cher addresses her long display at the museum, and gives us a look at her life, living and displayed. Whit has become something of a monument himself, widely lauded for his leadership under extreme duress. There is even a film being made of the horror of The Lost Battalion, in which Whit and some of the other survivors play themselves. He would much prefer being able to return to anonymity, particularly as he is a gay man in the Jazz Age, in which finding love on the run was a risky enterprise. And PTSD is never much fun, particularly when tinged with survivor’s guilt, and a feeling that he is nobody’s hero.

In preparation for the adventure, Rooney shows us the stages Cher and Whit go through to become combat ready. For Cher, it is training to sharpen and strengthen her homing instinct, and she turns out to be a natural, a champion even. We learn a lot about how special pigeons are, what is involved in their training, and a bit of the history of homing pigeons being used in war. Whit’s training may not have involved flapping, but it is no less interesting, seeing how the military encouraged educated sorts to get a taste of military life, before having to sign up for real, a trial subscription, if you will. This was news to me, as was the makeup of this particular division. How Whit grows into his command is beautifully portrayed. We see Whit and Cher both in combat, and we see them both in love, with mirrored romantic interests. We see them both considering the madness of men and how veterans might be used as props for ignoble purposes. We see them both yearning for home, and giving their all.

A particular strength of the novel is pointing out how media influences political, and even military decisions, and how real events can be used by the cynical to support less than laudable aims, why some are hailed as heroes, while others, equally meritorious, are abandoned to a dark fate.

This is an incredibly moving book. I counted nine times in my notes the word “tears.” Have those tissues or hankies locked and loaded. It is rich with new info. Fun to learn of Damon Runyon’s involvement. Rewarding to learn so much about about what makes pigeons so much more than Woody Alan’s memorable “rats with wings” putdown, homing pigeons in particular, news to me, at least, and I expect news to most readers. It was fascinating to learn about military life and recruitment in 1918.

The use of Cher as a narrator was a bold choice, and, IMHO, entirely effective. Well, I did have one gripe re Cher. Rooney stretches her consciousness way too far near the end, as she perceives in the mode of an omniscient narrator things she could have no way of knowing. I am willing to suspend disbelief for the conscious bird, but this was a step too far. The experiences of Cher and Whit may have been personal, but the importance of the issues raised is universal and still with us today. The War to End all wars did no such thing. But if you are looking for a wonderful read, Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey will end your struggle to find a wonderful read, at least until the next one.

"Battle was said to harden a man—during my youth I’d heard this stated in the same offhand tones used to discuss first Communions and debutante balls—but in my case there had been no hardening, only a constant effort to hold together despite proliferating cracks."

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was able to find my way to it with no problem at all.

The complete review, with images and links can be found at Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3489974960

This historical fiction about a pigeon and soldier has a premise that seems a little out there, but the writing of this book makes it easy to dive into and not put down!

A unique and creative story with colorfully descriptive writing.

I was first drawn to this book when I learned that a pigeon was one of two main characters. How odd I thought. Getting into the head of a homing pigeon? Ok, I’ll bite. Glad I did as this book is now on my list of top books for 2020.

How valuable these birds would become in WWI, serving as a valuable means of communication between HQ and the ground troops. Cher Ami became known as the most famous carrier pigeon of WWI. Seeing things through her eyes was mesmerizing. Cher Ami’s other half, Major Charles Whittlesey, leader and war hero who would go on to receive the Medal of Honor, was another star. His story is richly detailed.

There is so much to love here and I highlighted numerous passages to reflect upon later. It is a remarkable book and I walked away feeling more knowledgeable of an important piece of history.

This beautifully written book is authored by a rising star of storytelling! Several years ago, Kathleen Rooney gave us the unique book of historical fiction: “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” based on a real woman in retail advertising for Macy*s, in New York City. Currently, Ms. Rooney takes us back to 1918 and actual events that occurred in France during WWI. She retells the story about two, medal-winning war heroes. However, she writes as if they are telling their own stories, in alternating chapters, from their Point of View (POV).

We have read many books like this which is common in historical fiction, when our subjects are no longer with us. We have plays, movies, and even television series presented so realistically, it is as if we are watching history in real time.

This book is no different; we imagine these two heroes are still alive and are writing their stories just after the end of the war. What is a little unique is that Ms. Rooney has given voice to the decorated war hero, Cher Ami, a proud, yet humble homing pigeon, Cher Ami was actually a British racing pigeon, donated to France as a messenger, or homing pigeon, for the war effort. (Cher Ami was misidentified as a male, specifically a, Blue Check cock; The taxidermist who prepared animals and birds for the Smithsonian, discovered she was a hen! To save the expense of changing name plates they left her ID as it was.) I love that little fact.

Now, before you get your feathers all ruffled, remember we have many books narrated from an animals POV. To just name a few: “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein, “Call of the Wild” by Jack London, “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell, and “A Dog’s Life” by Ann M. Martin, Etcetera. Cher Ami is no different.
Major Charles Whittlesey recounts his story as the Battalion Commander as well.

The facts of their event in history are well documented: during WWI, in October 1918, the 77th Division became trapped in an area in France of the Meuse Region, in the Argonne Forest. They became know as the, ‘Lost Battalion.’ They were surrounded by Germans and the Allied troops did not know their location. They tried sending runners and many pigeons to inform the Allied Forces of their location, to no avail. Finally, with one pigeon left, the brave Cher Ami, she flew out with the message in a cannister attached to her leg. She was shot in the chest, one leg was hanging by a tendon, and she lost an eye, but she flew twenty-five miles to deliver the message to headquarters. She was a hero, awarded medals, and is displayed in the Smithsonian to this day. Her humble life story, as imagined by Kathleen Rooney, is inspiring.

Major Charles Whittlesey, born in Wisconsin, moved with his family to Massachusetts and graduated Green Bay high school in 1901, college in 1905, and Harvard Law School in 1908. He and a former classmate ran a successful law practice in New York City. He was the last person any of his friends would predict of enlisting to join the fighting in France. Major Whittlesey’s was an intelligent, capable, and thoughtful man. He managed his troops well but always felt he failed his men in the Lost Battalion even though he was regarded as a war hero by everyone.

Ms. Rooney tells their story from their beginnings, background, and families. She does not disguise the horror of war but is compassionate and heartfelt with this story in our history. This book is brilliant, please do not miss it. Kathleen Rooney is an author to keep your eye on!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and Kathleen Rooney

This book is not for me.It is slow and contemplative and meandering and I just could not make myself care. I was dreading my reading time because I was feeling obligated to read this book and I just can't continue even though I'm 40% in. This is a DNF for me.

3.5/5

Let me start off by saying that the biggest reason why I can’t give this book a full five stars is one that I’m sure will not disturb many readers; many others will probably rate this book much higher, and rightfully so. However, in all honesty, I could not overlook the fact that one of the narrators happens to be a stuffed, homing pigeon, on display at the famous Smithsonian, at the centennial of the end of WWI – or, the “Great War” as they called it at the time. Yes, I know there have been many books with animals quite successfully narrating the story. George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” is one, “Watership Down” by Richard Adams is another. Yes, I did enjoy both of those books, but I really struggled with this novel.

I think the main reason for this are the differences between those books and this novel. First, those were fantastical books, either meant to be read as allegories, where humans were only in the background. Another difference is that none of the animal narrators in those books were dead when they begin to tell their stories. I think you all know by now that I’m really not into the paranormal genre; I can take a ghost or two on the sidelines once in a while, but I really don’t want one to be a main protagonist, and certainly not one who isn’t a human’s spirit. Using this mechanic also made Cher Ami’s narrative inconsistent; there were times where she saw things happening outside the museum, but then she couldn’t connect with other pigeons and people from her life – both alive and dead. That made no sense to me; either your spirit can transcend your physical post-life placement, or it can’t. In short, it seemed to me that had Rooney chosen to not tell Cher Ami’s story in first person, from beyond the grave, and instead done some kind of third person omnipresent telling, I might have rated this book higher.

On the other hand, throughout Whittlesey’s narrative, he is totally alive, although some of the things he recounts are so horrible that I’m guessing he wasn’t happy he survived them. His story focuses mostly on his leading one of the cohorts during the fighting in the Argonne Forest in France, into a battle that came to be known as the “Lost Battalion”. Some of what Rooney has him recount are so gory and shocking, it made me quite uncomfortable to read these passages. However, here’s the thing; Rooney’s prose is so vivid that I could almost smell the stenches and taste the mustard tinge in the air. I think that this is what kept me reading to the end of this book – Rooney’s writing style. I knew this about Rooney before, and frankly, I asked for this novel solely on the basis that I adored her previous book, “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” and I didn’t really investigate any further; I just wanted to read another book by her. Rest assured that although this novel didn’t work for me because of the dead pigeon, it will NOT put me off Rooney as an author. Furthermore, I should note that despite all the grisly bits, Rooney was also able to inject quite a bit of humor and beauty into this story.

Aside from the beautiful writing here, there was one clever thing that Rooney did that I enjoyed. As she switched between the Major’s story and Cher Ami’s story, the opening lines of the parallel chapters were similar if not exactly the same. What this did was make you feel like there was a type of spiritual connection between these two, as well as a literary one; they each told their sides of the same story, and could almost read each other’s minds. It was also interesting how Rooney decided to assume that both Cher Ami and the Major were homosexuals. With Cher Ami, Rooney made it seem like this was very natural among the pigeon population, and was uncontested by any of the males with whom she was confined. Obviously, the Major had to hide his orientation, because that was how it was back then. Most importantly, the tenderness that Rooney uses to describe the attachments of these two was just splendid.

I guess this is why I’m feeling guilty about my rating for this novel. There is so much to love here, including many wise observances of the faults and strengths of the human condition, written so compassionately, that it sometimes took my breath away. Despite this, I just couldn’t get past Cher Ami as a narrator, both as a bird and as a dead one. However, I will still warmly recommend this to readers who can easily ignore this, because Rooney’s writing is just that amazing. I think the best rating from me for this book would be three and a half stars out of five.

The events that surround Cher Ami and Major Charles Whittlesey during WWI are the ingredients of legends and something worth writing about. Ahem! Both contribute to an outstanding account of heroism that is unique, fascinating, gripping, and authentic to the point where it is impossible to disentangle the weave of fiction from meticulously ordered fact. The story is all the more astonishing when we realise that Cher Ami is a homing pigeon, a female bird with a male name that became recognised for its bravery, determination and valour at a crucial moment in the war. A bird honoured with the Croix de Guerre Medal and by being crudely stuffed and on display in the Smithsonian, for flying through enemy fire to alert the US Army to the location of their Lost Battalion in the Argonne Forest. A British bird, with a French name, flying for the Americans.

Cher Ami is one of the hundreds of pigeons carrying messages “from cog to cog in the giant Teutonic machine of war.” Kathleen Rooney has given Cher Ami a voice which while from the perspective of a bird is confused with how humans perceive and interact with the world around them but also gives the bird a human voice that quizzes and draws emotions into life. This is very cleverly delivered and obviously avoids page after page of cooing.

Major Charles Whittlesey (Whit) was a very intelligent man, graduating from Harvard University with a law degree, a confirmed bachelor and now commanding the 308th Regiment along the Meuse-Argonne offensive. The horrors of war are vividly created and it is no place for sentiment. Whit’s first experience of the ‘front’ sets the scene of the horrors awaiting.

“After the woods our good cheer was quelled by the faint first whiff of a real battlefield, a gagging combination of shit and gunpowder, gas and blood, decaying flesh and muddy rot. Though still distant, it was almost unbelievably awful, sending a spark of panic up my spine.”

Trapped in the Argonne Forest, Whit leads his men with distinction as their lives are held so precariously between being discovered by the Germans and being bombed by their own side. Whit has to watch his runners die and their stock of pigeons dwindle until there is only Cher Ami left.

“Her flight gave me a quick thrill of hope, but when she vanished over the ridge, the feeling did as well. We were really down to last things now: last pigeon, last scouts, and soon, perhaps, last bullets and last breaths.”

Cher Ami and Whit alternate their narrative throughout the novel and the two views on a situation are astutely compared and contrasted. The story from pre-war to the aftermath if filled with wonderful sensitivity and emotional impact. As Cher Ami reflects while in the Smithsonian “The Great War cost me a lot, and although it’s not a competition, on this, the eve of my centenary, I can honestly conclude that it cost Whit more.”

Heartbreaking, harrowing, brutal, enduring and indelibly imprinted on our minds, this is a story of great bravery and strength during the worst of times and the depression and anguish remaining when it is all over. I would highly recommend reading this book and would rate it 4.5 stars. I would like to thank Penguin Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

This is a history based on actual events like no other with dual protagonists/narrators like no others, an examination of courage and grief that goes straight to the heart.

The intervening years have softened the horrors of the First World War, presenting it as a "jolly adventure" in contrast to its reality. We see this "...vast obscenity that was the Great War" through the experiences of Major Wittingsley as he rallies his men of the Lost Batallion in an attempt to maintain standards under impossible conditions, even to being fired upon by friendly fire. As the survival appears more and more impossible, the final hope rides on the wings of Cher Ami, the prescient and impossibly brave pigeon who narrates her side of the story from her current roost in a display at the Smithsonian. Yes, she's really there.

Kathleen Rooney's interest in uncliched character studies was evident in her previous novel, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, which I loved a few years ago. With this novel, she breathes life into her two unlikely narrators. I was reminded of Watership Down in that I never doubted for a minute Cher Ami's side of the story. For his part, Major Whittlesey's struggles rang true, rendering his choices understandable. Rooney writes with the sensibility of a poet, with some truly lovely prose ("...I was still able to detect the smell of white roses at the edge of happiness.") These two kindred souls would even echo one another in mirrored language. On top of this, the cover is a true work of art, evocative and haunting. Highly recommended.

I have just finished reading “Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey” and throughly enjoyed it. The novel is set during the First World War and tells the story in a very original way, much more so than most historical fiction novels. There is something in this book for just about everyone and I believe it will appeal to a huge audience of readers. A truly excellent and rewarding read that I would highly recommend.

Such an amazing perspective of WW I. I will not describe the storyline because it’s so unusual you may not be able to envision how it could be good. But it is! Very well written with a lot of new to me information woven throughout. The writing is so good that we are easily able to feel like we are at the scene. Definitely read this, you will be glad you did. Thank you to Amanda from Penguin for providing the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Kathleen Rooney is a fantastic writer and I was excited to read this book after loving "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk." While this book reflect her talent for writing and storytelling, this particular story didn't hold my attention and I wasn't interested in it. Would recommend to others who love books about the past, about soldiers, about birds. Just wasn't for me.

The Lost Battalion is a World War I event lost to history. American soldiers found themselves isolated from their fellow troops in France’s Meuse-Argonne Forest while being attacked by friendly fire. Although human messengers made it back, the true heroine seemed to be Cher Ami, a carrier pigeon, who, despite being wounded, alerted headquarters who sent reinforcements. The beleaguered group’s commander, Major Charles Whittlesey, was awarded medals and fame yet never felt worthy; instead, obsessing over his failure to bring all his men home. Cher Ami died shortly after the War and is immortalized in the Smithsonian where she watches from her glass-enclosed case the millions of annual visitors. Kathleen Rooney’s unique approach allows her readers a dual POV: a soldier living through the hell of war and disappointments of life and a bird’s eye view of the confused anger of humans and the beauty of nature. As with Miss Boxfish, this author uses journeys, whether on foot or by wing, to enable a deeper understanding of her characters,

World War I. The Great War.

The book opens with a heavily laden first sentence: <i><b>Monuments matter most to pigeons and soldiers.</b></i>

A gay homing pigeon called, Cher Ami, was also a soldier.

October 14th, 1918, Cher Ami saved the lives of a battalion of lost American soldiers in the French woods and got stuffed, yes, wood-stuffed and wire-skeletoned, to be exhibit as <i>'a piece of mediocre taxidermy, collecting dust in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.</i> The museum was, according to Cher Ami, <i>the grandmother's attic of the entire country</i>. In the war logs of history, she was also listed as National Union of Racing Pigeons Number 615. Cher Ami preferred her "Dear Friend" name, though. It gave her an almost human soul with human thoughts and feelings. It enabled her to tell her story in human words. Imagine: A British bird, awarded a French <i>Croix de Guerre</i> for saving the lives of American soldiers. And imagine more to be exhibited and described as a cock bird by all and sundry. It hurts. It really hurts. She was a hen. A non-egg-laying hen as it was, but still a hen. Sigh.

She never became a sergeant, like Stubby, her fellow taxidermied war hero dog who shared her exhibit. A lifetime member of the Red Cross, awarded a gold medal--yes!--by General John J. Pershing. And also her best buddy for a hundred years in their Smithsonian glory.

Mon Cheri felt it was time to tell her story. It really was time. Her centennial celebration of being an exhibit with a story. And she had deep feelings for her cherished commander, Charles Whittlesey: Galloping Charlie, or Wit to his friend Bill Cavanaugh, Cher Ami's beloved pigeon master. Charles Whittlesey was also known as 'GO To Hell Whittlesey', heroic commander of the Lost Battalion.

This is the story of a silver-meddled pigeon and a multi-awarded hero. The story of The Lost Battalion in the Argonne forests of the Meuse-region of France in September 1918.(From Wikipedia):<i>Of the original 554 troops involved in the advance, 107 had been killed, 63 were missing and 190 were wounded. Only 194 were able to walk out of the ravine.</i>.

Whittlesey was their commander. He was an unlikely warrior, who (privately)regarded guns as toys, as much for grown men as for boys. Yet, there he was, performing his duty to become a hero; as one of the regular guys, perfect for combat: those with balls in their hands, who were always up for a beer, crude and violent, always up for fraternity pranks, and got shot and gassed and blown to pieces in wars. And he, good-humorlessly called "Count" and "Chick", the gentleman idealist, pacifist, poet, the accomplished lawyer in his other life, who had a wit <i>as keen as a safety blade</i>, was their leader in this Great War. <i>Other men may thrill to the sight of Old Glory rippling in the breeze, but for me the library(the warehouse of wisdom) was a better symbol of what I had taken up arms to defend.</i>

In his younger days, after the death of his beloved sister Annie, his parents and teachers, not understanding his grief, (paraphrasing)<i>joked that he was a pint-sized Romeo pining for his crushes. But when Whittelsey imagined himself as a Romeo, it was Mercutious, not Juliet, for whom he was yearning.</i>

Animals and humans at war. The Great War. Based on a true story, as confirmed by Wikepdia.<blockquote><i>Charles White Whittlesey was born in Florence, Wisconsin, where his father worked as a logger, and he attended school in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He moved with his family in 1894 to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Pittsfield High School in the class of 1901. He enrolled at Williams College, where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall, graduating in 1905. He was voted the "third-brightest man" in his class, and because of his aristocratic manner was nicknamed "Count." He earned a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1908. Soon after graduating he formed a law partnership with his Williams classmate J. Bayard Pruyn in New York City. Influenced by his friend and roommate at Williams, Max Eastman, Whittlesey spent several years as a member of the American Socialist Party before resigning his membership in disgust over what he viewed as the movement's increasing extremism.</blockquote>This novel is a never-ending experience of war in its brutal severity. The historic detail might have perhaps overstayed its welcome, and became longwinded, but the overall story,written from a unique postmodern angle, was compelling enough. Who would consider writing a novel with a pigeon(with a poetic sense of humor) as one of the two protagonists?

In historical fiction, there is a silent agreement between author and reader that the hard physical battle of the characters in the plot will become the emotional turmoil of the reader in translation. No compromises. No escape. It's the deal. The survivors of both battles will walk away with their hearts ripped out. This novel is no exception.

The author has an immense talent for storytelling.

After closing the novel, I was thinking about the first sentence again: <i>Monuments matter most to pigeons and soldiers.</i> I'm still thinking about this metaphor, or was it a prophecy? It's a mouthful. And very sad, if you think about it.

Thanks to Penguin Books, Kathleen Rooney and Netgalley for the ARC.

Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey by Kathleen Rooney, 336 pages

During World War I, homing pigeons were used by the allied forces to send messages when phone lines and other human constructs simply failed. In the case of a battalion that made it farther behind enemy lines than its neighboring troops, these pigeons were literally a lifesaver. This book tells the story of that "lost battalion" through the eyes of its leader, Major Charles Whittlesey, and Cher Ami, the pigeon that delivered the life-saving message.

I'll have to admit that I wasn't expecting to read a WWI story told as the memories of a taxidermied pigeon when I picked this up, and honestly, I kinda wish I'd known what I was in for. I loved the realistic treatment of Major Whittlesey's reminiscences as a gay man in the war, but when it came to Cher Ami's chapter, I found I had trouble believing her philosophical ruminations on human constructs of war, religion, bigotry, and so many other things. Perhaps if I'd read Rooney's previous novel, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, I'd know what I was getting into. But this one was just too much.

MI obviously didn’t pay attention when I requested this book from netgalley. But I loved Lilian Boxfish Takes A Walk. Cher Ami is an unusual main character. She is a stuffed homing pigeon who served in WWI and now resides in the Smithsonian along with the stuffed remains of Sergeant Stubby. She earned her place in the Smithsonian for flying through enemy fire to alert the US Army to the location of the Lost Battalion.
We also hear from Major Charles Whittlesey, who commanded the Lost Battalion. The Lost Battalion was part of the last offensive in the Argonne Forest. They were trapped behind enemy lines and suffered friendly fire.
Rooney does a lovely job of weaving historical and scientific facts with the story. She alternates their stories, providing not just the war but the times before and after. Whittlesey, a confirmed bachelor, has to hide his true self. Cher Ami was misidentified as a male pigeon (thus the name). “An English bird with a French name here to fly for the Americans...And your name is masculine, but you’re a hen, unless I miss my guess. Mon Dieu, life in wartime!”
I was surprised to find myself enjoying Cher Ami’s chapters as much as I did. Anthropomorphism is often poorly done and too kitschy. But not here. I enjoyed learning about homing pigeons, about which I knew absolutely nothing. The best historical fiction teaches you something new while providing an excellent story and this did that in spades. Rooney doesn’t spare us at all from the horrors of war. But as harrowing as the war scenes were, in some ways, the aftermath of the war was even worse. Cher Ami and Whittlesey both are used as props for the government’s message and neither are capable of handling the sorrow.
This is beautifully written. Rooney uses one twist of having both Cher Ami and Charles comment on the same bit of conversation or event and providing their own take on it. I loved that sense of deja vu when the words would appear again under the next chapter heading.
Expect some tears, it’s that moving.
My thanks to netgalley and Penguin Books for an advance copy of this book.

This a beautifully written story told by a pigeon and a man. The setting is WWI, immediately before, and the period of three years after.

Cher Ami - the pigeon. Trained to be a homer (homing pigeon). Unselfishly donated to help in the war cause as a messenger. Cher Ami is one of the best homers and had won many prizes in competitions before being donated to the war cause. Her voice is fresh and lovable. I fell in love with this bird.

Charles Whittlesey - a lawyer before the war. Trained first as a private and again as an officer at Plattsburgh. Fought in WWI France. He was the commander of The Lost Battalion. The Lost Battalion is the name given to 9 companies of the 77th Division who were isolated for a week in the Argonne Forest in October 1918. His story is touching. I fell in love with Major Whittlesey too.

The story is roughly broken down into three segments: lives of both before the war, the scenes during the war, and the effects on all doughboys and doughpigeons after the war is over. The book starts out as light and fun, but increases in its seriousness as the book progresses. Be prepared for this change in tone.

I was deeply touched by this book, its historic events and the poetic prose Rooney used to describe the events and the thoughts of the two main characters. I will not forget the effect of this book on me for a long time to come.

This is my second Rooney. I read Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk and LOVED it.
Next I will have to read some of Rooney's poetry. What a talented gal!!

5 stars

I will say right up front this book is not for everyone. It is a slower-moving story. Based on real events of World War I, Cher Ami was a homing pigeon used to carry messages, and Major Whittlesey was the major of a group of soldiers who became known as the Lost Battalion. Told in alternating chapters, one written by Cher Ami and the next by Major Charles Whittlesey, there is a unique "feel" to this book. Cher Ami's body was preserved by a taxidermist and was placed on display at the Smithsonian. Cher Ami looks back on the 100th anniversary of World War I.

Homing pigeons could be trained to fly many, many miles, returning to the place where they left. Cher Ami, which means dear friend in French, started life as an English racing pigeon. When the war commenced, the speediest pigeons were to be used to deliver messages to and from headquarters. Charles Whittlesey was an excellent military leader, caught in a war where many battles were handled less than well. There are a variety of viewpoints and descriptions, and the story of Cher Ami will linger with the reader.