This anthology of poems is set against the background of World War I - 'The Great War'. It strives to capture the emotions of those involved in The Great War and to describe their different perspectives. The collection covers the early days of the war and the excitement that came with it - 'He Volunteered' is based on this stage of the war. The reality of the situation that soldiers found themselves in is expressed in 'Never in a Billion Tears' and 'Fastest Finger First'. The camaraderie and the friendships that developed during the war are described in 'Since We Were Boys', and the 'disconnect' between the infantry and the general staff is described in 'Futility Rooms'. The views of the general public were an important aspect of the war, and some of these appear in 'What Do I Know?'.