Stars in a Dark Night: The Letters from Ivor Gurney to the Chapman Family

Stars in a Dark Night restores to print the first published collection of letters which Gurney wrote from the Western Front. Although the facts of Gurney's life are undeniably tragic, he managed to find great enjoyment in his friendships. That aspect of his life remained in the shadows as no documentary evidence had been found to support it, but the discovery of his letters to the Chapman family restores the balance. These letters give us a previously unrevealed insight into the courage, humour and warmth of his personality in the precious years prior to 1922 after which Gurney was committed to an asylum until his death. This is Gurney's own description of the Chapman's letters to him during the war. This unique and powerful collection of letters is fully complemented with photographs, documents and manuscript pieces.