The Enormous Room

This title is printed to order. This book may have been self-published. If so, we cannot guarantee the quality of the content. In the main most books will have gone through the editing process however some may not. We therefore suggest that you be aware of this before ordering this book. If in doubt check either the author or publisher’s details as we are unable to accept any returns unless they are faulty. Please contact us if you have any questions.

The Enormous Room is an autobiographical novel by the poet E. E. Cummings, based on his experiences as a prisoner in France during World War I. The book is a blend of memoir, satire, and poetic storytelling, offering a unique perspective on war, bureaucracy, and the resilience of the human spirit.

In 1917, Cummings volunteered as an ambulance driver for the American Field Service in France. Along with his friend William Slater Brown, he was arrested by French authorities on suspicion of espionage due to Brown's letters expressing pacifist sentiments. Cummings, though innocent, was imprisoned in La Ferte-Mace, an internment camp, for several months before being released.

The title, The Enormous Room, refers to the large, overcrowded dormitory where he and other prisoners lived. Through vivid, often surreal descriptions, Cummings portrays the absurdity of military bureaucracy, the harshness of imprisonment, and the colorful personalities of his fellow detainees.

The Enormous Room stands out as a unique war memoir-less about battle and more about the absurdity of the systems behind it. It offers a glimpse into Cummings' early literary style and his lifelong themes of individuality, defiance, and poetic expression.