The British author Ford Madox Ford published a book titled ''The Good
Soldier'' is a Tale of Passion in 1915. It takes place just before World
War I and details the tragedy of Edward Ashburnham's marriage, which on
the surface seemed flawless, as well as that of his two American
friends. The book's narrative is told in a non-chronological order of
flashbacks; Ford's groundbreaking interpretation of literary
impressionism included this literary trick. Ford successfully employs
the tactic of the unreliable narrator as the main character gradually
reveals a version of events that is considerably different from what the
beginning leads the reader to assume. The book was based somewhat on two
instances of infidelity as well as Ford's complicated personal life. The
Saddest Story was the book's initial title, but the publishers requested
a change when World War I broke out. Ford coined the satirical phrase
"The Good Soldier," and it became popular. On the Modern Library's 1998
list of the top 100 English-language books released during the 20th
century, The Good Soldier was ranked number thirty. The BBC ranked the
best 100 British books of 2015, and The Good Soldier came in at number
thirteen.
