Kings, Queens and Pawns: An American Woman at the Front

Book excerpt: This collection by journalist and mystery writer Mary Roberts Rinehart contained her observations on her travels during 1914 when she went to Europe alone to cover World War I. She wonderfully describes everything from being received by King Albert in Belgium and recording his first certified statement on the war to meeting Winston Churchill and travelling to the English and French front lines as the first reporter allowed. Moreover, she made some interesting observations on the people, places and events she came across during her time there. Apart from being a travel book, this work was, more importantly, a humanitarian plea to Americans to join the war effort three years before the American Expeditionary Force set sail for Europe.