Published in 1917, In Mesopotamia is a personal account of experiences as a medical officer during World War I written by Maurice Nicoll under the pen name Martin Swayne. It is a piece of historical text which brings forth the condition of the soldiers involved with the WWI. Maurice served in Iraq and Kuwait during the First World War and brings forth his experiences in the military in this novel. The book majorly focuses on the daily routines of military work, administration, sleeping arrangements, discomforts, travel, work, food, etc. Along with this, the story also provides insights about the country on occasion as well. Martin's writing is elegant and evokes images right from the battlefield and makes the readers experience all the situations for themselves. Therefore, In Mesopotamia remains relevant even today as it is an important historical text with in depth explanations of the events and happenings that took place during World War I and it helps us understand the plight of all the soldiers and families that had to live through the war.
Arthur M. Winfield (Edward Stratemeyer) was born on October 4, 1862, to Henry Julius Stratemeyer a tobacconist, and Anna Siegel. He was an American publisher, writer of Children's fiction, and founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate. He was probably the most creative author in the world, producing over 1,300 books and selling over 500 million copies. He also created many famous fictional book series for juveniles, including The Rover boys, The Bobbsey Twins, Tom Swift, The Hardy boys, and Nancy Drew. As a teenager, Stratemeyer worked at his own printing press in the basement of his father's tobacco shop, distributing flyers and brochures to his relatives. These included stories titled The Newsboys Adventure and The Tale of a Lumberman. After graduating from high school, he worked in his father's shop. He is not even 26 in 1888 while Stratemeyer sold his first story Victor Horton's Idea, to the famous children magazine The Golden Days.
