A "poilu" is the French word for ordinary soldier. It means "hairy one". I couldn't resist this book! The contents reminded me so much of "Dear Dorothy", a book created with some of the 286 letters my father wrote to my mother in WWII. The letters were very similar: lots of requests for more letters, packages of food, & just the longing of a soldier to be HOME. I'll be quoting Leon from time to time as we go through the trenches & craters.