"A Young Poor Officer: Excerpts from a Personal Diary Collected by His Son, Samuel Viode" is a fascinating book-testimony of the famous French writer Pierre Loti. These open letters and records tell the story of the life of a young officer who faced the hardships and challenges of the service. Through the prism of his personal diary, the reader gets the opportunity to learn about the inner thoughts, feelings and experiences of the hero. "Poor Young Officer" is a work that reveals to the reader not only intimate pages of the main character's life, but also reflects the world of his time, his aspirations and disappointments. The book calls for openness and self-discovery, and also tells about the difficult trials that one has to face on the way to achieving one's goals.