The Good Soldier is a novel by English novelist Ford Madox Ford. It is set just before World War I and tells the tragedy of Edward Ashburnham, the soldier to whom the title refers. The novel is told using a series of flashbacks, a literary technique that formed part of Ford's pioneering view of literary impressionism. The novel was loosely based on Ford's personal life.This is the best-selling title by Ford. It was included in the the 100 best novels list by The Guardian: "Ford's masterpiece is a searing study of moral dissolution behind the facade of an English gentleman - and its stylistic influence lingers to this day." The Guardian.