Reading material on the First World War

[Lucius Vorenus]

Just wondering what people might recommend for reading material on the Great War? I'd like a good general overview of the war, as well as accounts of the fighting on a strategic and tactical level. Massive tomes are good, but perhaps not what I am looking for right now (I have plenty of work-related reading to be done! )

I already have Hew Strachen's The First World War and while it is a very good overall study, I would prefer some more 'stories from the trenches' as it were...in particular the Western Front.

These are some that have caught my eye so far...

Also by Hew Strachen, The Oxford Illustrated History of the First World War
David Stevenson's 1914-1918: The History of the First World War
John Keegan's The First World War.

I know Keegan is a very respected historial and I've dipped into some of his other works, is this good?

And whilst I know they are very much bite-size histories, I do still like the Osprey books. Can anyone recommend any ones in particular? The First Battle of the Marne looks nice, had a flick through it in Waterstones the other day...

Thanks!

[mikeland]

For a picture of life on the western front, with plenty on anecdotes Richard Holmes Tommy is a great read.

[Lucius Vorenus]

Thanks Mikeland, forgot to ask about that one!!

I have Redcoat, and like it, so I will probably give Tommy a go.

[Invisible officer]

On my list of WW I books Captain J.C. Dunn, The War the infantry knew 1914-1919 would be very much on top. A first hand account by the medical officer of 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers. Compiled from his diaries and that of other officers.

For an insight into the mountains of paper an officer had to read in WW I the "An officers Manual of the Western Front 1914-1918, compiled by Stephen Bull is great. Not a single Manual but parts of many.

Call to arms, the British army 1914-1918 by Charles Messenger is another top ranking book on my personal list, if you want to learn how the army was formed it is great . It could be called a standard reference for social history of the WW I army too.

Another standard study that I would name is For the sake of eaxample, Capital Court martials 1914-1920 by Thomas Babbington. No light reading. I was shocked to read that the British WW I army had 7 times more executions than the German army. With a smaller force. Nothing I would have expected. A very good book how the army treated the shell shocked in WW I it is too.

And for something away from the Western Front Allenby's war, The palestine-Arabian campaigns 1916-1918 by David L. Bullock is nice reading with many photos.

[pbeccas]

http://books.google.com.au/books/about/ ... edir_esc=y

The above book,The Great War, focuses on the Australian Imperial Force on the Western Front 1916 to 1918. It's probably the best book I have ever read. It covers political, tactical and operational warfare. It details battle plans. Individual Victoria Cross winners. Heaps of maps. You feel like your fighting along with the Anzacs. Best of all it's easy to read. It's not written like a technical manual. At 862 pages, it needs to be an easy read!

[grant]

An interesting read is When Your Number's Up by Desmond Morton - a statistical analysis - rather grim.

Also, my favourite picks:

The Guns of August by Tuchman - early war analysis
The Marne 1914 by Herwig - more early war, and a real look at how close the war came to ending, early!
WW1 - The African Front by Paige - very different theatre altogether - probably better wargaming possibilities here, to be honest
Barker VC by Ralph - a fantastic biography of the finest airman of the Allied side.
Vimy by Berton - no finer book exists on the seminal battle in April 1917.
Infantry Attacks by Rommel - yes, that Rommel. Early war, trench war, Italian mountain fighting - this guy did it all. And then became a famous general!

And here are a few photos from my trip to Vimy in April of 2010:

Walking in one of the two cemeteries.


Close up of the Vimy Memorial - and some of the 13000+ names that surround it. Each name remembers a Canadian who simply ceased to exist during the Great War, and no remains were ever found.


A far away shot of the Vimy Memorial. Really massive, and it was a suitably grey and downcast day when we visited the site.

[Lucius Vorenus]

Thanks IO, Grant and pbeccas, all very interesting.

I picked up Paths of Glory: The French Army 1914-18 by Anthony Clayton the other day (at half price no less ), should be interesting as most book around these parts are of course rather more focused on the BEF.
http://www.amazon.com/PATHS-GLORY-1914- ... roduct_top

I will still look into the others too, as well as German perspectives/experiences.

[Cubster]

'Last Letters Home' is hard to read but as the title suggests, is a collection of letters from soldiers who didn't make it to their loved ones.

Possibly not one to read if you have a loaded weapon in the house or a large capacity gas oven.

[Greystreak]

Paul Fussell, The Great War and Modern Memory, 1975. Multi-award winning publication, providing a cultural and literary analysis of the impact of the Great War on modern literature, literary conventions, and so much more, by a serving and decorated veteran of WWII.

[Morsleib]

For a picture of life on the western front, with plenty on anecdotes Richard Holmes Tommy is a great read.

I'll second that. It doesn't give a history of the war as such but is a fantastic view from the trenches.

Terry