"WW1 Book recommendations?" Topic

Did a search under this topic and was a little surprised not to find anything. (Maybe I didn't put in the right terms. If that's the case please feel free to direct me to a prior thread.)

I'm toying with the idea of getting into World War I gaming but need some inspiration to spend money on yet another period. I already have quite a few ospreys and picture books on World War I, but I'm looking for a more serious read. I went to Amazon but was overwhelmed by all the choices, so I'm hoping for some advice. I'm looking for an overview of the war that includes a good military history. If that's too broad I'm willing to focus on the Western front land battles. I'd like to avoid Keegan in favor of something with more recent scholarship if possible. That's much for your help!

My question is are you looking into the West Front, Eastern Front, Italian Front etc. Or are you looking for a book that tries to cover everything in complete package.
You are right that the subject matter is a littler harder to find but some real serious reads are available especially from places like Naval & Military Press which really kind of make World War I their main business.

Hi

I would suggest A Storm in Flanders: The Triumph and Tragedy on the Western Front (2002)by Winston Groom.

The First World War by John Keegan

The Guns of August (1962) by Barbara Tuchman

Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence.

I can recommend some books but some would be specific to certain fronts or campaigns not so much an overview of the entire war. One book that is serious and gives a lot information from the German side is The German High Command at War Hindenburg and Ludendorf conduct World War I by Robert B. Asrey. An older book published 1991 so don't know how easy to find. It does provide an overview of the war as conducted by the Germans.

I'll give two books that destroyed the 'lions led by donkey's myth for me.
Paddy Griffith's 'Battle Tactics of the Western Front'. A real eye opener on the tactics used by the British from 1916.
link
Gary Sheffield's 'Forgotten Victory'. link
Both written from a British perspective but don't let that put you off.

Neilland's books come up as Kindle freebies now and then – I've got 1914, 1915 and 1916 – the primary focus is on the BEF and the Western front

And Naval Military Press have a seriously good line in contemporary reprints, as well as a mouthwatering "spread the pain" of buying a library's worth of books in one go (split the pressure over 4 months if spending over GBP 80 or 12 months if spending GBP 250…

I will second Paddy Griffith's book. But I will even more strongly recommend "If Germany Attacks" by G.C. Wynne. It was published just prior to the 1940 Fall of France, to prepare the Allies for defensive war. It gives an easy to read, interesting history of the development of the defense and the attack on the Western Front. The Western Front made sense to me after I read it, and I think it could do the same for you.

"Destroyed the lion's lead by donkeys"- be very careful about revisionist history with an axe to grind. The western front deserves every critique its garnered in works of history, literature and art during the interwar years and since. To this day, it is difficult to really get exited about the upper military leadership of any of the great powers.

If you enjoy reading anecdotal works you should read any of the books by Lyn MacDonald.

I like whackmole9's selections except for Lawrences book. It has a lack of detail in it that I didn't like. Though it was intaresting as far as comparing it to the movie.

"Bloody Victory" by William Philpott covers the Somme as a pivotal point in the 20th century. Recommended by Richard Holmes which is always a good bet.

For perspectives other than Great Britain:

"The Eastern Front" by Norman Stone. Despite it's age it's still the best account going.

"Through German Eyes" by Christopher Duffy, is the Somme battle from the German side. (obviously)

"The Price of Glory" by Alistair Horne. This is the battle of Verdun, largely from the French side.

All of these can be considered NOT of the "Lions and Donkeys" variety.

Pan, I am very careful of revisionist history. Neither of the books I quoted has an axe to grind, except maybe to credit the fighting men of all ranks with more than blind idiocy and jingoistic patriotism. Read the books and you will see what I mean.

One of the best history books I've ever read was "Dare Call It Treason." It was about the mutinees in the French army during the war so not an all around book on the war but very well researched and very well written.

Sometimes it is good to dive into a period with a book that is a pleasure to read even if you don't know all of the background. You will likely know enough for this one anyway.

The 6 volumes of the History of World War I published by Amber books are excellent. About $30 USD each, but I got mine for half that from a discounter. If you just want the Western front they have two volumes dealing with 1914-16 and the 1917-18 respectively. Their Eastern Front volume is probably the best of the series.
Old – but new in terms of being scholarly about the war before his time – anything by John Terraine is pretty balanced. 'White Heat' and 'To Win a War' are both very good.
I'd second Paddy Griffith if you are interested in the evolution of infantry tactics, but it is specialised rather than an overview. Essential if you want to game the conflict, though.

My favs are:

The Bastard War (Barker)(Mesopotamia)
Damn the Dardanelles (John Laffin)
The Dardanelles Campaign (Nevinson)
The Smoke Screen of Jutland (John Irving)

I agree with ShaunB. Anything by Gary Sheffield, Paddy Griffith, Brian Bond, Peter Simpkins, Peter Hart, Dan Todman, William Phillpott, John Terraine, Gordon Corrigan etc etc.

The Lions led by Donkeys is a myth, based on Alan Clarke's politicised and polemic nonsense. It's continually rehashed by people like Keegan and Hastings, so I would give those a wide birth. Modern revisionist history of the First World War is done WITHOUT an axe to grind (unlike the Lions and Donkeys school). The best one to start with is Sheffield's 'Forgotten Victory', which quickly destroys any mythological aspects of the First World War.

I have also published my MA dissertation (in PDF format) written on the depictions of Chemical Warfare of the First World War in contemporary novels compared to actual combat experience. It's on my blog (link below) and touches on some of the myths of the First World war and has an extensive bibliography:

link

Battles on the Tigris by Ron Wilcox
is a good overview of the WW1 campaign in Mesopotamia (Iraq)

"I'd like to avoid Keegan in favor of something with more recent scholarship if possible."

How recent do you mean? His views shifted quite a bit from 'The Face of Battle' to 'The First World War', I would still recommend the latter as one of the best single volume histories of WW1.

Much as I love e.g. Paddy Griffiths, Gary Sheffield etc, many of their books are extremely specific and not what the OP was after.

A few single volume works I would recommend are:

'The First World War' by John Keegan
'The First World War' by Hew Strachan, perhaps a bit lightweight
'The Great War 1914-18' by C.R.M.F. Cruttwell (this is fairly elderly, and all the better for it)
'The World War One Sourcebook' by Haythornthwaite

If you want something more specific, then a heart rending, moving and inspiring account is J.C. Dunns 'The war the infantry knew'.

And you really can't beat Ernst Jungers 'Storm of Steel'.

Keegan attacks revisionists in 'The First World War' as concentrating on tactics too much.

Fair point about being specific. In that case I would pick up something like Peter Hart's new one 'The First World War' or David Stephenson's '1914-1918' that's a pretty weighty tome.

Don't forget Rommel's "Attack", a great book on WW1 small unit actions.

Just picked up "The Western Front Companion" by Mark Adkin from Amazon, haven't read it yet but looks interesting skimming through it.

Wow--still a lot to sift through but thanks for all the recs!