Put this One On Your WWI Winter's Reading List

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Greetings All,

 

Many times in this forum folks have wondered about the Great War and raised thoughts and questions concerning how it started, how it was that the Central Powers "lost" while the Entente "won", etc. As a student of WWI history I have read numerous works on the subject, slogged through multi-volume accounts riddled with facts and dates, sifted through the personal writings of generals, soldiers, statesmen and the like. But in all my studies over the years I have never come across a single source book that has been as singularly informative, entertaining, and enlightening as G.J. Meyer's recent work, "A World Undone". It hit the bookshelves almost four years ago and I wish now I would have read it when it came out. If you want what is, IMHO, the best outline of the events that shaped the War as well as an overview of the War itself, you will find none better. Meyer's style is easy to read and will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what happens next, even though you know the ultimate outcome. I found myself at times laughing, at other times on the verge of tears, and all the while being drawn into the events that literally shaped world histroy for the last century. The book is historically accurate and gives outstanding insight into the major players in the game. If you read only one book about the Great War, I strongly urge you to make it this one.

 

Cheers!

 

Lou

 

.

[Olham 164]

Like you, I wished I had known this earlier - cause I have just recently bought two books about the subject.

William Jannen's "Lions of July" which I'm currently reading, shows all the diplomatic actions and exchanges

from all parties, before the war started. The other book is Hew Strachan's "The First World War" (not yet read).

 

Do you know those books, Lou, and what do you think of them?

Thank you for your book tip anyway - I may buy it for myself for Christmas.

[Slartibartfast 153]

That is now on my reading list... Thanks

 

For the Amazon hunters out there

 

http://www.amazon.com/World-Undone-Story-Great-1914/dp/0553382403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289825163&sr=8-1

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Undone-Story-Great-1914/dp/0553382403/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1289825243&sr=1-1-catcorr

 

Also it is available on one of those Kindle type thingies... but only to UK Customers.

[Von Paulus 8]

Unfortunately, in these days, I don't have much time to read.

But one of the WWI books which is already waiting on my shelves is Robert K. Massie's "Castles of Steel". I've read from the same author "Dreadnought" some years ago, a great book about the naval rivalry between Britain and Germany after the death of Queen Victoria. I'm not sure if we can call it a sequel, but I sincerely hope to be as good as the first one.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Olham, IIRC "The First World War" is the condensed version of Strachen's monster three-volume earlier work on the subject. He is a leading WWI historian and knows of what he speaks. However, I cannot claim to have read his complete writings but only short excerpts, much as I have done with Jannen's "Lions of July" and John Keegan's "First World War".

 

VP, I've not read any of Massie's work and will have to get to that someday as well.

 

Slarti, thanks for the links Sir.

 

So many books, so little time.

 

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Edited November 15, 2010 by RAF_Louvert

[Olham 164]

Tried to find Meyer's book in German; no success so far - does anyone know the German title?

Is it available in German at all?

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Sorry Olham, it may not have been translated yet, I can't find a German language version posted anywhere either. Hopefully it will come along soon Sir.

 

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[Von Paulus 8]

VP, I've not read any of Massie's work and will have to get to that someday as well.

At least "Dreadnought", is a must. It's a reference book for the pre WWI. His writing style is very clear and vivid, so it makes the reading very enjoyable.

[Olham 164]

Sometimes I'd like to be a British or American person. So many books about WW1 and the technology

like dreadnoughts and aircraft are available only in English.

Although I can read them, I find very often, that I have to look up words I don't understand - "dreadnought"

is one such word; I just loked it up and it seems to be the German "Schlachtschiff" - a ship larger than

a "Kreuzer" (battle cruiser?).

It is just more fun, when you can read fluidly. That's why I got Strachan's "Der erste Weltkrieg" - it was

translated into German.

Edited November 15, 2010 by Olham

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

I can sympathize with you Olham. I have tried to sort through a few German language writings on the Great War over the years, but it gets quite tedious sitting with the book I am attempting to understand in one hand a German-English dictionary in the other. Reminds me of the Monty Python sketch where they're plodding their way through "Black Beauty".

 

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[Olham 164]

For you it must be so much worse, Lou - I would only try that in very important cases.

I wonder, if many German books get translated into English?

[Slartibartfast 153]

Well me I am just going nuts trying to relearn German... and not just for reading or watching Das Boot... but because I am now a citizen of Wien Austria and its a way of life... the toughest thing though is that the people here speak to me in English and when you ask them why they state and I quote...

 

It's so I can practice my English

 

When asking what if I want to practice my German the response is more

 

I didn't think of that...

[Olham 164]

Well, Austrians speak their own dialekt of German often anyway - must be hard to understand,

even with a good school education. If I watch Austrian movies (which often have a similarly black

humour as you British have), I often find it hard to understand it all.

[RAF_Louvert 101]

.

 

Austria! To quote Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber, (can't believe I am actaully going to quote Lloyd).

 

 

Lloyd: "That's a lovely accent you have. New Jersey?"

 

Lady at bus stop: "Austria."

 

Lloyd: "Austria! Well, then. G'day mate! Let's put another shrimp on the barbie!"

 

Lady at bus stop: "Let's not."

 

It was not called Dumb and Dumber without good reason.

[Von Paulus 8]

Olham, in Portuguese is even worst. Only half a dozen books are translated.

I've given up to read in Portuguese a long time ago. In terms of WWI and History's books, of course.

[Olham 164]

Well, who would translate for people who seem to have everything you need:

a wonderful coastline with pleasant beaches, a good kitchen and fine wines,

ports and sherries...

[Von Paulus 8]

Well, who would translate for people who seem to have everything you need:

a wonderful coastline with pleasant beaches, a good kitchen and fine wines,

ports and sherries...

...and an increasing public debt (already closed to bankruptcy), a lot of corrupted politicians and a sense of there's no economical, judicial, financial and political solution.

Nowadays it seems, that are the foreigners who regards more for Portugal than it's own natives. 2012 will be a funny year for Portugal, you'll see Olham.

[Olham 164]

Don't worry, von Paulus. It's not the common working people who ran the values of the currencies below zero -

that was done by the speculation of the banks. But what will they do to press a value for that money out of the

common man - reinstall slavery? No way! They would get hanged on the nearest trees!

[themightysrc 5]

"The other book is Hew Strachan's "The First World War" (not yet read)."

 

Read it Olham. I've read a fair few books on WWI, and I'd say that Strachan's book is the best single volume history of the war ever written. In the English version, the style is light and lucid, yet compelling and detailed. I found his ability to knit the narrative around so many disparate elements, and yet strongly retain his thread and arguments, to be quite extraordinary. Certainly a better read than Keegan, and he's no slouch. Highly recommended.

Edited November 15, 2010 by themightysrc

[Hasse Wind 46]

...and an increasing public debt (already closed to bankruptcy), a lot of corrupted politicians and a sense of there's no economical, judicial, financial and political solution.

Nowadays it seems, that are the foreigners who regards more for Portugal than it's own natives. 2012 will be a funny year for Portugal, you'll see Olham.

 

Don't worry, if worse comes to worst, the European Union will save you from bankruptcy. Just queue up behind Greece, Ireland and Spain. The Lords of Europe in Brussels have money to spare. It's best to spend it all now before the oppressed masses finally decide the whole thing isn't working and revolt.

 

Now speaking of WW1 books, I haven't read the one recommended by Lou but I will add it to my reading list.

 

Like Von Paulus, I also recommend Massie's naval books. They are really good, and you don't have to be a naval historian to enjoy reading them. And yeah, for the minor European languages, it's hopeless to expect to find that many translated historical books. If I didn't speak English, my knowledge about WW1 would be much more limited simply because it's so rare to find many books about the subject in my own language. It's understandable, because publishers can't really afford to translate and print books that only relatively few people would buy.

 

Olham, below are the names of the most important warship types used in WW1 in German and English:

 

Schlachtschiff - Battleship (Dreadnoughts were modern battleships, and they received the name from the first of their kind, the British HMS Dreadnought, launched in 1906. Britain had them, so Germany also needed them, and then Britain had to build more, then Germany etc. etc. - ie. the naval race.)

 

Schlachtkreuzer - Battlecruiser (Lighter and faster warships than the dreadnoughts. Not as well armored, making them much more vulnerable in battle.)

 

Kreuzer - Cruiser (Lighter and smaller ships used for many roles, reconnaissance, escort etc. Smaller cruisers were called light cruisers, heavier heavy cruisers.)

 

Zerstörer - Destroyer (Small, fast and agile warships, mainly used for escorting and anti-submarine warfare.)

[Olham 164]

Yes, I read the first two pages, when I got it, and his style is very good to read.

Only need to eat my way through Jannen's "Lions of July" in English.

[Guest British_eh]

Hi there,

 

That's one I will have to add.

 

If you're looking for a historically accurate book, written in an operational presentation, and not novel style, then try -

The Sky Their Battlefield: Air Fighting and the Complete List of Allied Air Casualties from Enemy Action in the First War: British, Commonswealth, and United States Air Services 1914 to 1918 - Hardcover (Nov. 1995) by Trevor Henshaw

 

It's excellent as a straight forward factual commentary and a listing of the sorties flown by the Allies, and the results. I have been using it as a reference for the SIA-RSS Setttings guides.

 

Cheers,

 

British_eh