Facts, figures, summaries, definitions, timelines, chronologiesthere is a wealth of information here. Authors including michael morpurgo, melvin burgess and adele geras recommend their favourite books for children and teens about the first. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era. Tragically, twenty years after the end of the first great war, the world was back at it on a scale that dwarfed all earlier wars. Publication date 1958 topics world war, 19391945, world war, 19391945 publisher new york, watts.
Excellent singlevolume history of the first world war, focusing on the land battles on the western, eastern and italian fronts and the war. It reads like a very interesting story, and introduces you to the main events, milestones, and strategic milestones of the war. John keegans the first world war was everywhere praised, and became the definitive account of the war that created the modern world. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as. To mark the 70th anniversary of ve day, childrens authors including shirley hughes, michael morpurgo, sf said, piers torday and katherine. Jul 03, 2014 tony bradmans top 10 books about the first world war. Looks at the first use of poisoned gas on the western front, and the only major german offensive in the west in 1915, one of the great missed chances of the first world war. The first world war is a subject i enjoy reading about most of the time, but i felt strangely removed from the story when attempting this volume.
World war 1 facts for kids national geographic kids. The shattering effects of the war to end all wars have been depicted unforgettably by novelists and. Since our founding in 1992, first book has distributed more than 175 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from lowincome families. He has no earthshattering new theories to challenge the status quo, no first. World war i this is a wikipedia book, a collection of wikipedia articles that can be easily saved, imported by an external electronic rendering service, and ordered as a printed book. This book is about all of the technology, weapons, tactics, and battles of world war one. The origins of the first world war 3rd edition by ruth. This book goes day by day month by month year in a timeline of the war. Buy the penguin book of first world war poetry penguin classics 01 by walter, matthew george isbn.
What are the best childrens books on the second world war. The subject is getting more attention now, but this book was previously hailed as the best. Bettmanncorbis in the first half of the 20th century, young airmen discovered a joy in liberation. In fact, the first world war lasted four terrible years, not four months. I first discovered john keegan by reading his underrated book on the american civil war. Louis snyders recapitulation of the six years of world war ii is admirably clear and exceptionally concise. The war to end all wars, peter simkins, geoffrey jukes and michael hickey. Military history, memoir, and even a novelized series make this list of cantmiss books about the great war. During the conflict, germany, austriahungary, bulgaria and the ottoman empire the central powers fought against great britain, france, russia, italy, romania, japan and the united states the allied powers. It was the bloodiest conflict, as well as the largest war, in history. What are the best first world war books for children. Jun 05, 1999 keegans history of the first world war opens, unexpectedly, by talking about adolf hitler, and what i liked about this book was the way it presented 191418 as just the opening convulsions in a longer twentiethcentury cataclysm to which it remains intimately connected. Veterans of the first world war exservicemen and exservicewomen in post war britain and ireland, 1st edition. It then occurred to me that i had never read a book that covered the.
World war ii, conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during 193945. World war i pitted germany, austriahungary and the ottoman empire against great britain, the united states, france, russia, italy and japan. World war i often abbreviated as wwi or ww1, also known as the first world war or the great war, was a global war originating in europe that lasted from 28 july 1914 to 11 november 1918. Feb 26, 2018 this post on world war ii books is sponsored by libby. In the same article, on page 32, the term world war ii was first used speculatively to describe the upcoming war. By downloading libby to your smartphone, you can access thousands of ebooks and audiobooks from your library for free anytime and anywhere. Sarah ridley has created a fascinating book that explores the impact of the war on the soldiers, and on their families at home. The penguin book of first world war stories and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. The first world war avner offer oxford university press. Louis leo snyder 19071993 was an americanborn german scholar who witnessed the nazi mass meetings and wrote about them in hitlerism.
In this sterling account of the tragic and unnecessary conflict that inaugurated a century of horror, british military historian keegan fields of battle. The memoir has been called the bestknown book of a womans world war i experience, and is a significant work for the feminist movement and the development of. In this book offer presents a new interpretation of world war i, weaving together the economic and social history of the englishspeaking world, the pacific basin, and germany, with the development of food production and consumption. An illustrated history of the first world war thriftbooks. War horse is one of the best first world war books, relevant for all ages. I cannot recommend this book as an introductory account of the war and i think i would avoid it for subsequent reading. The two shots which killed the archduke and his wife in bosnia reverberated at the marne, at verdun, in the sinking of the and ricocheted when america tardily entered the war. The 17 best books on world war i of 2020 thoughtco. In the first battle of world war i, the germans assaulted the heavily fortified city of liege, using the most powerful weapons in their arsenalenormous siege cannonsto capture the city by. The worlds great powers assembled in two opposing alliances. The first world war was a watershed experience for the ethnic minorities who had come to the united states in record numbers at the turn of the last century. Keegans history of the first world war opens, unexpectedly, by talking about adolf hitler, and what i liked about this book was the way it presented 191418 as just the opening convulsions in a.
Nov 06, 2017 war horse is one of the best first world war books, relevant for all ages. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Snyder and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. First published in 1994, this book provides a comprehensive look at the great war. At 108 years old, harry patch was the only surviving veteran of the first world war when this book was published in 2007. The definitive account of the great war and national bestseller from one of our most eminent military historians, john keegan. Five books on world war i history smithsonian magazine. It left millions dead and reshaped the modern world. The origins of the first world war is a concise introduction to one of the major historical controversies. The main combatants were the axis powers germany, italy, and japan and the allies france, great britain, the united states, the soviet union, and china.
The instability created in europe by the first world war 191418 set the stage for another international conflict world war iiwhich broke out two decades later and would prove even more. Aug 10, 2018 have you ever considered what the best books about world war i are. Excellent singlevolume history of the first world war, focusing on the land battles on the western, eastern and italian fronts and the war against the ottoman empire. Jul 18, 2014 you might imagine that you couldnt focus an entire book around the events leading up to the first world war, let alone make it an utterly riveting readbut thats exactly what pulitzer prizewinning author tuchman has done with this mesmerizing book. This book gives a clear chronological account of the campaigns on the western and eastern fronts and then moves on to investigate areas that many studies ignore the war poets, the diplomacy of war aims and peace moves, logistics, and. When the first world war began that summer, most people thought it would be over by christmas. The good war by studs terkel an oral history of world war two paperback book pulitzer prize winner first ballantine books. The international encyclopedia of the first world war ww1 is a collaborative international research project designed to develop a virtual englishlanguage reference work on the first world war. Its a remarkable piece of concision, where sir michael has apparently absorbed all the research about the first world war and then boiled it down to 150 pages, which is remarkable. Aug 22, 2002 the tragic slaughter of the trenches is imprinted on modern memory. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as mechanized warfare and mass death. Louis l snyder spotlights the important events and people of world war ii. Mar 27, 2020 world war i, international conflict that in 191418 embroiled most of the nations of europe along with russia, the u. New military technology resulted in unprecedented carnage.
Although not enough for a study in itself, this quality book will accompany any discussion of the first world war, whether you want a few extra figures for an essay or a readyreference for your novel. This volume synthesises the latest scholarship on first world war veterans in post war britain and ireland, investigating the topic through its political, social and cultural dynamics. Much has been written and researched about war specifically world war ii as it devoured most of the eastern hemisphere during the 1930s and 1940s, but the war that has often been overlooked and overshadowed is world war i. Germanys secret plot against the united states in mexico during world war i. Tony bradmans top 10 books about the first world war. At 108 years old, harry patch was the only surviving veteran of the first world war when this book. First book is a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. This is a good english language book on the other side of the war. The first book of world war i louis l snyder abebooks. Routledge studies in first world war history routledge.
The first book of world war ii hardcover 1958 by louis l snyder author 5. Although clearly written for juveniles it is, nevertheless, an outstanding summary of a complicated subject which i found to be a worthwhile refresher of a subject about which i was not unfamiliar. Oct 25, 2016 first world war world war i is considered as one of the largest wars in history. Although i enjoyed the book, i still have not found a better book on world war 1 than paul fussells the great war. Remembering world war i with 10 astounding books barnes. He predicted adolf hitlers rise to power, alliance with benito mussolini, and war upon the french and the jews. I would say that along with john keegans the first world war, one of the better one volume histories of the war. The best books on world war i, as recommended by military historian and university of birmingham lecturer jonathan boff. The first world war by john keegan, paperback barnes. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers.
Publication date 1920 topics world war, 19141918 personal narratives publisher london. The first world war, 19141918 by repington, charles a court, 18581925. Aug 30, 2019 world war i, also known as wwi abbreviation, the first world war, the great war, and the war to end all wars, was a global military conflict that took place mostly in europe between 1914 and 1918. Anthony beevors account the second world war anthony beevor is good to start reading about ww2. Complete summary of john keegans the first world war. Winegard argues that the great war was the first time in history that territory was conquered and occupied intentionally to possess resources, particularly oil, necessary for waging war. The first world war probes the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict and takes us behind the scenes of the negotiations among.
The penguin book of first world war poetry penguin. The first world war an agrarian interpretation avner offer. It led to the fall of four great imperial dynasties and, in its destabilization of european society, laid the groundwork for world war ii. The making of the first world war is an essential read for any serious student of the subject, as it not only throws new light on many events, but also because it looks at the war from several different perspectives. Leonard derwinski spotlights the important events and people of world war i. The term world war i was coined by time magazine on page 28b of its june 12, 1939 issue. Many believed that britain was so powerful it could win very quickly. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app.
In a compact but comprehensive and clear narrative, this book explores the first world war from a genuinely global perspective. The penguin book of first world war stories penguin. Mar, 2010 a british sopwith camel in battle with german biplanes during the first world war. Whats a good first book to learn a general history of. The first world war probes the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict and takes us behind the scenes of the negotiations among europes crowned heads all of them related to one another by blood and ministers, and their doomed efforts to defuse the crisis. The penguin book of first world war stories penguin classics various, korte, barbara, einhaus, annmarie, korte, barbara on.
In his latest book, the first world oil war, oxford ph. Discover the best world war i history in best sellers. Dreadnought book is very good on the build up to war, particularly as you can tell from the title the naval rivalry between britain and germany. Putting a human face on the war, william kelleher storey takes into. Companion volume to the first book of world war ii, this extracts the major campaigns, gives childsized chunks of history in readable prose.
My parents were of the generation that lived through the second world war, but i grew up listening to my mother. A scene from the movie version of michael morpurgos war horse, just one of the books which can help introduce younger readers to the first world war. Some of the best books about world war i book riot. A collection of some of the best books about world war one, from moving poetry collections to fascinating firsthand historical accounts. The first use for the actual war came in its issue of september 11, 1939. Although clearly written for juveniles it is, nevertheless, an outstanding. Five books on world war i military history, memoir, and even a novelized series make this list of cantmiss books about the great war. World war i began in 1914 after the assassination of archduke franz ferdinand and lasted until 1918. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. One of the best books ive read about world war i is the first world war. As readers familiar with keegans previous books including the second world war and six armies in normandy know, hes a historian of the old school.
The book i read was the first world war by martin gilbert. Sherry, vincent, the cambridge companion to the literature of the first world war 2005 isbn 0521821452. Feb, 2014 the author has evolved the famous fog of war into a fog of the history of war. Popular first world war books goodreads share book. Which is the best book on the causes of the first world war. Listening books members can download and stream war horse. From actionpacked eyewitness accounts such as guadalcanal diary to devastating holocaust memoirs like the diary of anne frank and night to the thrilling espionage tale of operation mincemeat, world war ii is the subject of some of the most fascinating and influential nonfiction books.
First of all, as a standalone book, this is the best, single, short introduction to the whole first world war. Only when the world went to war again in the 1930s and 40s did the earlier conflict become known as the first world war. The war fought between july 28, 1914, and november 11, 1918, was known at the time as the great war, the war to end war, and in the united states the european war. The best books on world war i five books expert recommendations. The first world war has cast a very long shadow over the last century.