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Captain Albert Ball's last dogfight. This Norman G. Arnold watercolor depicts the ace being shot down over Annoeullin, 7-May-1917. |
101+ Indispensable Works on The Great War
This list was contributed by Michael E. Hanlon, Research Editor of ø Relevance,
the Quarterly Journal of ø The Great War Society.
See Also: List of WWI related E-texts (books) available on the Internet.
* = Core of 12 Introductory Works
I. GENERAL WORKS
AMERICAN HERITAGE...HISTORY OF WORLD WAR I THE SWORDBEARERS
AMERICAN HERITAGE EDITORS/ SLA MARSHALL BARNETT, CORRELLI
Excellent on US contribution Moltke, Petain, Jellicoe, Ludendorff
*THE WORLD CRISIS [ABRIDGED] BEFORE ENDEAVORS FADE
CHURCHILL, SIR WINSTON COOMBS, ROSE
Grand Summary; recently reissued Renowned battlefield guide
THE FACE OF BATTLE THE FIRST WORLD WAR
KEEGAN, JOHN KING, JERE C.
Compares WWI to Waterloo, Agincourt Enjoyable sampler of WWI writings
THE REAL WAR, 1914-18 ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE WORLD WARS
LIDDELL HART, SIR BASIL H. TAYLOR, A.J.P. (ED)
Opinionated, comprehensive work Great graphics; excellent essays
*GUNS OF AUGUST, THE VOICES FROM THE GREAT WAR
TUCHMAN, BARBARA VANSITTART, PETER
Early stages of the conflict; Compilation of quotes & commentary
Great work, not for beginners
PENGUIN POETRY OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR *THE EXPERIENCE OF WORLD WAR I
SILKIN, JON ED. Winter, J.M.
Includes translations of non-English works Best introductory work on WWI
II. CAUSES
THE ROAD TO SARAJEVO GERMANY'S AIMS IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR
DEDIJER, VLADIMIR FISCHER, FRITZ
Details on Archduke's assassination Started Controversy in Germany
ORIGINS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR THE FATEFUL ALLIANCE
JOLL, JAMES KENNAN, GEORGE F.
Best summary of July crisis; covers many theories Russian-French Agreement
WAR PLANS OF THE GREAT POWERS DREADNOUGHT
KENNEDY, PAUL, ed. MASSIE, ROBERT K.
Schlieffen's strategy & Plan 17 Battleship race and diplomacy
THE KAISER NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA
COWLES, VIRGINIA MASSIE, ROBERT K.
Biography Biography of Tsar Nicholas II & the missus
III. WESTERN FRONT, ITALY AND THE BALKANS
TRENCH WARFARE 1914-18: LIVE AND LET... THE DONKEYS
ASHWORTH, T. CLARK, ALAN
Also covers Christmas Truce Loos, 1915
EYE-DEEP IN HELL: LIFE IN TRENCHES... CAPORETTO, 1917
ELLIS, JOHN FALLS, CYRIL
Experience of trench existence The battle that nearly knocked-out Italy
THE GENERAL *THE PRICE OF GLORY
FORESTER, C.S. HORNE, ALISTAIR
Fictional "Donkey" General Verdun, 1916
THE SOMME THE SHADOW OF VIMY RIDGE
MACDONALD, LYN MACKSEY, KENNETH
Several other good works by this author The Artois killing fields
THE FIRST DAY ON THE SOMME / THE GARDENERS OF SALONIKA
THE KAISER'S BATTLE PALMER, A.W.
MIDDLEBROOK, MARTIN Best work on Balkan Front
Somme sector, 1916 / 1918
INFANTRY ATTACKS LIAISON 1914 / PRELUDE TO VICTORY
ROMMEL, ERWIN SPEARS, E.L.
Rommel On several Fronts The Aisne/Marne sector in 1914 & 18
TO WIN A WAR - 1918 DARE CALL IT TREASON
TERRAINE, JOHN WATT, EDWARD
One of many fine works by this writer French Mutinies, 1917
DEATH'S MEN IN FLANDERS FIELDS
WINTER, DENIS WOLFF, LEON
Experience of Battle, excellent detail Passchendaele, 1917
*TESTAMENT OF YOUTH RICHTHOFEN: A TRUE HISTORY
BRITTAIN, VERA BURROWS, WM. E.
Memoir of V.A.D Nurse Biography of most famous ace ever
THE GRANDEUR AND MISERY OF VICTORY SOLDIERS AND STATESMEN [2 VOL]
CLEMENCEAU, GEORGES ROBERTSON, SIR WILLIAM
Memoir of French Leader Memoir of Senior British General
UNDER FIRE - THE STORY OF A SQUAD THE ENORMOUS ROOM
BARBUSSE, HENRI CUMMINGS, E.E.
Fictional - Published During War Inscrutable prison novel
A FAREWELL TO ARMS IN PARENTHESIS
HEMINGWAY, ERNEST JONES, DAVID
Novel set in Italy; greatest romance Epic Poem; very difficult
STORM OF STEEL LOSS OF EDEN TRILOGY
JUNGER, ERNST MASTERS, JOHN
Impressionistic memoir; like Barbusse Novels; upstairs/downstairs elements
THE SPANISH FARM TRILOGY *ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
MOTTRAM, R.H. REMARQUE, ERICH MARIE
Hard to find British gem Fictional anti-war work
THE PASSING BELLS COMPLETE MEMOIRS OF GEORGE SHERSTON
ROCK, PHILLIP SASSOON, SIEGFRIED
Sort of a one vol. LOSS OF EDEN Fictional memoir
IV. THE EASTERN FRONT, AFRICA, MIDDLE EAST
THE BASTARD WAR; THE MESOPOTAMIAN CAMPAIGN PEACE TO END ALL PEACE
BARKER, A.J. FROMKIN, DAVID
This was a very grim area of operations Middle East borders are set
THE GREAT WAR IN AFRICA 1914 - 18 WAR OF LOST OPPORTUNITIES
FARWELL, BYRON HOFFMAN, MAX VON
Includes German hero Von Lettow-Vorbeck Former general focuses on E. Front
*GALLIPOLI TANNENBERG
JAMES, ROBERT RHODES SHOWALTER, DENNIS
More balanced than same title by Moorehead Recent reevaluation
THE EASTERN FRONT 1914 - 17 A SOLDIER'S NOTEBOOK, 1914 - 1918
STONE, NORMAN BRUSILOV, A.A.
Standard work on E.Front Memoir of best Russian general
ATATURK SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM
KINROSS, LORD LAWRENCE, T.E.
Biography of Hero of Gallipoli Memoir of high literary quality
AN ICE CREAM WAR THE GOOD SOLDIER SVEJK
BOYD, WILLIAM HASEK, JAROSLAV
Fiction [War in Africa] Masterpiece comic novel
AUGUST 1914 *THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND AT WAR
SOLZHENITSYN, ALEXANDER ASPREY, ROBERT
Fiction - Tannenberg on grand scale Recent work of great merit
V. AMERICA IN THE GREAT WAR
THE WAR TO END ALL WARS OVER THERE
COFFMAN, EDWARD M. FREIDEL, FRANK
Comprehensive summary of military Excellent illustrations & text;
effort from top down describes effort from Doughboys' viewpoint
AT BELLEAU WOOD *THE DOUGHBOYS
ASPREY, ROBERT STALLINGS, LAURENCE
The Marines famous battle Best comprehensive summary of
American military operations & much more
THE ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM TREAT 'EM ROUGH - BIRTH OF AMERICAN ARMOR
TUCHMAN, BARBARA WILSON, DALE E.
One element drawing America to war Recent work by US Army officer
SERGEANT YORK - AN AMERICAN HERO WOODROW WILSON AND THE PROGRESSIVE ERA
LEE, DAVID LINK, ARTHUR
Brief but insightful bio of the hero Prewar diplomacy and politics
THE LAFAYETTE ESCADRILLE GEORGE C. MARSHALL:...1880 -1939
MASON, HERBERT M. POGUE, FORREST
Includes info on US Fr. Foreign Legioneers Marshall was planning whiz of AEF
WHEN THE CHEERING STOPPED BLACK JACK:...PERSHING [2 VOL]
SMITH, GENE VANDIVER, FRANK
Biography - Wilson After Armistice More readable than Pershing's memoir
THROUGH THE WHEAT COMPANY K
BOYD, THOMAS CAMPBELL, WILLIAM
Fiction - Shell Shocked Hero Fiction - Unit followed thru war
FIX BAYONETS ! SQUAD
THOMASON, JOHN W. WHARTON, JAMES
Fictional work of career Marine Fiction - Tragic story; authentic
who served with Marine Brigade in WWI feeling and language
VI. THE NAVAL AND AIR WAR
THE U-BOATS [From Time-Life] THE FIRST AIR WAR
BOTTIN, DOUGLAS KENNETT, LEE
Great illustrations Recent, highly praised, work
THE LUSITANIA DISASTER JUTLAND: THE CLASH OF TITANS - 1916
BAILY & RYAN COSTELLO AND HUGHES
Most balanced work on this affair Good diagrams for following fleets
THE GREAT WAR AT SEA, 1914 - 18 DREADNOUGHT [From Time-Life]
HOUGH, RICHARD HOWARTH, DAVID
Recent work touches on US contribution Great photos and diagrams
AIRCRAFT OF WORLD WAR I AIR ACES OF THE 1914-18 WAR
MUNSON, K. ROBERTSON, BRUCE
Read with Robertson for basic data on planes & aviators - See comment
*KNIGHTS OF THE AIR [From Time-Life] FIGHTING THE FLYING CIRCUS
BOWEN, EZRA RICKENBACKER, EDDIE
Best intro to Air War Memoir of America's greatest ace
IN THE COMPANY OF EAGLES THE BLUE MAX
GANN, ERNEST HUNTER, JACK D.
Fiction - French Air Service, 1917 Novel is vastly superior to movie
A WAR STORY / GOSHAWK SQUADRON
ROBINSON, DEREK
Fiction - Authentic RFC tales;
debunks much silliness
VII. ARMISTICE, PEACE AND THE RESULTS OF THE WAR
THE PLAGUE OF THE SPANISH LADY... RED OCTOBER: THE OCTOBER REVOLUTION
COLLIER, RICHARD DANIELS, ROBERT
Influenza Pandemic One volume story of Bolshevik take-over
*THE RITES OF SPRING GREAT WAR AND MODERN MEMORY
EKSTEINS, MODRIS FUSSELL, PAUL
Cultural causes & impact of the Great War Literary Impact of War
THE MIDNIGHT WAR PEACEMAKING 1919
GOLDHURST, RICHARD NICOLSON, HAROLD
Interventions in Russia Versailles Treaty
*GOODBYE TO ALL THAT THREE WHO MADE A REVOLUTION
GRAVES, ROBERT WOLFE, BERTRAM
Bitter Memoir of Royal Welch Fusilier Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin Triple-bio
Revised: April 12, 1996
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Don't forget to also check the list of fine reference sources that were used to develop trenches.
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