Good places to start

[amelialongcroft]

I suspect there are lots of threads containing recommendations for books suitable for those (like me) who are new to WWI history, but I'm failing to find them: would it be possible to have a 'sticky' thread at the top of this section with a list of 'standard' texts?

I have started with the Pan Grand Strategy books by Malcolm Brown and others (e.g. The Imperial War Museum Book of the Western Front): would forum members consider these to be a good place to start?

Any recommendations would be gratefully received: I'm feeling a little bit lost at the moment

[John_Hartley]

The Malcolm Brown book would be a pretty good a starting point for an overview. I'd also add in Richard Holme's "Tommy" as a first rate (and very readable) overview of men's place in the war - people interest me more than strategy.

I think it'd be difficult to come up with a manageble list of "standards". Folk have different needs and their buttons are pushed by different things. The first book I read was a history of Grandad's battalion - more general stuff came later. Other people will be more taken by the Lynn MacDonald books or, say, Middlebrooke's "First Day on the Somme" or "Kaiser's Battle".

J

[Skipman]

I would recommend anything by Lyn MacDonald.Also the book that got me hooked on ww1. 'The Big Push' By Brian Gardner.If you can find a copy.

[amelialongcroft]

Thank you both for these excellent suggestions - much appreciated!

[Steven Broomfield]

What a tough call. Peering back trough the mists of time, I recall A J P Taylor's book on the war being the first I read, but I probably wouldn't touch it now.

Martin Middlebrook's books are a good start, too, to set you in place and time. Like Harters I also got into specifics before going into the genearality, so why not go to a decent lending library (assuming you can fight your way past the computer terminals, life-long-learning centres, Mother and Toddler groups, etc) and browse. Can I say there is no right and wrong - just read, but be prepared to learn as well. Just because someone wrote a book it doesn't mean you have to agree!

(Incidentally, and as an example of one man's meat and so on, I found Gardner's The Big Push to be an awful book - each to his/her own).

[Muerrisch]

You obviously have enough interest to want to start. Its a matter of personal choice, in essence, do you want a top-down view, or a bottom-up.

An excellent bottom-up which deals with one battalion for the entire war, with many different 'voices' is Dr Dunn's classic The War the Infantry Knew. It is a most unusual battalion history, and as removed from dry as dust as one can get.

[truthergw]

Hi Amelia. Asking for a list of standards is liable to end in a list of people's favourites. Not quite the same thing and a source of endless discussion. One book which most people would accept as a standard is Hew Strachan's, " The First World War. Vol 1 ". We are still waiting for volume 2, which I suspect will never appear. Not only is it, in my opinion, a standard treatment, it contains a massive bibliography. If you use that for a start for the first few books, you will know what books you want to read next.

[amelialongcroft]

Like many others before me, I have developed an interest in WWI through researching my own family history, but through researching some of the specifics of my great-great uncles' military careers I find I want to learn more about the bigger picture. There's an excellent lending library nearby (it was there that I picked up Malcolm Brown's IWM Book of the Western Front, which I have enjoyed reading immensely), so I will make a list of your suggestions and just plunge in. Thank you all for reminding me that there are many equally valid ways in to the subject.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Hi - this is probably a silly question but what level of information are you trying to obtain?

For example as a single volume, top level history, put Stevenson’s 1914-1918 to the top of your list. If you want easy to read modern WW1 history books Peter Hart has written superb books on Jutland, Somme, 1918, the air-war. Prior and Wilson, Command on the Western Front ,is another good overview, Middlebrook First Day of the Somme and numerous first hand accounts … Richards, McCudden, Rogerson etc.

[burlington]

A J P Taylor's- History if the First World War is a very good general introduction to the War.

[Skipman]

(Incidentally, and as an example of one man's meat and so on, I found Gardner's The Big Push to be an awful book - each to his/her own).

It may be a bad book.I haven't read it since 1977.There are passages i can remember as clear as it was yesterday,and it had a big impact on me at the time as a 16yr old.Maybe it is good as a general introduction to the Somme battle.I must get a copy and read it again.

Definitely ,L MacDonald though.

[amelialongcroft]

Hi Amelia. Asking for a list of standards is liable to end in a list of people's favourites. Not quite the same thing and a source of endless discussion. One book which most people would accept as a standard is Hew Strachan's, " The First World War. Vol 1 ". We are still waiting for volume 2, which I suspect will never appear. Not only is it, in my opinion, a standard treatment, it contains a massive bibliography. If you use that for a start for the first few books, you will know what books you want to read next.

Tom, this is exactly what I'm looking for. A general treatment that will put the bits and pieces I've learned so far into some sort of context, that doesn't assume a great deal of prior knowledge and that will point me towards further reading.

Have listed all of these titles and will be visiting the library tomorrow. Many thanks to you all: this promises to be a fascinating journey!

[susan kitchen]

Hello Amelia.

This may be of some help. " The British Soldier of the First World War" By Peter Doyle. ISBN 9780747806837 It's a small book so you wont feel overwhelmed with too much all at once. The book explores the average life of the British "Tommy" in battle and at rest, in training and on his return home. Illustrated with evocative images of the War, items of the soldiers kit. It also provides answers as to what it was like being in the trenches of the front line. Clothing, food etc. Also the day to day reality of the war.Touches on demobilisation and what could be expected in regard to pensions. This book is only as a starter, a small introduction from here you can go onto more substantial reading.

Susan

[Halder]

I think Hew Strachan's three volume work (of which only the first has appeared) might be a little daunting, but his First World War which accompanied the outstanding C4 series (well worth buying on DVD, by the way) is the best single overview of WW1 I've ever seen - it contains something for layman and WW1 expert, a rare skill! There are two versions, a small paperback and a larger paperback/hardback with lots of stunning colour images. Very easy to get hold of and cheap. Norman Stone's written a short history of WW1 (150 ish pages, so very short) which is full of his iconoclastic observations. Niall Ferguson's Pity of War is always readable too.

[Nigel Marshall]

The Malcolm Brown book would be a pretty good a starting point for an overview. I'd also add in Richard Holme's "Tommy" as a first rate (and very readable) overview of men's place in the war - people interest me more than strategy.

I think it'd be difficult to come up with a manageble list of "standards". Folk have different needs and their buttons are pushed by different things. The first book I read was a history of Grandad's battalion - more general stuff came later. Other people will be more taken by the Lynn MacDonald books or, say, Middlebrooke's "First Day on the Somme" or "Kaiser's Battle".

J

Hello Amelia,

John's first two lines above could have been written by me also. People drive me far more than strategy, although it too has it's place at times.

I am one of his 'other people', I would thoroughly recommend MacDonald and Middlebrook. From roughly that point on, you will have a feel of where your interest lies and that will guide you in your future reading choices and from there you will ebb and flow in and out of all manner of Great War subject matter as your interests and knowledge evolve.

My advice is two parts. Firstly never be afraid of reading something that doesn't immediately fit in with your current interest. It might provide the spark to light yet another fire! Secondly, keep what you read, you WILL want to go back and refer to it at some point.

Above all, enjoy what you read, and if you find any gems, come back here and tell us.

I am currently on my fifth or sixth reading of The Anatomy of a Raid : Australia at Celtic Wood 9th October 1917 (The Broodseinde Ridge - Third Battle of Ypres) , by the highly respected and, very sadly, recently departed Tony Spagnoly. I would recommend this book to anyone, with any level of knowledge.

Cheers,

Nigel

[Jon Haslock]

An older book but one I rate, is 50 Amazing Stories of the Great War, by the Odhams Press. Usually not too difficult to find and not expensive. No grand strategy in it but an interesting read and the book that started it all off for me.

[amelialongcroft]

Thank you once again for all of these recommendations, all of which have been noted on a rapidly swelling Amazon wish list. I am just coming to the end of Richard Holmes' "Tommy" and next on the list is Lyn MacDonald's 1914: The Days of Hope. I too am drawn more to 'history from below', but am also keen to set the more personal histories within a broader strategic and political context. I'm sure the selection of books recommended here will help no end