Great War books in 2013

[keithmroberts]

For what its worth, I would support the comment that Margaret Macmillan's book on the Treaty of Versailles is good. It is a serious and well documented volume, and i learned a lot from it. I would expect anything that she produces to be worthwhile. She is a serious and respected historian, in no way responsible for her relatives.

Keith

[JimShore]

A friend of mine has written a fictional novel about two British spies during WWI. Supposedly it's going to be published later this year. This is not an endorsement; as I haven't read the novel myself yet, but I think it sounds like a fun read.

[MartinWills]

I am inclined to agree. There are a number of areas I want:-

Sue Light's definitive book on nursing in the Great War

Reliable publications on the war in Italy and Salonika.

THE book on the Eastern Front

Etc

Etc

But then, I would also like a really good book on the little studied War or 1812 (I enjoyed the war at sea in the book by Teddy Roosevelt)

I suppose I ought to stop making such a list, lest someone replies something along the lines of

"Don't just sit there....write it!"

Bruce

Bruce,

I think this is a little unkind in respect of Salonika - Wakefield and Moody's volume "Under the Devil's Eye" can hardly be called "unreliable", though as with Italy and Mesopotamia there is scope for further works. I am about to settle down with "Uncle George" (Milne) from 1976 which promises an interesting read. What would be good is a modern volume on the Serbian Retreat! Equally something that brings together the whole campaogn across the combatant nations would be useful.

Martin

[awakefield]

Martin

Just to flag up that I'm back re-editing the Mespot manuscript. So, keep fingers crossed: 'From Basra to Baghdad and Beyond' may make it into print over the Centenary period. Bloody well hope so as the damn manuscript has been sitting in my spare room for the past couple of years since the downturn in the British publishing industry!

ALAN

[gilly100]

Hi All

I see both sides of the coin here. Maybe yawn at "another book" on the Somme or Gallipoli or whatever, but perhaps the writer has something new to offer from another angle and with new information. That for me must be welcolmed, and good on them for going a further step. If it's just pump out a book because its the centenary, then that may induce the yawn. For me, hats off to anyone who has a crack and does a good job according to a broad consensus. Of course, any openings in areas with few or no books written, can only open the door for others. From what I have seen in depth of knowledge on this site, there would be no lack of people 'able' to publish a great book on their chosen subject.

Ian

[bruce]

Martin

I am suitably admonished!

You are quite correct in what you say, but I have only relatively recently taken an interest in matters Balkan, and could do with something that puts all of the area into perspective. I have to say that it is also difficult to get my head round some of the place names. Now maybe if, at school, I had been taught Serbo-Croat instead of French.......

Bruce

[Gareth Davies]

Martin

Just to flag up that I'm back re-editing the Mespot manuscript. So, keep fingers crossed: 'From Basra to Baghdad and Beyond' may make it into print over the Centenary period. Bloody well hope so as the damn manuscript has been sitting in my spare room for the past couple of years since the downturn in the British publishing industry!

ALAN

That's excellent news. I will definitely be buying a copy.