Recommendation: Book with a general overview of WWI

[Guest Westmittelmeerisch]

Hello, I am casual reader of historical books (last book I read was Gabriel Jackson's "The Spanish Republic and the Civil War 1931-39") and I would like to read one that offered me a general but comprehensive insight into the Great War, from the causes and the development of the war to the appearance of new states in Central Europe after the end of the conflict. I have been thumbing through other similar topics in this forum, and names such as David Stevenson or John Keegan have come up, but I do not know which of their books would be the most convenient. Thanks!

[spconnolly007]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/1914-1918-History-First-World-War I seem to remember Stevenson's book giving a good all round account. Read it some years ago, so hopefully others will confirm.

Regards,

Sean.

[squirrel]

The Great War by Peter Hart is also a good starter for WW1.

[PMHart]

Thanks chum but in honesty it doesn't cover anything but the military side of the war. No political, economic or social analysis - and all the better for it! But no good for our OP I think....

Pete

[archangel9]

Great read though!

[Anthony Pigott]

The First World War, Hew Strachan, 2003, 350pp.

For a combination of coverage, objectivity and academic rigour in one volume, you won't do better. It even has pictures!

Anthony

[Guest Westmittelmeerisch]

I was considering acquiring Liddell Hart's "History of the First World War", but then I read in this forum that his work was not really objetive or unbiased. Another name that has appeared while looking for a decent book about WWI is Cruttwell. What about this last two?

PS: Thank you very much for your answers.

[centurion]

I suspect that with this size subject the adjectives objective and unbiased are always going to be relative rather than absolute terms and one person's objective account may be another's hopelessly partial one. I fear that to get a good view trying to find a single book may be impossible and you may need to read more than one history and then decide what seems right to you.

[PMHart]

Crutwell is very highly regarded. Stevenson and Strachan are well thought of as well. Many of the single volumes try to do too much and end up as little more than lists of battles without much analysis. I am thinking of Keegan here! Liddell Hart is just an idiot!

Unbiased Impartial Pete

[David Seymour]

Try Michael Howard, The First World War, OUP, 2002. The war in a nutshell, approx. 150 pages.

[hazelclark]

Keegan is easier to read, but Stephenson is probably more what you are looking for. I just finished rereading it.

Hazel

[centurion]

Crutwell is very highly regarded. Stevenson and Strachan are well thought of as well. Many of the single volumes try to do too much and end up as little more than lists of battles without much analysis. I am thinking of Keegan here! Liddell Hart is just an idiot!

Unbiased Impartial Pete

If you already know something about the subject one can find Strachan irritating