The Other Trench by Philipp Cross

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

Unlike so many books about the Great War, The Other Trench has several unique aspects for the person who is interested in the war. First, it comes with the perspective of the German side of the war, a point of view that is usually overshadowed by the sheer volume of books relating to the Allied armies. Second, it is the day to day diary of a soldier who fought in the war, giving personal insights into the events the author experienced. While historic details are provided to present the larger picture, this book deals with everything from the physical effects of weather, food, how the soldiers perceive the enemy, and shows how the author went from a peacetime civilian life yo being thrown into one of the greatest conflicts of the 20th Century.

As an historian, I find books, like The Other Trench, provide far greater insight to the human experience in the war and allows the reader to almost see the historical events described as if they were also experiencing it themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Great War from a personal point of view.

[Robert Dunlop]

Thanks very much for the heads up on this, Ralph.

Robert