Holt's guides

[Mick D]

I own the Holt's guides to Ypres & the Somme.

If I purchase 'The Western Front North & The Western Front South' will i be duplicating the books I already own ?

Also is there anything to be gained in buying the concise guides?

Mick D

[MartinWills]

WFN and WFS are useful to complement the other volumes, but you will find some duplication. There is more detail in the "Somme" & "Ypres" volumes as they are specific to those areas. WFS and WFN cover the wider front and you will find them useful if you are looking at (or travelling through) other areas ranging from Nieuport and Dixmude; through Neuve Chapelle/Aubers Ridge/Festubert; Loos; Arras and on down to the Aisne and Marne and beyond - pretty much everywhere gets some coverage.

Of course there are other guides, but some of these "lesser known/lesser visited" areas are not that well covered and the general traveller may well find them useful. There is, of course, Rose Coombes "old faithful" - "Before Endeavours Fade".

If you aim to travel widely beyond the Somme & Ypres you will find WFS and WFN useful, as is "Before Endeavours Fade". If you are looking at a specific area in detail you may want to look elsewhere for more detail but these three books may well intorduce to parts of the Western Front which you might otherwise bypass.

Perhaps you can find copies in a library or bookshow to allow you to take a quick look before deciding whether to buy.

[Mick D]

Martin,

Thank you very much for replying, as you suggest I do intend to travel further than the areas of Ypres & Somme, but was concerned that I may buy the same material re-jigged !

Mick

[MartinWills]

You will find a good proportion of the volumes to be of use, but don't forget Rose Coombes as well. All three are eminently browseable as "bedside" reading.