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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
medium-paced
I have mixed feelings about this book. The author was very clearly biased against multiple historical figures, with very little voice given to evidence that opposed his view. However, the book was clearly well researched and did attempt to be fair to the people it was written about.
My other issue with this book was the very minimal lip service given to the fact that so much of what inflamed tensions between the European powers was squabbling over colonies. It seems disingenuous to write an entire book about World War One without at least a chapter, or more than a couple paragraphs, talking about imperialism in Asia and Africa.
My other issue with this book was the very minimal lip service given to the fact that so much of what inflamed tensions between the European powers was squabbling over colonies. It seems disingenuous to write an entire book about World War One without at least a chapter, or more than a couple paragraphs, talking about imperialism in Asia and Africa.
Pretty good for the most part. Sometimes the writing is a little heavy-handed, but overall a good read.
It took me a long time to work my way through this audio book, but about a year and a half after I started this massive WWI history, I'm finally putting it to bed. (won't say I "finished" it, but I worked my way pretty far through the narrative and it was the fourth or fifth book on WWI I read in the last few years so it was time to retire it.)
After reading A World Undone, I now know that if I only was to read one book on the history of WWI, this would have been my choice.
After reading A World Undone, I now know that if I only was to read one book on the history of WWI, this would have been my choice.
A great introduction to the morass of WWI. Sometimes dry, but overall informative.
I picked this up after reading The Warm Hands of Ghosts, because, as one of those American-educated adults whose history lessons in school covered very little after the American Civil War, I knew embarrassingly little about WWI and I wanted more context. This book was very effective both in telling the story of the war and in contextualizing the events with integral pieces of background knowledge. I learned a whole lot and never felt overwhelmed by the information. And now I want to read more war histories. Am I becoming a middle-aged dad? My husband seems to think so.
A really excellent, comprehensive, and structured overview of the first world war. The 'Background' sections at the end of each chapter allow for helpful context for the next chapter and provide a sense of intimacy in such a broad history. Meyer is very thoughtful and nuanced on most topics, with the exception of his treatment of (i) the bolsheviks (and to a lesser extent socialism globally), and (ii) the ottoman empire (which is quite racist and suffers from the 'sick man of europe' tope). Both of these are important elements in this conflict and should have been covered more.
Overall, really well written and engaging. I love military history and World War II is for normies.
Overall, really well written and engaging. I love military history and World War II is for normies.
Some editing was done to typos and some feedback added now that it's been awhile since I read it the first time.
Unlike most people of my generation whose historic interest always seems to drift towards WWII, i have always found myself intensely drawn towards this conflict, THE WAR TO END ALL WARS as it was then called, mostly because i now firmly believe that it is the root of many of the problems that Europe, and the world by extension, face today.
Over the years i read many books, watched countless documentaries and always felt that the writers/authors either did something 100% military or 100% political...the balance between the many aspects of this complex conflict always seemed to be lacking.
Well, somewhat to my surprise, i think Mr. Meyers as done it brilliantly here in describing a war that was complicated, inglorious and wiped out an entire generation of very talented people on both sides of the conflict.
His journalistic background gives us readers a startling sense of proximity, which only increases when you look at the human effects of the war that he so well mixes with his tale. So, instead of becoming an endless parade of boring numbers, this book turns into a fascinating tale about a four-year calamity of human miscalculation and supreme arrogance in the leadership of all countries involved, balanced only by the unbelievable heroism shown by those in the ranks.
The short background articles that Meyers provides on subjects like Kaiser Wilhelm, the Junkers, the Cossacks, etc, provide us with a proper understanding of the period, and are absolutely fascinating in their own right.
I correct myself from my initial opinion and I think this one is a top 5 in the list of best books on WWI out there!
Don't let it's size scare you away from reading it, this book is both a great introduction to this particularly dark period of history and the best one volume history of WWI out there...should you be looking to add to your library, stick with this, you will not regret it!
I ran into it today on Kindle for a very appealing price and added a digital copy to my paper copy....yeah I do stuff like that all the time
Unlike most people of my generation whose historic interest always seems to drift towards WWII, i have always found myself intensely drawn towards this conflict, THE WAR TO END ALL WARS as it was then called, mostly because i now firmly believe that it is the root of many of the problems that Europe, and the world by extension, face today.
Over the years i read many books, watched countless documentaries and always felt that the writers/authors either did something 100% military or 100% political...the balance between the many aspects of this complex conflict always seemed to be lacking.
Well, somewhat to my surprise, i think Mr. Meyers as done it brilliantly here in describing a war that was complicated, inglorious and wiped out an entire generation of very talented people on both sides of the conflict.
His journalistic background gives us readers a startling sense of proximity, which only increases when you look at the human effects of the war that he so well mixes with his tale. So, instead of becoming an endless parade of boring numbers, this book turns into a fascinating tale about a four-year calamity of human miscalculation and supreme arrogance in the leadership of all countries involved, balanced only by the unbelievable heroism shown by those in the ranks.
The short background articles that Meyers provides on subjects like Kaiser Wilhelm, the Junkers, the Cossacks, etc, provide us with a proper understanding of the period, and are absolutely fascinating in their own right.
I correct myself from my initial opinion and I think this one is a top 5 in the list of best books on WWI out there!
Don't let it's size scare you away from reading it, this book is both a great introduction to this particularly dark period of history and the best one volume history of WWI out there...should you be looking to add to your library, stick with this, you will not regret it!
I ran into it today on Kindle for a very appealing price and added a digital copy to my paper copy....yeah I do stuff like that all the time
(4.5 stars)
Writing a one volume history of an event that is as widespread as World War I is a daunting prospect, but G. J. Meyer carries it off well. This is probably my favorite history of World War I now. I particularly like how the author stops every so often for background investigation of everything from French generals, to Lawrence of Arabia, to the women of the war, to English politicians, etc. This added a lot of color and depth to the book.
As one might expect in a one-volume work, the main focus is on the overall picture, and this book might have been improved with a little more focus on the individual soldiers and their experience. The author does provide some interesting anecdotes and narratives of the individual experience of, for instance, trench warfare, but that's the one thing I found myself wishing there was more emphasis on, but I suppose it would have ended up making the book too long.
Writing a one volume history of an event that is as widespread as World War I is a daunting prospect, but G. J. Meyer carries it off well. This is probably my favorite history of World War I now. I particularly like how the author stops every so often for background investigation of everything from French generals, to Lawrence of Arabia, to the women of the war, to English politicians, etc. This added a lot of color and depth to the book.
As one might expect in a one-volume work, the main focus is on the overall picture, and this book might have been improved with a little more focus on the individual soldiers and their experience. The author does provide some interesting anecdotes and narratives of the individual experience of, for instance, trench warfare, but that's the one thing I found myself wishing there was more emphasis on, but I suppose it would have ended up making the book too long.