Question to you all...

[stiletto_33853]

Middlebrook and Macdonald books, the first ones i read.

Andy

[ypres]

Hi,

Lyn Mc Donalds 'Roses' did it for me after visiting Ypres for the day back in '85.

Mandy

[Matt Dixon]

All Quiet on the Western Front....the only WW1 book that would be on my desert island list.

Having just finished reading it "Tommy" by Holmes is truly magnificent.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

Forgot to mention AQ on the WF: excellent book and only read it in the last year or so. Far more scatalogical than the films and I can see why Hitler banned it as being contrary to his ideological training for war .... though unfortunately I can't get the images of Ernest Borgnine and 'Jon Boy' out of my head when reading it!

Richard

Watch the original Lou Ayres Version {that'll rid you of "Jon Boy Night Evr'y Body Walton}

[Guest Nigel999]

For me it was Graves and Goodbye to all that...It was the first true memoir I had read...it had me lusting for more...Since then...Delderfield, Chapman , Sassoon, Richards, Meinertzhagen , etc etc....One book I will recommend is "Sword and Stirrup" by H G F E De Montmorency ...it is only about a third WW1 ..the rest a memoir of a gentleman adventurer...Boer war etc...but he pulls no punches concerning his WW1 service....real ripping yarns . At the moment I am reading "Fips" by Werner Furhbringer ....A bio of a WW1 U-boat ace...all good stuff so far .

[Guest mark taylor]

I'm currently reading "Tommy" and (like others) have found it a rewarding read so far. I'd also say that Denis Winter's "Deaths Men" is well worth getting hold of. I've also just finished Susan Hill's excellent "Strange Meeting" - Bit of a "Journey's End" in Seventies prose - very moving story and in contrast to "Birdsong" and "Regeneration, etc"......no sex!

Mark

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

With a Machine Gun to Cambrai by George Coppard MM - was lucky enough to meet him when I was a wee laddie as he use to live not far from us.

Not a book but letters and cards sent by relatives who served 14-18 - it made me feel close to people I was related to but never met

[Dawson]

Hi,

A Covenant with death by John Harris.

The best fiction i've read on the battle of the Somme, It's unfortunate that it is now out of print.

All his other works have been put back in print, apart from this. (very strange)

A copy can be bought second hand reasonably cheaply.

Also like the previous posting I would recommend 'Some desperate glory'

How I would like to share a Ki-ora with that man.

Ian.

[rflory]

My favorite is The War Diary of the Master of Belhaven, although As from Kemmel Hill is also a good read. Regards. Dick Flory

[Justin Moretti]

Definitely "To win a war." Turned my view of the 1st World War around 180 degrees. RIP John Terraine. (Nov 2003)

[lassuy]

Barbara Tuchman's Guns of August got me hooked. I had a slight interest in the Great War, and picked up her book on a whim. I literally could not put it down, it was fascinating--from the funeral of Edward to the battle of the Marne. She ends the book by saying that we all know how the battle of the Marne turned out--well, I didn't! So, it was of in search of another book to tell me how that went--and after 20 years, I've yet to stop.

Rod

[Drummy]

Martin Middlebrook's 'First day on the Somme' got me hooked on WW1, although my interest in all things military started from my late Great uncle (Royal Signals, 8th Army) who lived with my family until his death, I remember the buzz of watching the World at War series with him and going through the hundreds of letters from the war (kept by his family) and his medals, badges etc. Also another local veteran (Seaforths, N.W Europe 1944-45) who became a great friend before his death really inspired my research and for me to join the Army myself.

The best book I have read recently has been Old Soldier Sahib, what a fascinating insight into the life of a soldier in India! Not read Old Soldiers never die, but I am getting the latest version for my birthday in a week so can't wait to get stuck into that. Cheers Neil.

[j.r.f]

PALS

Perhaps you can help me.The basis of my interest in ww1 started when I was not yet knee high to a grass-hopper.This goes back almost sixty years.We had,at home ,a book which I think was called the GREAT WAR.It was only one volume but was almost certainly one of a multi-volumed book.The pictures were most graphic.They showed real soldiers in frantic,trajic situations.There were dead bodies.Why are so many books sanitised,ie all the killing of tens of thousands of poor soldiers mostly went on away from the lens or pen.I am not blood thirsty,but I do think situations should have been reported the way they were.The pictures were either black and white or tinted purply pink or blue.I have spent all the rest of my life,though,itmust be said,not exclusively,looking for this book.I have scoured book shopsjunk shops,jumble sales and car boot sales looking for this book.To no avail.Its not the times book orthe war illustrated or the great war 1914-1918 magazine.If anybody has any suggestions as to which book it was,I would be very grateful.

To the pal who started this thread.May I offer a word of warning.The first world war can take over your life.You can think of this in atleast two ways.Either I am a sad old git who can find nothing better to do OR I have embarked on an adventure which will last me the rest of my life.

Enjoy the adventure.

CHEERS.

JOHN.