Mapping the First World War

[Kitchener's Bugle]

This is about to be released..... looks to be a good and informative read......

http://www.iwmshop.org.uk/product/23822/Mapping_the_First_World_War

[Old Tom]

Interesting. Members may well be aware that the WFA have published DVDs with maps. One has the maps that were an annex to the official history and another the maps prepared for Haig showing artillery deployment.

Old Tom

[robigunner88]

If you purchase it from Waterstones, there is an additional map/poster at the book of the book of Europe in 1914. I think it's a Daily Mail map that must have been published in 1914 at the outbreak of the war.

Jamie

[daggers]

This book is offered in a little occasional catalogue from 'The Book People'. Good discount, but better to buy via Amazon, to benefit the Forum!

[paulgranger]

You can buy it from The Book People via the Amazon site, and hopefully the Forum would still benefit

[Mick D]

There are 2 books recently released books with this title, one by Peter Chasseaud, the other by Simon Forty, make sure you order the correct one !

Mick

[David Filsell]

My review for information:

Mapping the First World War: Battlefields of the Great Conflict from Above, Conway £20.00, 144 pp, Coloured maps throughout, index, ISBN 978 1 84486 218 4.

First it is important to understand what this book is not! It is not a campaign by campaign volume of campaign maps like Arthur Banks invaluable A Military Atlas of the First World War, (last republished by Leo Cooper in 1997).

This is no criticism, no missed opportunity, for it offers, as the publisher claims, a “uniquely different perspective on the ‘war to end all wars’”. Simon Forty’s objectives have been to provide a handsome and wide ranging demonstration of mapping and mapping techniques and charted analysis used during the war by various combatants prefaced by a skilful introduction covering the nations involved, areas of combat.

The quality of this - admittedly ‘shelfishly’ awkward - landscape production, - which uses contemporary works – many drawn from the Public Records Office archive - is quite simply excellent. Its qualities are only limited by, in some cases, the need to reduce them in size because of y the limitations of book size, of printing costs and of production. Sadly, but necessarily it must be admitted, this does render some detail beyond my ancient eyes to examine – and I am sure those of the less ‘corneally challenged’, whilst my trusty linen gauge fails to defeat the printing process.

Maps and diagrams – some 150, the majority in colour - range from U Boat positions in August 1914 to hand sketches and maps of Gallipoli to Hostile Tactical maps of Ypres in 1917 and sketch maps by T.E. Lawrence made in 1918. They also include the Somme and the Third Battle of Ypres.

The ingenuity and skill of the cartographers is obvious from page one as is the quality of this publication and the authors perception. This is a fascinating quality work in a relatively unexplored area at an extremely keen pries. Thoroughly recommended as reference and as a reminder of top quality book design, typography and quality

[AlanCurragh]

There are 2 books recently released books with this title, one by Peter Chasseaud, the other by Simon Forty, make sure you order the correct one !

Mick

To reiterate this, the book linked to in the original post is not the same one as reviewed by David above

[David Filsell]

Whoops - apologies. I have not received a review copy of the other book.

[peterhogg]

The Chasseaud book is available at Chapters/Indigo for those of us in Canada

[Mick D]

I bought both, sent one back !

Mick

[sdjknox]

Hi all,

I was thinking of purchasing the Peter Chasseaud book, but you forum members are turning out to be a bit of tease! Mick D saying he bought both and send one back, but which one and no review! David Fitsell with an interesting review of the wrong book!

Can anyone one give me a review, as a Chartered Surveyor I have a real interest in maps and wonder if this book would interest or annoy?

Thanks,

Steve

[WilliamRev]

There are 2 books recently released books with this title, one by Peter Chasseaud, the other by Simon Forty, make sure you order the correct one !

Mick

To reiterate this, the book linked to in the original post is not the same one as reviewed by David above

Can someone please clarify which book is which, and post a proper thought out brain-fully-engaged review?. Single-sentence posts are the curse of this forum (they are forbidden on one forum I am a member of) and this thread in particular is suffering worse than most!

William

[AlanCurragh]

I don't have either book - the review above by David is of the Forty volume. The Chasseaud book is the one published by the IWM and linked to in the first thread. I'm not sure how much more can be said, until someone posts a review of the Chasseaud.

And if one sentence passes on the information that the poster wishes to give, why on earth should they use two?

Edited 13 November , 2013 by Alan Curragh

[paulgranger]

Indeed! :-)

[spof]

I had a very quick look at it while at the recent WFA/NAM conference on Underground War (an excellent day!) It does not have loads of maps etc. but does seem to go into details about how the maps were made and covers many theatres not often covered even by GWF. The print quality is very good as are the images.

As it is more a reference book on the "how" rather than a collection of maps, I had to put it down very quickly as my "to read" pile is getting ridiculous. I have added to my wish list when the pile gets a bit smaller but it does very look good. It sounds like the book reviewed by David Filsell is of a similar quality.

Hopefully one of these bookswill explain that horrendous landmark from Arras of "a line of dead Seaforths"

Glen

[paulgranger]

There is a very favourable 5 star review of the IWM/Chasseaud book on Amazon, to compare with David's review of Simon Forty's version.

[Mick D]

Sorry for leaving a one sentence post, it won't happen again.

Mick

[neverforget]

Having recently acquired the Simon Forty version, I would endorse the review posted above by David Filsell, and it is a fine research book, but I would like to add this warning to any prospective purchasers:

Many of the maps are so incredibly small that you will need a magnifying glass to read them. Seriously! Although they are packed with detail, they would appear to be copies of huge maps, scaled down so far that many of the details are absolutely minute.

I did intend to post the contents page, and offer any look ups wanted, but my printer decided to choose this moment to pack up on me.

If I can fix it I will post the page as intended.

[Old Tom]

I bought a copy from Waterstones this morning; attracted by Peter Chasseaud's name,(I had a gift token) I have read his the Artillery's Astrologers (borrowed from a library). If anyone else does the same, beware to ' exclusive to Waterstones' map stuck inside the back cover. I found it impossible to remove the map, it has to be removed to look at, without leaving a bit stuck to the cover. I have complained to Waterstones and Collins. Have not read the book yet.

Old Tom

[neverforget]

Contents page of Simon Forty`s book.

Any look-up requests etc most welcome.

Contents part two

[ypres]

Public thank you to 'neverforget'.

Recieved today. Regards. JIM

[CROONAERT]

Got the Chasseaud book a couple of weeks ago but only recently took a look at it, and ... erm. .. not quite what I was expecting to be honest.

Dave

[mmckay395]

I got sent a review copy of Chasseaud's book. I'd recommend it just for the wealth of photos, diagrams, and maps (obviously).

[CROONAERT]

My review for information:

Mapping the First World War: Battlefields of the Great Conflict from Above, Conway £20.00, 144 pp, Coloured maps throughout, index, ISBN 978 1 84486 218 4.

First it is important to understand what this book is not! It is not a campaign by campaign volume of campaign maps like Arthur Banks invaluable A Military Atlas of the First World War, (last republished by Leo Cooper in 1997).

This is no criticism, no missed opportunity, for it offers, as the publisher claims, a “uniquely different perspective on the ‘war to end all wars’”. Simon Forty’s objectives have been to provide a handsome and wide ranging demonstration of mapping and mapping techniques and charted analysis used during the war by various combatants prefaced by a skilful introduction covering the nations involved, areas of combat.

The quality of this - admittedly ‘shelfishly’ awkward - landscape production, - which uses contemporary works – many drawn from the Public Records Office archive - is quite simply excellent. Its qualities are only limited by, in some cases, the need to reduce them in size because of y the limitations of book size, of printing costs and of production. Sadly, but necessarily it must be admitted, this does render some detail beyond my ancient eyes to examine – and I am sure those of the less ‘corneally challenged’, whilst my trusty linen gauge fails to defeat the printing process.

Maps and diagrams – some 150, the majority in colour - range from U Boat positions in August 1914 to hand sketches and maps of Gallipoli to Hostile Tactical maps of Ypres in 1917 and sketch maps by T.E. Lawrence made in 1918. They also include the Somme and the Third Battle of Ypres.

The ingenuity and skill of the cartographers is obvious from page one as is the quality of this publication and the authors perception. This is a fascinating quality work in a relatively unexplored area at an extremely keen pries. Thoroughly recommended as reference and as a reminder of top quality book design, typography and quality

David.

Could I ask for your opinion on the actual narrative of the book please as I'm considering a purchase of this?

What I found disappointing about the Chasseaud work (other than the fact that there was only an extremely small handful of maps that I'd never seen or have versions of) is that there was very little narrative on maps and mapping - the book being, basically, just a(nother) general history (and a very general history at that!) of the war as a whole (and, for general histories, there are far better and more detailed volumes out there anyway). Is the Forty book of a similar format, or does it show better coverage of maps and mapping processes? I'm not too concerned with actual images unless they're for illustrative purposes relevant to the narrative.

Thanks.

Dave.