What WW1 books are you reading?

[Black Maria]

Just finished reading the excellent ' Memoirs of the Great War ' by Lieut-Col Davson and now reading that other classic artillery memoir ' The Unreturning Army'

(later expanded version )

 

Edited 1 February , 2018 by Black Maria

[Buffnut453]

Having never studied WW1 in any detail, I'm starting with some basics focused on Passchendaele because 3 relatives were involved: one was awarded a MM, one was killed and the third was one of the few survivors of the 1/5th South Lancashire Regt thanks to a "luck" attack of scabies on 26 Nov 1917.

 

To help me understand what they went through, I'm starting with "They Called it Passchendaele" by Lyn MacDonald followed by "Passchendaele, A New History by Nick Lloyd.  Nothing esoteric but they're certainly helping me understand things better...as is membership of this Forum.

[hazelclark]

I have both those books on the way!

HC

[Buffnut453]

To say I'm "enjoying" Lyn MacDonald's book seems rather inappropriate but it is extremely well-written and really holds the attention.  I'm not surprised it's regarded as a seminal work on the subject...and I'll be interested to see what Nick Lloyd has to add on the subject.

[Martin Bennitt]

I'm halfway through "Glum Heroes: Hardship, Fear and Death", by Peter Hodgkinson, a study of Resilience and Coping in the British Army on the Western Front 1914-18. Mainly it is an extensive collection of quotes from original sources to illustrate the various ways in which men faced the dreadful conditions in which they fought, but it sheds light on what it meant to be a Great War soldier and is quite absorbing. Published by Helion

 

Cheers Martin B

[hazelclark]

On 2018-02-01 at 07:02, Buffnut453 said:

Having never studied WW1 in any detail, I'm starting with some basics focused on Passchendaele because 3 relatives were involved: one was awarded a MM, one was killed and the third was one of the few survivors of the 1/5th South Lancashire Regt thanks to a "luck" attack of scabies on 26 Nov 1917.

 

To help me understand what they went through, I'm starting with "They Called it Passchendaele" by Lyn MacDonald followed by "Passchendaele, A New History by Nick Lloyd.  Nothing esoteric but they're certainly helping me understand things better...as is membership of this Forum.

I have purchased every book on third Ypres on which I can lay my hands and of all of them , my favourite is still the old chestnut by Leon Wolfe.  I have Terraine and Prior and Wilson and several others, but nothing I have read compares with the immediacy and veracity of Wolfe.  The caveat though, is that he was not privy to much information available to later authors.  Terraine’s book is interesting too as it deals with the politics of the business in his “Road to Passchendaele “

 

The new recommendations have not turned up yet from NMP and I am starting to get cheesed off.

H.C.

[paulgranger]

Wolfe's book was amongst the first I read about the Great War, and it is still worth reading. It's recently been republished, and the Amazon blurb refers to it as a 'novelisation', which is an odd description.

[hazelclark]

8 hours ago, paulgranger said:

Wolfe's book was amongst the first I read about the Great War, and it is still worth reading. It's recently been republished, and the Amazon blurb refers to it as a 'novelisation', which is an odd description.

There are all kinds of weird words and expressions turning up.  “Hosting”, “partaking in” to mention a couple.  Strange new verbs being created.  Even the new scrabble seems odd to me.

Hazel

[2ndCMR]

Currently reading Fritz Fischer's, "Germany's War Aims in the First World War".   Will follow up with his "War of Illusions".  

Strongly recommended for any student of the origins of the Great War, and of course of the Second War and the subsequent history of "Mitteleuropa"

 

 

 

[paulgranger]

On 03/02/2018 at 18:09, hazelclark said:

There are all kinds of weird words and expressions turning up.  “Hosting”, “partaking in” to mention a couple.  Strange new verbs being created.  Even the new scrabble seems odd to me.

Hazel

I agree entirely, but my puzzlement was the implication that the book is fictionalized. Or, that's what I took 'novelization' to mean.

[hazelclark]

8 minutes ago, paulgranger said:

I agree entirely, but my puzzlement was the implication that the book is fictionalized. Or, that's what I took 'novelization' to mean.

I did realise that Paul, but reacted to the expression ahead of the implication!  It has been claimed, somewhere on this Forum, if I remember correctly, that Wolfe was economical with the truth in some areas of the book. I was not aware of any departure from what actually happened, although, as I said he would not have been privy to information now available. Likely modern researchers may find some errors but to call it “novelisation” seems a bit much.

Hazel

[QUEX]

19 hours ago, hazelclark said:

I did realise that Paul, but reacted to the expression ahead of the implication!  It has been claimed, somewhere on this Forum, if I remember correctly, that Wolfe was economical with the truth in some areas of the book. I was not aware of any departure from what actually happened, although, as I said he would not have been privy to information now available. Likely modern researchers may find some errors but to call it “novelisation” seems a bit much.

Hazel

 

I would have thought something like 'narrative' was an more appropriate word where 'novelisation' is used in the blurb.  

[seaJane]

4 hours ago, QUEX said:

 

I would have thought something like 'narrative' was an more appropriate word where 'novelisation' is used in the blurb.  

My thoughts exactly.

[David Ridgus]

Finally got round to Andrew Gordon's The Rules of the Game, Jutland and British Naval Command. Well worth the wait, what a book! The level of the detail he brings to the description of the battle is astonishing, and yet at the same time the narrative never drags. As one reviewer says, he is a compelling storyteller. I learnt so much.

 

Now back on the Western Front with Charlotte Zeepvat's Before Action, William Noel Hodgson and the 9th Devons.

 

David

[2ndCMR]

Have also been reading some of "The Private Diaries of S. H. Rider Haggard 1914-1925", edited by D. S. Higgins.  "These diaries depict a man and his times in detailed and moving relief.  They are good to have." The Times

 

15th July 1918

I thank God that I have lived to see the end of the Victorian idea and ideal.  [Better called "Edwardian"?]  Personally I always knew, that is ever since I began to think, that the whole business was an elaborate show and sham, but so far as I am concerned that knowledge made things worse rather than better.  And what a sham it was!  The pretence that war has gone by and that thenceforward the nations lived only to make money, honestly or dishonestly, it did not matter which.  That Free Trade and its consequences created a very fair copy of Heaven upon earth, even when no one else would adopt its sacred doctrines.  That the foreigners should be encouraged in our midst, especially the German foreigner who could put down hard cash in exchange for titles and social consideration, which was taken greedily by the politicians although they well knew that he and his kind were spies sent forth to ruin the Country of their adoption.  That the Land did not matter except as a place for sport and week end parties that were furnished by the rich who owned it, since food could always be brought in in cheap plenty from abroad.  The real aims of life were not Patriotism and Duty (the former indeed was much depreciated as a survival of primeval barbarism) but pleasure and money.  That no lady of consideration could possibly spoil her figure by extensive child-bearing which also prevented her from dancing and other delights.  That the one thing to be discouraged, indeed, was the growth of population, since it meant a decrease in the amount to be divided.  The population was only useful in the event of war, and war was done with, human nature having totally changed at the approach of the Victorian top hat.  That the Empire was a nuisance and that every possible opportunity should be taken to lessen our responsibilities in this direction and above all to oppress and 'give away' those pests who showed loyalty to their King and country - such as the English in the Transvaal, or the inhabitants of Ulster in Ireland.  That is was better to take the risk of having practically no army than to incur the certainty of loss of votes at an election; such are a few example of the Victorian [sic] ideal, evolved from decades of greasy plenty by men whose gods were Wealth and Place, men without imagination or a spiritual side, however often they attended church because it was the proper thing to do.  And now look whither their great ideal has led us!   Save for the Empire, which they, or some of them, tried to stamp out, where should we be?....The fine superior folk, for instance, who for years set me down and proclaimed me a Barbarian because I wrote of fighting - horrid, vulgar fighting - when only the sweet smelling problems of of high civilization were worthy of treatment, are glad enough today of the virile fighting spirit which believe I helped to evoke in many of the young men who are all that stand between us and dishonour, the yoke of slavery and ultimate destruction.

Edited 9 February , 2018 by 2ndCMR

[DoughboyFighter]

I finished “The White War” by Mark Thompson about a week ago. I found the book to be a bit disorganized and clunky, but it was certainly an interesting read. I’d like to read more on the Italian front.

 

I’m now almost halfway through “Welcome to Flanders Fields: The First Canadian Battle of the Great War” by Daniel Dancocks. This book is incredibly well-written and I’m finding it hard to put down. 

 

Which books would be worth reading on 1915? 

[paulgranger]

'Courage Without Glory' , a collection of essays on aspects of the war on the Western Front, edited by Spencer Jones. Excellent.

'1915 - Loss of Innocence' by Lyn MacDonald, is also good, 

 

[David Ridgus]

10 hours ago, DoughboyFighter said:

Which books would be worth reading on 1915? 

 

'Loos 1915' by Nick Lloyd was published on the centenary and was much more favourably reviewed than most books on the battle.

 

For a contemporary view of Loos (and as the author claimed that most of it was written on the battlefield itself, a very contemporary view) 'Great Push, an episode of the Great War' by Patrick MacGill still takes some beating.

 

David

 

 

[DoughboyFighter]

Thank you for the recommendations. I’ve read some questionable reviews of MacDonald’s books. Are they still worth reading? 

 

I just starting reading Holger Herwig’s “The Marne”. I’m really enjoying his bit on the Voges, as I had no idea that front existed until I discovered this forum. 

[chaz]

current read is The Last of the Last by Claude Choules. only just started it but he starts reminiscing his early childhood life in the country side, much like my relatives in the signature on the Wilts/Glos border.

[Buffnut453]

Just finished Lyn MacDonald's "They Called it Passchendaele" and now moving on to Nick Lloyd's "Passchendaele: a New History."  Also dipping into Emily Mayhew's "Wounded" as the mood takes me.

[hazelclark]

It will be interesting to hear what you think of “Wounded”.  I didn’t buy it as it got very mixed press on this Forum.

 

Hazel

[hazelclark]

On 2018-02-24 at 10:55, DoughboyFighter said:

Thank you for the recommendations. I’ve read some questionable reviews of MacDonald’s books. Are they still worth reading? 

 

I just starting reading Holger Herwig’s “The Marne”. I’m really enjoying his bit on the Voges, as I had no idea that front existed until I discovered this forum. 

I don’t care for her books.  I think one outgrows them when exposed to more objective writing. I have read a couple of them and  have one unread.  Having said that, I did break down and order her Passchendaele book recently.  I tend to buy anything on the subject I can find.  Hasn’t turned up yet.  Some people love them so judge for yourself.

 

Hazel

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

I am currently enjoying "Wingate Pasha" (2011), whose Great War efforts included commands in the Hedjaz and elsewhere.

He was one of those whose encouragement was helpful to T. E. Lawrence (Wingate was subsequently criticised by Lawrence, however).

Interestingly, Wingate was photographed with medals and orders up, at a time before his British War Medal 1914-18 and Victory Medal 1914-19 had been issued.

Note the ribbons only, with MiD oakleaf.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[Black Maria]

I am about two thirds of the way through reading ' Blood & Iron : Letters From The Western Front ' ( P&S 2011 )  and i must say that I am quite disappointed

with it so far . Being a lover of memoirs , diaries etc and a person who finds the more 'academic' Great War books quite boring I have found it quite tedious

struggling through nearly 150 pages which chart Hugh Butterworth's sporting achievements ( I find sport quite boring as well ) and the minutiae of the battle

in which Hugh died. The book is 234 pages long and his actual letters are contained in only 44 pages ( the letters were originally published in 1916 ) . I am sure

though that I will enjoy reading his letters when I eventually get there ( only 20 pages to go now !)