Tag Archives: The Great War

The Unknown War

Posted on October 25, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Unknown War© 1931 Winston Churchill396 pages The war to end all wars, what Sir Winston Churchill aptly described as the world crisis, began when a Serbian partisan assassinated the heir of Austria-Hungary’s throne, setting into motion a Rube Goldberg … Continue reading →

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A Reading on the Eve of Destruction

Posted on October 18, 2014 by smellincoffee

We know no spectacle in human history more instinct with pathos than that of these twelve million men, busy with the cares, hopes and joys of daily life, working in their fields or mills, or seated these summer evenings by … Continue reading →

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Collision of Empires

Posted on September 20, 2014 by smellincoffee

Collision of Empires488 pages© 2014 Prit Buttar                   A quirk of the Great War is that its initial contestants usually cease to be subjects of interest to the historical imagination once Europe’s titans … Continue reading →

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Progress of the War (Reading)

Posted on September 2, 2014 by smellincoffee

The ninth month of the year means ‘tis time to review how my Great War reading is shaping up. The summer has seen not only a terrific book on the Italian-Austrian front (The White War), but at least two books on … Continue reading →

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The Red Baron

Posted on September 1, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Red BaronManfred von Richthofen© 1969 ed. Stanley Ulanoff240 pages The average man on the street may not know the first thing about the Great War, but he’ll have heard of the Red Baron. Attribute that to a silly song, … Continue reading →

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Castles of Steel

Posted on July 31, 2014 by smellincoffee

Castles of Steel© 2004 Robert K. Massie880 pages Everyone’s recipe for cooking up the First World War is slightly different, but one essential ingredient is that of the arms races between various countries,  especially the Anglo-Germanic quest for naval supremacy. … Continue reading →

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The Great War at Sea

Posted on June 18, 2014 by smellincoffee

The Great War at Sea: History of Naval Action 1914-1918© 1965 A.A. Hoehling346 pages             The Great War is not called the first world war for nothing, taking place as it did not only across the … Continue reading →

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The White War

Posted on May 15, 2014 by smellincoffee

 The White War: Life and Death on the Italian Front, 1915-1919©  Mark Thompson 488 pages By 1915, what began as a conflict between Austria and Serbia had broadened into the Great War, whose largest contenders were not parties to the … Continue reading →

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Progress so far, and another announcement

Posted on May 2, 2014 by smellincoffee

Four months into my “Great War” yearly theme, I’ve managed to stay true to my intention of reading one book a month on it.  Only two of the books so far have come from my original list,  as I supplemented … Continue reading →

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Conscience

Posted on April 30, 2014 by smellincoffee

Conscience: Two Pacifists, Two Soldiers, One Family© 2012 Louisa Thomas336 pages How does a pious young Presbyterian minister become a six-time candidate for the Socialist party? Such is the story of Conscience,  the story of Norman Thomas and his younger … Continue reading →

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