World War I - Ten Essential Books

[@normstewart546]

As someone who didn't know a lot about WWI, I found A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918 by G.J. Meyer one of the best history books I've read. It ties everything together very well, and doesn't dwell on combat operation details over-much.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Haven’t read that one, but I’m familiar with it. Thanks.

[@KatherineDote-n7g]

I just finished A World Undone a few weeks ago. It's excellent.

[@FrauTech]

Agree. I’ve read Gilbert and Tuchman and a few others not on this list and thought World Undone would be another slog but it was so engaging and informative.

[@andrewsalisbury4527]

Yes, G. J. Meyer's one-volume survey of the Great War is fantastic. Meyer's background essays are masterfully interwoven into the narrative. Highly recommend.

[@vicdelta31415]

Just started reading A World Undone. It's definitely engaging and quite informative. Any reviews about Catastrophe by Max Hastings. I already own it so it is on my reading list.

[@darrickdean1849]

Gilbert's book is a must read. John Keegan's WWI is also a favorite. Different styles, same War, but both absorbing narratives.

[@markheithorn3905]

I just bought Keegans book. Looking forward to reading it.

[@kiwigaming1605]

The First World War by John Keegan has been on my wishlist for a while now. Does Keegan mention any of the more forgotten fronts of the war? East Africa, Salonika, Italy, ect.

[@varovaro1967]

The Prize of Glory is a masterpiece.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Indeed.

[@derekrledr5955]

Thank you very much for this list. I will give several of them a read. On the lighter side... I was greatly relieved to finally see a mention for Barbara Tuchman... I was worried there for most of your video! There is a great quote in the book about German war games that is appropriate for either of your channels. I also enjoyed Margaret MacMillan's "The War that Ended Peace"... but as a Canadian... I'm biased!

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

McMillan's book is great. I may include that in a future list. I also really liked her Versailles 1919 and Nixon & Mao. I studied in Berlin years ago with a Canadian professor who worked with her, and he recommended that I read her work. Tuchman is also a treasure. Wonderful historian and writer. Happy to help! Thanks!

[@bernie4268]

Hey Cody I just found your site. I’m teaching WW1 to year 9 in Australia. I’ve got a stack of books but your list has put me onto a few others. I’m going to get The Price of Glory and The Guns of August. Haven’t looked at your WW2 list yet! Thanks a lot I enjoyed it.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Happy to help. Good luck.

[@billmeyers3440]

Brilliant analysis Cody... I'll pick up a couple of these.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Happy to help!

[@michaelsweazey1102]

I haven't read it, but the title of The Sleepwalkers seems to be the perfect name for a book about the origin of WWI. The book sounds fascinating. In many ways, it sounds like the most relevant to the ways that conflicts evolve over all.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

It’s a great book and offers some really good analysis of the belligerents on the eve of the war.

[@everhat]

Thanks for this list, Cody. I followed you to this channel from your board game reviews on Boardgamegeek. Thanks for those reviews, also!

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you. Happy to help.

[@d.k8746]

"The myth of the great war. Howw the germans won the battles and the americans saved the allies" Pr. John Mosier. Great book

[@williamjohnson5094]

Surprised you didn't have The First World War by John Keegan, I highly recommend that and I will check out some of the books you recommend.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Keegan's book is great as well. Certainly it could have been on this list. I remember a friend bought that for me for my birthday one year. Took me a while to get to it, and I was kicking myself that I didn't get to it sooner after I read it. Thanks.

[@askyeshka726]

Shalom, Thank you sir, I will start on them after I finish the series I am on now. Much appreciate your guidance. L'Chaim!

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you. Best of luck in your studies.

[@lopezmt5]

This is the third list of 10 best books I’ve watched of yours. I also watched your 10 best WWII East and West books as well. I really enjoyed the recommendations for the Western Front. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Eastern Front and read most of the books you suggested on that list. I’ve read a great number of Glantz’s books (I’ve never minded his style of writing). But the books you recommended on the Western Front, almost all of them I haven’t read, the exception is Atkinson’s, “The Guns At Last Light”. I read his trilogy And enjoyed it immensely. So I’m grateful for your recommendations and will hopefully get to read some of them. I have also not read most of your WWI recommendations. Again, I hope to get the chance. But all that being said, I must say I see an alarming trend in the books you do recommend, several of the authors died recently…. 😉. But seriously, thank you for the recommendations.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you. Happy to help.

[@paddyballer2512]

My knowledge of ww1 is average I would, I know of all the stuff that happened like the specific battles and the generals in charge but I don’t quite know the specifics. The only long form piece of content I’ve listened to was blueprint for Armageddon which I really enjoyed and it had me itching to read more books about the specifics rather than a whole war overview. I just bought sleepwalkers so that’s going to be my first read of a ww1 book. What should my next couple be if my goal is learning as much about the war as possible.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

@@paddyballer2512 Perhaps start with some books on the major battles, like Tannenberg by Dennis Showalter, or The Somme by Martin Gilbert. You will also want to read Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August.

[@gioilcreatore3547]

I was shocked you didnt put Meyer's World Undone as well as Stevenson 1914-1918. And Herwig book that focuses on the losing side. Anyway, good advises but I would put the 3 I mentioned.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Stevenson’s book is really good. I haven’t read the others.

[@gioilcreatore3547]

Herwig book is incredibly good. Narrates the story of WWI from german and austrian perspective. If you can, read it.

[@PizzaNife]

I’m diving into this list! Thanks for the video!

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you.

[@jeffa6841]

At the Sharp End - Tim Cook Shock Troops - Tim Cook Ghosts Have Warm Hands - Will R. Bird Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment - Hayes, Iarocci, & Bechthold, Ed's When Your Number's Up - Desmond Morton

[@bigdark1666]

Great content sir. Thank you for recording your actual lectures on Nazi Germany, its unique form of presentation on KZbin and i hope i will find more of something like that.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[@michaelwild888]

Thanks and I will try a few.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you.

[@webwarrior1.038]

Awesome! I've been looking to get into WW1 and this was timely.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Happy to help.

[@bergsteiger09]

Thank you for the list. Love Guns of August. Thoughts on Hart's "The Real War"? Also curious if you have any recommendations for the war outside of Europe land battles. I have "A Peace to End All Peace" on my to read list, but would love other ideas.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Haven't read "The Real War." Hart's "Combat History" details fighting in theaters outside of Europe. I can't say that I've ready too much on fighting outside of Europe aside from general histories. Thanks.

[@Hero-lo3kt]

May I suggest Thomas Weber's book "Hitler's First War" by Thomas Weber. It's a good book documenting Hitler's List Regiment's experience in WWI but it also debunks alot and of the myths about the Germans in WWI as well as the semi-fictional myths of Hitler's experiences in the trenches that were first spread by Hitler's semi-fictional biography Mein Kampf.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thanks. That one looks good.

[@stevenpage9269]

Barbara Tuchman - love her stuff

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

She's written some wonderful works of history. I've also enjoyed The Zimmermann Telegram, A Distant Mirror, and The Proud Tower.

[@ShawnMM]

Thanks for the list, my knowledge of World War I is very limited.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Happy to help.

[@davidsigler9690]

Good choices....I would recommend a few of my own,...."To Conquer Hell: The Meuse-Argonne, 1918-The Epic Battle That Ended The First World War." By. Edward G. lengel....I found it very good....."Yanks:The Epic Story Of The American Army In World War I." By. John S.D. Eisenhower....I liked this book....and one I am still reading but am liking, "Emey On The Euphrates:The Battle For Iraq, 1914-1921." By. Ian Rutledge......

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Thank you.

[@yaireliz5079]

Hi! I wanted to ask if you would be willing to make a video on your favorite books for those beginning to learn about history. I graduated High School 2 years ago and my teacher did not teach us much. We didn't learn about any of the wars or about American history, he just wanted to teach us about Latin American history and Indian civilizations.. I don't want to read "A People's History of the United States" because of how biased it is but I am finding it very hard to find alternatives, do you have any suggestions?? Thank you😚

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

That's a very interesting idea. I'd have to think of it but maybe somewhere down the line I could make such a list. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@yaireliz5079]

@@codycarlsonph.d.5591 Thank you for answering😊 God bless

[@pgtmg624]

Perhaps you shoul provide Amazon list in comments as people who want to read the books could also contribute to you. I would feel better about my Amazon purchase if a tiny amount was putting coffee into you hands.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Much appreciated (although I only drink water). Here is my website for my game channel. If you click on the link to buy games at the right it will take you to Amazon. From there, if you quickly navigate to the book and purchase. I will get some small compensation. Thanks! thediscriminatinggamer.com/

[@JimLederer]

Bloody April is one I would highly recommend.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Who wrote it?

[@JimLederer]

@@codycarlsonph.d.5591 Peter Hart

[@JimLederer]

Amazing stories of pilots covering their faces in whale blubber to avoid frostbite, while flying at 100mph in January above 12,000 feet with no oxygen.

[@davidsigler9690]

What is your opinion of "Yanks" by. Eisenhower?.....the books you recommended sounded good.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

I’m afraid I have not read that one. Thanks.

[@brodarus2508]

What about All Quiet on the Western Front or Storm of Steel!

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Both great books, but one is a novel and the other a memoir. My book lists are specifically about historical interpretations of the war. Thanks.

[@matusfekete6503]

Everybody interested in WWI should read The World Crisis 1911-1918 by Winston S. Churchill. To be honest it has flaws and biases. But its' strenght is being written by member of highest council, present at decision making and accomplished author. And, most importantly, was writtem before WWII. While putting events in context is important, the context itself may distort our perception of them. The image of Great War we were taught is greatly distorted by context of Second World War and to truly understad tragedy of WWI we need to study both modern and contemporary sources.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Good point. I read that when I was nineteen. I did not include it here because I am focusing on works by historians.

[@lottewalks]

"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." that quote from Winston has put those books on the back burner for me.

[@matusfekete6503]

@@lottewalks You may be surprised how much WC successeded in his intent. For example mof how we today perceive WWII comes directly or indirectly from his opinions. I found it quite important to know what WC said himself to be able discern his opinions in other sources.

[@nedmerrill5705]

Pandora's Box, a History of the First World War, by Jörn Leonhard

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

Haven’t heard of that one.

[@Phlibberty]

A masterpiece.

[@oberstraphry]

The First World War: Volume 1: To Arms (Oxford, 2001) ISBN 0-19-926191-1 by Hew Strachan is very good.

[@codycarlsonph.d.5591]

I need to check it out. Thanks.