In "the Faces of World War I" Max Arthur has delved into the superb photographic archives of the Imperial War Museum and other important collections to unearth remarkable, never before seen images that, when married with his contemporary eye-witness accounts, truly bring a unique perspective to the First World War. "The Faces of World War I" charts the changes that took place in Edwardian Britain and continental Europe following the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 that led to the outbreak of war. It paints a startling portrait of the recruitment and militarization of an entire generation of young men, beginning with the British Expeditionary Forces entry into warfare in 1914. Max Arthur tells the story in words and pictures of this newly conscripted army through their five years of slaughter and suffering. As well as the British troops and civilians, we also see pictures of German troops and their own suffering, in a journey that follows the armies right through to their return home or, in some cases, their tragic end on the battlefield. This photographic milestone brilliantly conveys not only the heroism, but also the universal horror, futility, humour and boredom of warfare. From the front-line troops and their daily dice with death, to the support lines, communications, enlistment, training and propaganda. Every aspect of the soldiers life is covered here, in this brilliant collection of images that brings the Great War to life in a way never done before.
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A picture is worth 1,000 words and Max Arthur has trawled through the archives of the Imperial War Musem to tell the story of the Great War in poignant black and white. --Tribune Magazine
About the Author
Max Arthur is rightly seen as one of Britain's leading oral historians of the Great War, having collected first-hand accounts of survivors from Britain's armed services, and allowed their stories to be told to a wider audience. Max has written several bestselling oral history books about twentieth century history in war - and peace-time. He writes for The Independent and lectures on strategy and leadership. Max's previous books include "Last Post", "Forgotten Voices of the Great War", "A History of the Victoria Cross", and "Lost Voices of the Edwardians". He lives in London.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
62 of 64 people found the following review helpful
By Anne Thomas
Format:Hardcover
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By D. Stark
Format:Hardcover
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.
Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.
As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.
Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.
As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.
Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.
One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'
But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.
One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'
But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By WeatherNerd
Format:Hardcover
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
An excellent pictorial portrayal of WW1.
Well documented,presented and priced.
Twenty words is a lot to write when one will do.
Excellent,very good,gut wrenching at times.
A pictoroial illustration of Edwardian England
The men who fought, many of whom died.
The faces, bodies and victims of war,
before political correctness was invented.
Well documented,presented and priced.
Twenty words is a lot to write when one will do.
Excellent,very good,gut wrenching at times.
A pictoroial illustration of Edwardian England
The men who fought, many of whom died.
The faces, bodies and victims of war,
before political correctness was invented.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Bookworm
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book was bought for my husband who thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately it didn't take long as it was mainly photographs which I had been unaware of when purchasing but the main thing was he enjoyed the book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am very pleased to have purchased this as a Christmas Present for very good friend of mine. I purley based my purchase from the glowing reviews given by customers who have purchased this book from Amazon.
Obviously, before wrapping this I had to carefully scan the pictures inside, ('as you do'). I must admit I was bowled over by the quality and gravity of the photographs included.
War photography does not come more profound than the black and white images depicted in this book....perhaps I say this because it is of a war that everyone's' ancestors were affected by.
This book is grand in hard back form and I could not think it to be half as impressive in a paper binding, should one exhist.
Obviously, before wrapping this I had to carefully scan the pictures inside, ('as you do'). I must admit I was bowled over by the quality and gravity of the photographs included.
War photography does not come more profound than the black and white images depicted in this book....perhaps I say this because it is of a war that everyone's' ancestors were affected by.
This book is grand in hard back form and I could not think it to be half as impressive in a paper binding, should one exhist.
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