Follow the Authors

1914-1918: The History of the First World War Paperback – 1 Sept. 2005

by David Stevenson (Author)

4.5 384 ratings

Part of: Allen Lane History (52 books)

In the summer of 1914 Europe exploded into a frenzy of mass violence. The war that followed had global repercussions, destroying four empires and costing millions of lives. Even the victorious countries were scarred for a generation, and we still today remain within the conflict's shadow. In this major new analysis, published some ninety years after the First World War began, David Stevenson re-examines the causes, course and impact of this 'war to end war', placing it in the context of its era and exposing its underlying dynamics. His book provides a wide-ranging international history, drawing on insights from the latest research. It offers compelling answers to the key questions about how this terrible struggle unfolded: questions that remain disturbingly relevant for our own time.

Report an issue with this product

Part of series

Allen Lane History
Print length

784 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin
Publication date

1 Sept. 2005
Dimensions

12.9 x 3.4 x 19.8 cm
ISBN-10

0140268170
ISBN-13

978-0140268171
See all details

Products related to this item
Sponsored

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1

Feedback

Just released

Jonathan Trigg

5

Hardback

£17.99
Feedback

Jonathan Trigg

268

Paperback

£9.95
Feedback

DK

596

Hardback

£19.98
Feedback

Jonathan Trigg

639

Paperback

£9.19
Feedback

Mark Burton

16

Paperback

£9.99
Feedback

Mike Lepine

138

Hardback

£12.87
Feedback

Enthralling History

118

Paperback

£11.73
Feedback

Mike Lepine

34

Hardback

£16.28
Feedback

Mike Lepine

54

Hardback

£20.00
Feedback

Neil R. Storey

2

Paperback

£8.97

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

384 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Reviews with images

See all photos

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from United Kingdom

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Nglaws

Academic brilliance, possibly the best all round WW1 book around...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 May 2014

Verified Purchase

I give this book 5 stars because Stevenson shows why he is one of the top historians of the subject and his crystal clear analysis is evident throughout the book as he covers the war in a series of main themes rather than pure chronology which is done elsewhere by many others.
The effort of research that has gone into this book is staggering and it's put into a context which I don't remember reading before, in spite of having read a vast number of books on the subject. Students of the period should not be without this book and should also pick up a copy of his later effort on the last year of the war. With the centenary of outbreak of the war approaching I hope that those who want to learn about the subject for the first time are able to get a copy of this book and have the discipline to read all the way through it for you will be better off having read it. On that matter you should indeed be aware that this is not a mass audience book, but an higher end academic effort by one of the best in the business today.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Richard Blevins

Truely excellent book spoilt by a penny pinching publisher

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 October 2012

Verified Purchase

The star rating is for the book, the publishers however would not get a single star due to their stupid penny pinching decisions in regards to printing.
After reading Robert K Massies staggeringly readable "Dreadnought" almost non stop detailing the events leading up to the start of the first world war in 1914 due to the quality of writing and clear presentaion of events I was so taken with the subject that I decided that I must follow up with an equaly good history of the conflict itself.
After a lot of research I found almost universal (now known to be well deserved) praise for this book.
This is an excellent book absolutely filled with detailed and informative text that provides an in depth understanding of the world shaping events of 1914 - 1918 as well as an explanation of the subsequent peace aggrement and its effect on Germany.
However reading it has proved to be a difficult labour of love due to the rediculously small font size of print which I can only assume has been chosen to save on paper cost.
What a shame that a masterpiece of modern historical writing should have the reading enjoyment spoilt by a publishers cheap attempt to save pennies.

11 people found this helpful

Helpful

Dr Andy Jones

well written but more political than general history

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2023

Verified Purchase

Whilst this is an excellent book, it's original title is more appropriate/accurate as this is really a more politically orientated history than a general history but it was fascinating nonetheless.

( I believe the original sub-title was 'the first world war as political tragedy'

Helpful

Peter

A brilliant book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 March 2018

Verified Purchase

I have a fascination of the First and Second World Wars, especially how the ordinary soldier, sailor and airman coped under such traumatic conditions.
However, this book does not cover this aspect with any detail. What it does cover was the political side, the thoughts and behaviour of the leaders. It was fascinating.
The detail in this book is mind boggling, how the author managed to accumulate so much information is awesome, (sorry to use such a word), yet it kept me fixed to the page, wanting to find out more.
My only criticism is the page layout. On my kindle the whole page would be one paragraph, but as you read it is clear that there should have been a paragraph inserted. Sitting in bed at night, reading, I would decide to read to the end of the next paragraph, but it never came, so a lot of late nights.
Congratulations David Stevenson.

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

S. R. Coberman

All You Need

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2022

Verified Purchase

I've read many books on the Great War which look at the military aspects.

This book does all that. But also - in as much depth if not more - the political and social background behind the conflict.

I don't often give 5 stars (to be honest, I don't often review at all), but this is magnificent.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Anonymous

Great book, but let down in some aspects

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 July 2016

Verified Purchase

Overall, a very interesting and in-depth exploration into the events of the First World War. The book takes into account often sidelined aspects of the war, such as commonwealth troop involvement in Turkey, rather than the usual western front focus seen in other books. However, I can only give three stars, if Amazon offered half stars, or quarter stars id give the book 3.75/5 stars, the reason for this is the author's writing style, he often drops names into the book without context, as such it makes the text difficult to follow, and it consumes time having to find out which side they were on. Other instances he refers to individuals simply as they, even though he may be talking about three individuals, it makes following the book rather difficult. Despite this I would thoroughly recommend the book

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

Compelling and thorough

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 March 2022

Verified Purchase

Compelling and very thorough. Excellent perspective 👏

This reads like a work of passion. If you want to know about WW1, this is the book for you.

Helpful

polly

Useful

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 November 2023

Verified Purchase

This is very interesting book and too understand what when and where in the 1st World War is sometimes difficult. However it is easy to return and find a section . Having been to Ypres it fit in with things,

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Vicente Jiménez

Libro histórico muy trabajado.

Reviewed in Spain on 16 December 2018

Verified Purchase

Muy buen libro. Ameno y directo. Yo lo sigo en inglés y mi nivel es medio.

2 people found this helpful

Translate review to English

Gemeindeschreiber

Erstinformation über Verlauf des 1. Weltkrieges - alle wichtigen Kriegsgegner

Reviewed in Germany on 3 January 2018

Verified Purchase

Sie suchen als Erstinformation ein Buch über den 1. Weltkrieg in einem Band, auf knapp 600 S.? Zur (verwickelten) Vor- und Entstehungsgeschichte des 1. WW greifen Sie besser zu "Die Schlafwandler" von Christopher Clark: hier ist sie auf 44 S. korrekt und knapp wiedergegeben.
Klare, nicht immer chronologische Gliederung (z.B. zusammenfassendes Kap. Seekrieg) bis 1917 wird - manchmal mit nur 1-2 Sätzen - alles
Wichtige zu Motiven, Hintergründen und Verlauf der Schlachten und (Kriegs-) Politik, über die Kriegsgeschellschaft und 'Heimatfront', Rüstungs-
produktion und unmittelbare Nachwirkung berichtet. Von allen 5 - 6 großen Kriegsgegnern. Mit der Zäsur von 1917 (denkbarer Fiedensschluß) ehrer chronolisch gegliedert.
Sachlicher, kurzer und durchaus fesselder Schreibstil, Langeweile bereitet eher das Thema: Nein, nicht schon wieder eine Schlacht mit 30 Millionen Geschossen, 250 Tsd. Kriegsofern auf jeder Seite ...
Eine deutsche Übersetzung ist - wohl nur gebraucht - auch erhältlich.

One person found this helpful

Translate review to English

Amazon Customer

Superb!

Reviewed in Canada on 6 August 2016

Verified Purchase

Superb! A compelling read. Stevenson's history is both comprehensive and brilliantly written.Wide-ranging and fascinating, The history is impeccable, the storytelling remarkable. I have two copies!

One person found this helpful

D.V. KOKKINOS

Second best but Complete,Concise and Correct

Reviewed in the United States on 30 December 2013

Verified Purchase

If you are going to read only two books about this War,this is the second one,the first one being Prof Hew Strachan's "The First World War",which in my opinion provides unparalleled analysis and insights but only the first volume of a three volumes work has been published so far.
The present book has one great advantage over all other relevant books,it goes beyond the Armistice all the way to the Second World War,giving thus to the reader the most complete view of the History of the Period,because the author considers,correctly in my opinion,that the First and the Second WW are fully connected and that the Second is a direct result of the First.
The book is impressive in its breadth and depth and also it is a major achievement of easy reading without any loss in historic analysis or accuracy
The author starts with a short but profound analysis of the reasons for which the Peace was destroyed and is consistent with the best scholarship up to now.Prof Stevenson underlines that the Peace was fragile in the period before 1914 and was continuously growing more so until its destruction. He refutes the Taylorean view that the War was an accident bound to happen, countering it with the view that all sides were willing to risk war rather than back down. Indirectly he considers the War as a result of the German Weltpolitik failure and the unstable equilibrium of forces giving the illusion to both sides that the War was winnable . Although he places Germany and A-H in the forefront of the responsibility for the War,he does not exculpate the other Great Powers.
He then proceeds to explain the failure of the war of movement in a crisp ,concise and well supported way in a hundred pages that cover the conflict until Winter 1914. He surprisingly treats the 1914 BEF much more leniently than it deserves and he is at discord on this with eminent British Historians as Sir Max Hastings and Peter Hart.
Covering the period between 1915 and Spring 1917,which Prof Stevenson calls "a Drama without a Script" and"a period of frustration and failure" he demonstrates convincingly why,analyzing thematically the military ,political,diplomatic,economic,technical and social factors that broadened and sustained the War.
The third part of the book covers the period Spring 1917 Autumn 1918 with the great events of the Russian Revolution,the American Intervention and the last great effort of Germany before the collapse and the Armistice.It is a strong part of the book.
The fourth part is very interesting because it covers Peacemaking ,Rebuilding 1920-1929 and finally Demolition 1929-1945 . This part which is seamlessly connected withe the previous leaves the reader with a complete understanding of the Human Folly and provides a full view of the turbulent first half of the 20th Century.
The conclusion of the book is that all military undertakings risk to result in "a bad war and a bad peace" of which the First WW remains an archetype for both.
This is "a distant but useful warning"
I have nothing to add or to subtract from this statement
DVK

28 people found this helpful

Clem S. Mckown

A new author for me on this subject.

Reviewed in the United States on 18 November 2023

Verified Purchase

A new author for me on this subject, but he's written extensively and is well regarded. I've only glanced at the book so far. Maps are quite good. So are the photos. In my initial glances, I found a minor but understandable problem regarding naval technology.

See more reviews

Amazon Music Stream millions of songs	AbeBooks Books, art & collectables	ACX Audiobook Publishing Made Easy	Amazon Web Services Scalable Cloud Computing Services

Audible Download Audiobooks	Goodreads Book reviews & recommendations	Amazon Home Services Experienced pros Happiness Guarantee	IMDb Movies, TV & Celebrities

Kindle Direct Publishing Indie Digital & Print Publishing Made Easy	Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands	Amazon Warehouse Deep Discounts Open-Box Products	Amazon Business Service for business customers

Select your cookie preferences

Image Unavailable

Follow the Authors

1914-1918: The History of the First World War Paperback – 1 Sept. 2005

Products related to this item
Sponsored