# Books/films on World War One **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974 "2012-03-27T20:06:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Damfino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Damfino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damfino)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/21 "2012-03-28T21:27:40Z")
C.S. Forester’s \*African Queen \*has already been mentioned. Another WW1 story of his is _Brown on Resolution_, dealing with a British seaman on a desolate island delaying a German cruiser’s repairs armed only with a rifle until British reinforcements reach the area. Wilbur Smith’s _Shout at the Devil_ has a similar background to \*The African Queen \*: amateurs fighting German naval forces in Africa. _The Ghosts of Africa_ by William Stevenson tells the story of German general von Lettow-Vorbeck who eluded a larger British force during the African campaign. _The Ravi Lancers_ by John Masters is a novel dealing with an Indian Princely State regiment volunteering for France in 1914 and serving in the trenches, with a British CO and the prince as 2 i/c. The historical part of the Gallipolli campaign is well covered in _Gallipolli_ by Robert Rhodes James. The movie _My Boy Jack_ starring Daniel Radcliffe tells the story of Rudyard Kipling’s son Jack, who served in the Irish Guards and was lost at Loos. I’m not being facetious, but some of the early Biggles books by Capt. W E Johns capture the flavour of WW1 air combat rather well. Try “The Camels are coming” or “Biggles of 266 Squadron” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/22 "2012-03-28T21:35:07Z")
THE BLUE MAX is quite good, and I of course thought THE GREAT WALDO PEPPER was terrific. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/23 "2012-03-28T23:31:25Z")
I’ll strongly second or third _A Very Long Engagement_ and _Regeneration_ if it’s fiction yer wantin’. If it’s non-fiction, _The Guns of August_ does a good job of covering the first months of the war. ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/24 "2012-03-29T12:55:10Z")
I’ll second the upthread recommendation of Derek Robinson’s _Goshawk Squadron_. Amazing book. I recently read a translation of _The Good Soldier Svejk_ by Jaroslav Hasek. Darkly comic satire about a Czech man (Svejk) swept up by the war and the madness of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A very different-to-the-usual look at the war. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/25 "2012-03-29T17:17:10Z")
[To End All Wars](http://www.amazon.com/End-All-Wars-Rebellion-1914-1918/dp/0547750315/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333041294&sr=1-1) by Adam Hochschild (of [King Leopold’s Ghost](http://www.amazon.com/King-Leopolds-Ghost-Heroism-Colonial/dp/0618001905/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1) fame). A magnificent book focusing on those who opposed the war (and usually suffered greatly for doing so). ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/26 "2012-03-29T17:39:08Z")
Paul Fussell’s _The Great War and Modern Memory_ is a classic on the effect of the war on literature & language. I just finished _Hero, The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia_ by Michael Korda. I’d studied the man & the campaign before (reading \*The Seven Pillars of Wisdom \*at 12!) but learned a lot about him & his amazing life. Ford Madox Ford’s _Parade’s End_ tetralogy is about one man & his society, before, during & after WWI. It’s more than a war book but has been called one of the great ones. Although a four-volume critical edition has just come out, I’d recommend any of the one-volume editions for the first reading. (Coming to BBC/HBO later this year in 5 episodes, with a script by Tom Stoppard.) ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/27 "2012-03-29T18:12:39Z")
An odd one is _The Poppy Factory_ by William Fairchild. Definitely different. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/28 "2012-03-29T18:42:23Z")
So many great suggestions. Mystery writer Anne Perry wrote a 5-book series set in WW1. A total departure from her regular mystery books. The main characters are three adult children whose parents are killed just before the war begins. Their points of view of the war are that of working in the home office (brother), chaplain (brother) on front lines/trenches, and volunteer ambulance driver (sister). The first one is titled, _No Graves as Yet_ and is set in June 1914. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/29 "2012-03-29T18:55:04Z")
[A World Undone](http://www.amazon.com/World-Undone-Story-Great-1914/dp/0553382403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333047221&sr=8-1) is a very good general history of the first world war. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/30 "2012-03-29T19:40:15Z")
Awesome- thanks so far, folks. There’s a lot to check out here for sure! I’ve not seen “Paths of Glory”, but I intend to now. I’ve read the last book of the _Regeneration_ trilogy years ago (my high school had it in their library and none of the others) and both read and seen _All Quiet on the Western Front_. I’ve been trying to get my hands on the whole trilogy without having to resort to Amazon for a while. I had heard **of** _A Very Long Engagement_ but had no idea what it was about. Thanks a tonne for the recommendation- there’s one I definitely would have missed. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/31 "2012-03-29T19:47:24Z")
I know _Paths of Glory_ is available in DVD because I have a copy. I suggest getting drunk afterward. Though it’s brilliant, it’s a real downer. Come to think of it, the same advice and comments could be applied to almost any of these books or movies. WWI always seemed to me to have this kind of sick inevitability to it, that for some reason I don’t associate with WWII. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/32 "2012-03-29T20:37:28Z")
_Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea_ by Robert Massie is a classic history of the naval war. I’d also recommend _Dreadnought_ by the same author, which is a history of the pre-war naval race. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/33 "2012-03-29T20:54:16Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > For movies, you may want to track down **[Oh, What a Lovely War!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh!_What_a_Lovely_War)**, a terrific antiwar satirical musical. Easy to track down–it’s on YouTube! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g-J0po7qT4](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g-J0po7qT4) ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/34 "2012-03-29T23:49:21Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > [To End All Wars](http://www.amazon.com/End-All-Wars-Rebellion-1914-1918/dp/0547750315/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333041294&sr=1-1) by Adam Hochschild (of [King Leopold’s Ghost](http://www.amazon.com/King-Leopolds-Ghost-Heroism-Colonial/dp/0618001905/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1) fame). A magnificent book focusing on those who opposed the war (and usually suffered greatly for doing so). I finished reading, and listening to, **To End All Wars** a few weeks ago. Highly recommended; and the CD set is an excellent listen–well narrated, smooth and engaging prose. I had known nothing about the brave folks in the WW1 anti-war movement who opposed the insane mass slaughter. And **Paths of Glory** is a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/35 "2012-03-30T00:49:29Z")
_Lawrence of Arabia_. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/36 "2012-03-30T12:19:21Z")
A reminder to read post #8? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/37 "2012-03-30T12:45:46Z")
You’ve already read the _Regeneration Trilogy_, but do persist in tracking it down: it deserves a re-read. For fictionalised accounts, as mentioned already _Birdsong_ by Sebastian Faulks cannot be beaten. Compelling, graphic, utterly fucking devastating. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/38 "2012-03-30T12:53:59Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > _Lawrence of Arabia_. > > What do I win? Michael Korda wrote the book about T E Lawrence that I recommended above. He’s the nephew of Alexander Korda, the British filmmaker. The elder Korda bought the rights to _Revolt in the Desert_, the abridged & expurgated version of _Seven Pillars_. He met with Lawrence, who urged him to not make the film while he lived. Korda agreed–he apparently liked to buy film rights as an investment, not always intending to make a film immediately. But he did convince Lawrence that he wanted to make an honest film, with no foolishness like an inserted romance. Leslie Howard was mentioned as the star–which sounds rather good. Lawrence died in 1935 but Korda never made the film, eventually selling the rights to Sam Spiegel. The epic that Spiegel produced was great in its own right, even if it took a few liberties… Alexander Korda also bought rights to _I, Claudius_ from Robert Graves. Filming began but the project stalled. Eventually, the rights went to the BBC for the great TV series. Although Robert Graves did not benefit directly, the show’s success increased interest in his books; money came to the Graves household. By that time, Graves was in decline from dementia; the money meant he always had good care. As his memory unraveled, he apparently went through a nightmarish period when he was reliving the Battle of the Somme, where he had nearly died so long ago. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/39 "2012-03-30T13:41:21Z")
As mentioned, Paths of Glory is a must. The Book mentioned in #3 Verdun- The Price of Glory is also something you should not miss. Also mentioned above, The Big Parade is a good movie. All Quiet On The Western Front is a classic. I am a bit perplexed though in that you mention Wiki is a bit light on.There are literally thousands of books and movies about The Great war. I have a room full of them (as my wife constantly reminds me). Also, there are so many aspects of the war and so many theatres. And that is without mentioning the combatants. Flying Fury gives a great insight into the early days of aerial combat. The First Blitz gives a lot more broader detail of the bombing war. Castles of Steel has already been mentioned. There is also Jutland- the German perspective if you want to focus primarily on that angle. If you want to read about a single soldiers adventures you could try Hells Bells and Madamoselles (out of print) by Maxwell (winner of the VC). And a film I would recommend ahead of The Blue max would be The Dawn Patrol. Be careful- there are two versions about six years apart. Go for the one with David Niven and Errol Flynn. May be able to help a bit more if you indicate some leaning- such as if you would prefer to read about the British Forces, the Navy, or whatever. There is a lot of stuff out there. Some is very good. ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974/40 "2012-03-30T15:09:26Z")
For those who correctly recommend _Paths of glory_, I would also recommend the [novel](http://www.amazon.com/Paths-Glory-Penguin-Classics-Humphrey/dp/0143106112) on which it was based. And you can never go wrong with [John Keegan](http://www.amazon.ca/First-World-War-John-Keegan/dp/0676972241). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-films-on-world-war-one/616974.md?page=3)