The Best Books on World War I | Five Books Expert Recommendations

World War I: Top 10 Books | Military.com

The greatest books ever written about the First World War

The 17 Best Books on World War I

To Arms

A las Armas

The First World War

La Primera Guerra Mundial

Verdun 1916

The Price of Glory

El Precio de la Gloria

13 Great Books to Read While Studying World War 1 - Compass Classroom

A youth named Paul Bäumer, along with his schoolmates, enlists in the German military during the First World War, convinced by the patriotic speeches of their teacher, Kantorek. They soon face harsh instruction from the sadistic Corporal Himmelstoss and witness the horrific realities of war, leading them to question the nationalist ideals they once revered. The hardships of war and the need to survive desensitize them, compelling them to detach from emotions such as fear, sympathy, and grief. After significant losses in their company, they meet their former tormentor, Himmelstoss, at the front, leading to conflicts and discussions about the corruption and arrogance in the power structure of war. 

They endure grim experiences at the front, including a haunting mission laying barbed wire amidst heavy artillery, causing corpses to unearth from their graves. Despite the horrors, they find moments of relief in simple pleasures like a large meal, a swim, or a brief interaction with French girls. However, the notion of war's end seems a distant fantasy, and Paul struggles with the idea of returning to normalcy after his experiences. He takes a brief leave, returning home only to find his mother terminally ill and his hometown alienating. He spends time at a training camp with Russian POWs, empathizing with them and questioning the purpose of war – a sentiment echoed when he kills a French soldier, Gérard Duval, in self-defense and feels immense remorse upon discovering his personal life.

In the subsequent days, Paul and his friends guard a supply depot for a respite, but the relative peace is short-lived. Following a battle, Paul and his friend Kropp sustain injuries, leading to Kropp's leg amputation and their return to the front after recovery. As the Allied forces continue their onslaught, one by one, Paul's friends fall. The hopeful whispers of Germany's impending surrender and the prospect of peace do little to comfort Paul, who feels unprepared for a peaceful life. In the quiet fall of 1918, Paul, the last survivor of his comrades, gets killed on a day of minor fighting, his face peaceful in death, signifying a respite from the relentless horrors of war.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Sin novedad en el frente occidental

The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I

El clásico ganador del Premio Pulitzer sobre el estallido de la Primera Guerra Mundial

The Guns of August

Las armas de agosto

The story revolves around a young American, Lieutenant Frederic Henry, who serves as an ambulance driver in the Italian army during the tail-end of World War I. He spends winter touring Italy, returning in spring to his duties at the front. There, he crosses paths with Catherine Barkley, an English nurse’s aide at a nearby British hospital. Despite Catherine initially being an object of affection for Henry's friend Rinaldi, it is with Frederic that she begins a playful, complicated romance. Catherine, still grieving the loss of her fiancé, seeks comfort in love, even if it's an illusion. Her sentiments awaken in Henry a longing for emotional connection, something he lost in the brutalities of war.

When Henry gets injured in battle, he is transported to a hospital in Milan. Despite initial suggestions of a six-month bed rest followed by knee surgery, Henry opts for an immediate operation conducted by the audacious Dr. Valentini. Meanwhile, Catherine gets transferred to Milan, further nurturing their growing relationship. Their love, once a game of hollow promises and light-hearted flirtations, evolves into something profound and genuine. After his recovery, Henry is granted a brief three-week leave. Catherine reveals her pregnancy to him, and they plan a trip. However, a diagnosis of jaundice and accusations of deliberate self-harm to avoid service result in the revocation of Henry's leave.

Henry is sent back to the front, where Italian forces are suffering losses. During a retreat, Henry leads his ambulance drivers away from the main route, resulting in a violent altercation with two engineers, one of whom Henry shoots. The retreat continues on foot after their vehicles become stuck. Chaos ensues, with commanding officers being executed, and Henry narrowly escapes being seized by battle police. He escapes by diving into a river and stows away on a train to Milan, deciding his war obligations are over. He reunites with Catherine in Stresa, and they flee to Switzerland, where they build a peaceful life, putting the war behind them. However, their tranquility is shattered when Catherine's labor results in a stillborn baby and ends in her tragic death from a hemorrhage. Grief-stricken Henry, unable to say goodbye, walks back to his hotel in the pouring rain.

6 Best World War I Books of All Time

The First World War

To Arms

The Price of Glory

Verdun 1916

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Guns of August

The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I

A Farewell to Arms

The Sleepwalkers

How Europe Went to War in 1914

Sources

What To Read Next

6 Best World War I Books of All Time

The First World War

To Arms

The Price of Glory

Verdun 1916

All Quiet on the Western Front

The Guns of August

The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I

A Farewell to Arms

The Sleepwalkers

How Europe Went to War in 1914

Sources

What To Read Next

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