Continuing with the military theme this week. If you like fiction that takes place during the World Wars, check out this giveaway from some very talented historical authors.
Tag Archives: World War I
So … you want to read a bit about World War I?
So, I scanned my LibraryThing collection to see what I have read about World War I. It’s an eclectic mix. I did a fair amount of reading about World War I for the War Through the Generations challenge a few years back, and I’ve continued to read as books capture my interest.
Below are five of the nonfiction titles that I really enjoyed and recommend.
World War One: History in an Hour (my short review here)
The title says it all. World War I, in about an hour, so you’re not getting a lot of detail.
But it’s a good starter book if you’re dipping your toes back into the events of this time.
To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 (my review here) by Adam Hochschild
This was one of my favorites from the World War I reading challenge. The author uses one of my favorite techniques for presenting history: providing an overview and then showing us the individual lives of the pairs he follows in the narrative. This makes for both effective and riveting reading.
Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics
Yes, I just reviewed this one, which you can read here. I won’t say a whole lot about it, except that I highly recommend it.
Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson.
What Hochschild does for the Western front, Anderson does in the Middle East. Want to understand what happened during WWI in the Middle East? Want to understand what the heck is going on there today? This is your book. Anderson employs a similar style as Hochschild by following four principal figures (T.E. Lawrence among them, naturally) through the war years in the Middle East. Again, highly recommended.
The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming.
A few years back, my son was fascinated by the end of the Romanov dynasty, the Russian Revolution, and in particular, if any of the Romanov children survived. I wish this book existed back then. This is young adult nonfiction, but it’s so engaging and informative, I recommend it to anyone who’d like to know more about the above.
For those in the crowd who have read extensively about the revolution and the Romanovs, you probably won’t pick up anything new. However, if you’re like me, and can read about these events over and over (and over) again, then I think you may enjoy this book as well. I know I did. Actually, it reminded me of all the topics I wanted to read more about that had simply slipped off my mental to-be-researched list.
There you go. Five books for the WWI centennial.
Filed under Book Review, Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
Review: Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics
Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics
By Kathryn J. Atwood
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Summary from the publisher:
A commemoration of brave yet largely forgotten women who served in the First World War
In time for the 2014 centennial of the start of the Great War, this book brings to life the brave and often surprising exploits of 16 fascinating women from around the world who served their countries at a time when most of them didn’t even have the right to vote.
Readers meet 17-year-old Frenchwoman Emilienne Moreau, who assisted the Allies as a guide and set up a first-aid post in her home to attend to the wounded;
Russian peasant Maria Bochkareva, who joined the Imperial Russian Army by securing the personal permission of Tsar Nicholas II, was twice wounded in battle and decorated for bravery, and created and led the all-women combat unit the “Women’s Battalion of Death” on the eastern front; and American journalist Madeleine Zabriskie Doty, who risked her life to travel twice to Germany during the war in order to report back the truth, whatever the cost.
These and other suspense-filled stories of brave girls and women are told through the use of engaging narrative, dialogue, direct quotes, and document and diary excerpts to lend authenticity and immediacy.
Introductory material opens each section to provide solid historical context, and each profile includes informative sidebars and “Learn More” lists of relevant books and websites, making this a fabulous resource for students, teachers, parents, libraries, and homeschoolers.
Back in 2011, I read and reviewed Women Heroes of World War II: 26 stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance. A few months ago, the publisher contacted me and offered a copy of Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics. My only regret in saying yes is it’s taken me so long to post my review of this terrific book.
Like its counterpart, this book contains several true stories, all centering around women during World War I in the European theater. Its structure is similar. The book begins with an overview of the war and how it began. For the seasoned history buff, you won’t find anything new. However, the overview is easy to follow and will help anyone not familiar with why World War I started.
Also scattered throughout the women’s stories are sidebars of extra information that help put the stories and the era into perspective. World War I really represents the crumbling of an old era into our modern one. Sometimes that’s difficult for younger readers to understand (witness the outrage when my daughter learned how long it took for women to get the vote). One thing I appreciated about this book was how varied the women’s stories were. There were a few I was unfamiliar with, and I’ve done a fair amount of reading about WWI.
As with the WWII volume, each woman only gets a few pages, but like the first book, there’s an extensive bibliography and lists of resources for the budding historian. This book is a great starting place for your history report or possibly that historical fiction story you’ve been planning to write. (You have been planning to write one, haven’t you?)
These two books are part of the Women of Action series from Chicago Review Press, which I plan on reading through during the next several months. If you’re looking for accessible and meaty nonfiction about women’s involvement in World War I, I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to Chicago Review Press for providing a review copy of this book.
Filed under Book Review, Books, War Through The Generations, YA
2012 Reading Challenge wrap up
So last night I finished my last book for the War Through the Generations 2012 WWI reading challenge.
I read seven books in all, which is the most I’ve read for this challenge since I started doing it. I signed up for the “wade” level of 4 – 10 books, so I accomplished that quite comfortably. And I still have more WWI books I want to read. Even so, I plan to sign up for the 2013 challenge: The American Revolution.
It’s perfect timing since this spring, Kyra’s class does a huge unit on the American Revolution and we plan to do the reading challenge together.
To sum up 2012, here’s a quick overview (with links to some reviews) of the books I read:
To End All Wars by Adam Hochschild (review here)
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Fantastic middle grade novel that should appeal to adults as well. One of my favorite constructs–the story within a story. This one is on audio as well and would make a good summer road trip book.
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
I discovered this one thanks to a Facebook post. Yes! Facebook! Good for something.
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
WWI mystery. If you like the Maisie Dobbs series, this is a good choice for historical/WWI mysteries.
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess of Carnarvon (review here)
Not really connected to Downton Abbey, but still interesting.
World War One: History in an Hour by Rupert Colley (review here)
This book is exactly what it claims to be: a concise overview of World War I that you can read in an hour or so.
Not So Quiet … Stepdaughters of War by Helen Zenna Smith
Interesting if ultimately tragic (what else could it be) story about female ambulance drivers on the Western Front in WWI. Helen Zenna Smith is a pseudonym for Evadne Price, who had an interesting and varied writing career. Read more about her on here on Wikipedia.
Filed under Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
World War One: History in an Hour ~ a short review for a short book
Book #6 for the War Through the Generations WWI reading challenge, which means I have thoroughly “waded” into the challenge–and feeling quite proud of myself.
World War One: History in an Hour is exactly what it claims to be: a concise overview of World War I that you can read in an hour (or so–I spent about an hour and a half reading). It is also a better book to read at the start of a WWI reading challenge, not closer to its end.
That being said, it’s a great place to start if you don’t have a passing familiarity with WWI, or haven’t done any serious reading on the topic since 11th grade world history. The narrative style is engaging, and the book itself is broken into sections, which makes it easy to set down and pick back up again. The author doesn’t go into any great depth, but again, that’s not this book’s purpose.
The book also includes short biographies of some of the major players in the war along with a timeline.
So, if you’re looking for an introduction, or need a quick read to round out this year’s challenge, you can’t go wrong with this one, especially if it continues to be free on Kindle.
Filed under Book Review, Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
WWI Read: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle
Highclere Castle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Book # 5 in the War Through the Generations WWI reading challenge: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle.
I was on the fence about whether or not I wanted to read this one. I knew it wouldn’t really have anything to do with Downton Abbey. What tipped the balance? This review on Amazon:
… did not think the book would be 3/4 about war war war and her nursing abilities.
And I was all: Sold! Because that’s exactly what I wanted to read about. This is also why authors shouldn’t sweat the negative reviews. That being said, there’s controversy in some of the other reviews about how sanitized this version of Lady Almina’s life happens to be.
I suspect there might be some truth to this. The narrative is fairly scandal free, the author glossing over the fact Lady Almina remarries in the same year Lord Carnarvon dies and only briefly mentions the court case she becomes involved in (see Wikipedia for more info).
However, I did enjoy learning more about what went into running a private hospital during WWI and the problems encountered. Although in Lady Almina’s case, she solved a great many of these problems by throwing money at them–which seems to have been her SOP. Also fascinating was the time the narrative spent on the Earl’s interest (more like an obsession) in Egyptology. I hadn’t realized he was Howard Carter’s backer, and that together they discovered Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings.
Was the read worth it? From my point of view, yes. If you already know a bit about WWI, you won’t learn a lot here. And of course, the narrative doesn’t contain swoon-worthy scenes between Matthew and Mary or one liners delivered by Dame Maggie Smith. However, it is an interesting look at a certain strata of British society before, during, and after the war.
And just because the book doesn’t have any Maggie Smith doesn’t mean this blog post will go without. Enjoy.
Filed under Book Review, Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
Mid-year-ish Reading Recap
I meant to write this one up at the end of June or beginning of July, but it has been a whirlwind of activity around here: horse camp, the Betsy-Tacy convention. I’m almost never this much of a social butterfly. July has been one hot, busy month, but totally worth it. In fact, I almost don’t know what to do with myself this weekend.
On to the reading (and watching) challenges!
Fifty/Fifty Me challenge
The challenge here is to read fifty books and watch fifty movies during 2012. Where I’m at:
- Books: 52
- Movies: 12
Yes, try not to laugh at that. All I can say is if I’m awake enough in the evenings to enjoy entertainment of some sort, I’m almost always going to reach for a book rather than fire up a movie. That’s just how I roll.
If you want to see what I’ve been reading, check out my Pinterest board. It has a list (minus the seven I read for the Rita contest and can’t disclose) of what I’ve read so far this year.
If you want to see the (limited) number of movies I’ve watched, look here.
War Through the Generations WWI reading challenge
I’ve made my goal! And by mid-year! However, I do hope to read a few more WWI books (at the very least).
To End All Wars by Adam Hochschild (review here)
Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool
Fantastic middle grade novel that should appeal to adults as well. One of my favorite constructs–the story within a story. This one is on audio as well and would make a good summer road trip book.
The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West
I discovered this one thanks to a Facebook post. Yes! Facebook! Good for something.
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd
WWI mystery. If you like the Maisie Dobbs series, this is a good choice for historical/WWI mysteries.
That’s it! I hope everyone else is keeping on track with their reading/watching challenges so far this year. Hey, there’s still plenty of time to make your goals.
Filed under 50/50, Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
Reading recap for March: Fifty/Fifty update
I have been reading, but haven’t been updating or writing reviews recently. Uh. Clearly. Here’s what I have for March in the Fifty/Fifty challenge:
Books
- Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley (William C. Morris Debut Award and the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature)
- Sapphique (Incarceron) by Catherine Fisher (The sequel to Incarceron–read that first)
- The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West (WWI Challenge book)
- Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai (a middle grade novel in verse–wonderful)
- Everybody Sees the Ants by A.S. King (Love A.S. King)
- Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (Cute!)
- The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan by Rick Riordan (About time I read this)
Movies
None. Surprise! But now that I’ve caught up on Downton Abbey, I plan on watching some. Honest.
Filed under 50/50, Books, Reading, War Through The Generations, YA
Review: To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918
First book in my War Through the Generations WWI reading challenge. I really enjoyed this book and it was a great way to kick off the challenge. If you’re interested in the war, in particular from the British perspective, and also enjoy personal histories, this may be the book for you.
To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 by Adam Hochschild (Summary from Amazon):
World War I stands as one of history’s most senseless spasms of carnage, defying rational explanation. In a riveting, suspenseful narrative with haunting echoes for our own time, Adam Hochschild brings it to life as never before.
He focuses on the long-ignored moral drama of the war’s critics, alongside its generals and heroes. Thrown in jail for their opposition to the war were Britain’s leading investigative journalist, a future winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and an editor who, behind bars, published a newspaper for his fellow inmates on toilet paper.
These critics were sometimes intimately connected to their enemy hawks: one of Britain’s most prominent women pacifist campaigners had a brother who was commander in chief on the Western Front. Two well-known sisters split so bitterly over the war that they ended up publishing newspapers that attacked each other.
To the author’s credit, Adam Hochschild really does try to explain World War I, or at least, explain why it started. To do that, he takes us back beyond the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, into England, Europe, and the world several years before that event.
We see the British in the Sudan and get a comprehensive look at the Boer War. We meet the pairs we’ll follow from the war’s start to past its end, such as Field Marshall John French and his sister (and activist/suffragette) Charlotte Despard. Despite the fact he was Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force and she was an outspoken opponent of the war, the two remained on good terms throughout the war. In fact, Charlotte seemed to have a soft spot for her younger brother, whom she called Jack. It was only later, over the question of Irish independence, that their relationship finally shattered.
There’s a good reason this book has been nominated for a 2011 National Book Critics Circle Award. While I’ve read other books on World War I, and even listened to more than one lecture series on the subject, this is the first time I really got a comprehensive picture of the entire war.
True, the focus is on Britain. However, Hochschild gives the reader enough of the big picture, both in the war and what’s happening in other countries, that the pieces all come together. The technique he uses–giving us the overview and then drilling down and showing us the individual lives of the pairs he follows in the narrative–is both effective and riveting reading.
Filed under Books, Reading, War Through The Generations
Fifty/Fifty check in: week 4
Week 4 Fifty/Fifty check in! Can you believe that January is almost over?
This week, I’m again experiencing the books vs. movies conundrum. I read three books. I watched … zero movies. I’d planned to watch a movie last night, had it all picked out and everything. But then I weighed my options and realized the wiser decision was to finish Rita book #2.
And it was the wiser decision; it really was. If I keep pace at one book a week, then I’ll finish up before the deadline with a few days to spare. After I’m done, I’ll have to have a movie madness month to catch up on the challenge. Or maybe I could get the flu and watch an endless stream of them (she says optimistically).
So, here’s my check in for the week:
To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 by Adam Hochschild (War Through the Generations challenge book)
First book for the WWI War Through the Generations challenge and it was a good one. I won’t say much about it here, because I’ll be writing a longer review for the challenge, but I really enjoyed this.
iDrakula by Bekka Black
I picked this up at the library on a whim and read it while I was sitting poolside at Kyra’s swim lessons. It was cute, quick, and fun–a modern retelling of Bram Stoker’s Dracula with text messages, emails, web pages, and so on. It was the perfect thing to read in between Rita book #2 and Rita book #3.
Rita Book #2
Finished this one last night. Onward with book #3.
Filed under 50/50, Books, Reading, RWA, War Through The Generations
Writing Wrongs 