The First World War in 100 Objects: The Story of the Great War Told Through the Objects that Shaped It

by Gary D. Sheffield

Commemorate the centenary of the first truly global conflict through images of 100 iconic items, from the gas mask, zeppelin, and Churchill's famous cigar to personal possessions that tell poignant stories of those who fought and suffered. Offering a unique perspective on “the war to end all wars,” these objects are accompanied by short essays, written by renowned World War I expert Gary Sheffield, that highlight their significance.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, War

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 4, 2014

About the author

Gary Sheffield is Professor of War Studies at the University of Wolverhampton. He is President of the International Guild of Battlefield Guides and a Vice President of the Western Front Association. He has published widely on the First World War and regularly broadcasts on television and radio as well as contributing to numerous journals, magazines and newspapers. Previous books include the acclaimed Forgotten Victory and The Chief: Douglas Haig and the British Army, which was shorlisted for the presigious Duke of Westminster's Medal.

Reviews

[Alan Brunstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well worth flicking through: a pastime that will inevitably draw you into mulling over some of the images for longer than you intended. In short, a classic coffee-table book. The very randomness of the images means that they have unexpected impacts (and this will vary with each individual reader). Some are amusing, some shocking, some fascinating, others mundane. Along the way they do collectively convey something of the vast scale and range of the war, affecting almost every aspect of life all around the world.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally I would thumb through a book like this in the store or library and then move on. I was intrigued by the format of this book, so I picked it up at the library and read the whole thing. The format is a study of 100 various objects related to WWI, ranging from a gas mask to the Fokker Triplane to the Hall of Mirrors. A page of text on the left, and an image of the right. An interesting approach, and I managed to glean a little bit of knowledge on each item, but the book doesn't really tell the story of the Great War. It assumes the reader already has a strong working knowledge of the war. It also seems to be directed more to a British or European audience. I think the book would benefit greatly from an introductory chapter, chronology and a few maps to provide some context.

Also, the book is hard to read due to the very small, light font. Sounds like the gripe of a cranky old history nerd, but come on, a book has to be readable. A number of typos throughout, too, which drives me nuts. Best to thumb through this one.

[Dawn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful font choice, so tiny, thin and light that it's barely readable. Nice pictures though.