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Summary: Keegan's Formidable Skills are Focused on World War One!
Review: The most wonderful aspect of John Keegan's impeccable writing style is that it is always used in service to the telling the story at hand, in this case the story of the First World War. As Keegan argues, the combinaion of influences and social and economic forces leading to the outbreak of the First World War demark the embarkation point for the onset of the modern world, so understanding the forces at work in causing it, and in fueling its progress and conflagration against all logic, rationality and useful purpose, are critical in attempting to understand the 20th century.World War One was clearly, from its onset, a war quite unlike all those that had proceeded it. It was conducted with a intensity and ferocity unprecedented in the modern world, largely due to the introduction of the large-scale use of mechanized implements of war such as the relative wealth of the nations involved, the more robust health of its average citizens (due to improved sanitation, food supplies, and public health), and the implementation of weapons such as tanks and machine guns. This, then, really is a definitive history of the the First Word War. Keegan's forte, of course, is in describing and explaining the nature of the military conflict itself. This he does with precision and a sense of the sweeping panorama on which this war is being waged. Thus, there are descriptions of activiteis in places as far flung as Verdun and Gallipoli, and we watch with a mixture of amazement and horror as we see the murderous stalemate develops along the relatively stable battle-lines of the fields and forests of the Somme. He also helps to shed new light on the conduct of the hostilities in terms of the tactics employed and the way in which the new technolgies were so savagely employed. As always, Keegan draws out our innate interest in the individual personalities contributing to the development of the war crisis, and then in directing and conducting the war, and makes us better appreciate how their personalities and frailties lead each of them into the kinds of tragic actions that doom so many to death. For years the daily "Butcher's Bill" was extracted as wave after wave of infantry were slaughted with machine guns, mortors, and artillery, and for little or no substantive gain for either side in terms of miltary advantage. The new war was a more horrible war from the average citizen's point of view, and Keegan underscores this, as well. Of course, Keegan points this out at a number of points quite poignantly; it is the anonymous millions who lived and died in the trenchs so bravely and yet so uselessly that deserve our compassion. This, then, is an interesting, well-documented, absorbing, and worthwhile book and is definitely one any serious student of modern war and the 20th century will want to read and have in his or her library.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting broad overview
Review: I didn't know much about WWI and after having read this book I know a little bit more. I do not know as much as I had wished to learn, though. The First World War is a very interesting book with quite a few shortcomings. Apart from what some of the other reviewers already mentioned, namely that the number of maps is way to small and that listings of units are not too exciting, my main point of criticism would be that the author gives not enough background information. For instance, the final phase of the war when America had joined the Allies is much too short. The reader has a hard time finding politics in this book anyway - apart from the somewhat confusing description of how the war was started (but that is not the author's fault - read the book and you'll know how messy diplomacy was...). I would have also wished the author had added more quotes from soldiers who fought in the war. He only gives a few very interesting ones and they are all from British soldiers (the book is too heavily centered on Britain would be another point). Apart from that criticism, there are quite a few nice things to be said about the book. It is mostly terse and it doesn't really glorify neither war nor the combattants as many other books do. The First World War was a major catastrophe and if you're interested in finding out what happened you should read this book. If you want to learn details about politics or the war itself you might want to look for a more detailed book.
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Summary: Which Way and Where
Review: I must concur with many of the reviewers. A plethora of place names, regiments, and troop movements, and a dearth of battle maps negatively impacts what is otherwise an incredibly lucid history. I can only suggest using a fairly detailed atlas to complement one's following the battlefield action. Otherwise, this is a tremendous work!
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Summary: Needs better maps.
Review: Very good writing. I find it impossible to follow the camapigns without maps. 1914 Battles in Galacia and Serbia are especially bad. I strongly suggest the publisher dedicate to producing a great book and include campaign MAPS.
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Summary: Brillant
Review: This book by Keegan is once again brillant. Keegan a noted military historian wrote a very readable and convincing book on the Firt World War. This book give a good anysis of the war, why it started and teh various folks who ran the show and the battles that deterimined the war in Europe, Asia and Africa. This book is a must read.
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Summary: A good historical account
Review: This is a well researched and very inclusive book, but the author is no Stephen Ambrose in that his account is often dry and not that readable. This book is best for those who want an overall narrative about the war that includes every aspect (the section on the Gallipoli campaign is particulary enlightening). Keegan also does a good job in documenting just how much World War I has shaped subsequent historical events. Overall, a good read for history buffs but probably not for the average reader.
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Summary: A good prelude
Review: World War I is actually the beginning of World War II, and it amazes me how little attention this conflict receives. Keegan is enamored by The Great War (his father was in the British Army), and it shows. As an overview to an initiate, the tome succeeds admirably. The author begins by attacking the diplomatic disaster which parcipitated the conflict. Each personality is critiqued and criticized with literary zeal. I particuraly liked Keegan's description of a crumbling Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, the war itself takes center stage, and everything from opening manuevers of the Schleiffen Plan, to trench stalemate, and the final German offensive in 1918 are described in detail. Perhaps this detail will be too light for a grognard, but it IS a general history. I really enjoyed Keegan's fair treatment of Russia's armies underrated performance against the Germans (post Tannenburg until The Revolution). Are there problems? Well, maps are scarce. This fact does not hinder enjoyment of the book, but does leave alot to the imagination. Beyond that, I find little wrong with it. If you do not know much about this period, I believe it is an excellent prelude to prepare the reader for a better understanding of a much neglected period of 20th Century history.
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Summary: Not for Casual Listening
Review: This is nor for the car, doing laundry, jogging or anything that does not allow for complete attention. You will need a pen and paper and it would be very helpful to have battle reference maps (perhaps by the hardcopy version to accompany the tapes). His points are well constructed, but you would not know that if you took your mind off of the barrage of details, facts, figures and minute geographical references that he peppers into his argument. I would not buy the audio version again, but might be interested in the hardcopy. Then again, I'd probably never take the time to read the hard copy.
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Summary: I am with you Steve
Review: I am a bit of a neophyte regarding history and expected much from this treatment. The text did not match the maps which were too few and not comprehensive enough, and the sentence structure needed serious simplification-where was the editor?? I was constantly referring to an atlas and wondered what all the numbers re the corps etc were supposed to mean to me. I want a book on WWI treated like Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointingly Adequate
Review: Why does one feel after reading this book that its author lacked any real interest in it? Keegan's forte is broad-brush analysis of the nature and causes of war, and of that he does a good job here. Beyond the first few chapters, though, the book is a rather sparse restatement of official histories (but including the numbers and names of individual battalions, brigades, etc, a convention common in official histories but pointless and annoying in a brief popular history). Another serious weakness is that the maps are few, inadequate, and not entirely correct. Finally, though Keegan never did mix dependant clauses gracefully his style here is particularly cryptic; many sentences need two or three readings to untangle. Those who buy this perfectly adequate but not outstanding book for its author's name - which one suspects was the whole idea in the first place: another Keegan book to sell - will be delighted by the first few chapters and disappointed by the rest. Those who buy it to learn a little bit about the First World War, though, will not do too badly.
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