<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Useful book on a complex subject
Review: Don't think you are an idiot if World War One confuses you at times. Any war where the Allies are the Entente and the Alliance is the "bad guys" is bound to be confusing. The details on the buildup to war, political and military, are patient and easily read. The day-to-day fighting is also well told, and then the all-important end of the war and its subsequent treaty are also well done. The post-war aspects are especially thorough, laying the stage for World War II. This owuld be useful for anyone who needs a handbook on the way Wordl War I came about and was fought.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written - but no maps!?!
Review: I really should have read the reviews on this page before buying this book, but, like an 'Idiot', I didn't. I wasn't prepared for the absolute lack of maps throughout the entire book. Those of us in the US, and less familiar with the countries involved, will have the hardest time. Still, I'm not exactly a complete novice (as another reviewer put it) in European geography. I mean, I know my Hungarians from my Bulgarians and I know my Baltic from my Balkans, but after only a few pages, the book had me scrambling for a world atlas just to follow along (what, exactly, is Prussia's location in regards to Lorraine?). This being a beginner's guide, it is absolutely inexcusable to leave out maps of the basic logistics involved in World War I.Getting beyond that, the book is well written and flows in a logical manner. Most issues are described in the right amount of detail to keep things interesting without getting too esoteric. It does occasionally get repetitious, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing in a book meant for beginners. With maps, this 3 star book would be a 4.5-5 star maps.
Rating:
Summary: Well written - but no maps!?!
Review: I really should have read the reviews on this page before buying this book, but, like an 'Idiot', I didn't. I wasn't prepared for the absolute lack of maps throughout the entire book. Those of us in the US, and less familiar with the countries involved, will have the hardest time. Still, I'm not exactly a complete novice (as another reviewer put it) in European geography. I mean, I know my Hungarians from my Bulgarians and I know my Baltic from my Balkans, but after only a few pages, the book had me scrambling for a world atlas just to follow along (what, exactly, is Prussia's location in regards to Lorraine?). This being a beginner's guide, it is absolutely inexcusable to leave out maps of the basic logistics involved in World War I. Getting beyond that, the book is well written and flows in a logical manner. Most issues are described in the right amount of detail to keep things interesting without getting too esoteric. It does occasionally get repetitious, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing in a book meant for beginners. With maps, this 3 star book would be a 4.5-5 star maps.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, but where are the maps???
Review: I'm going to have to agree with some of the other reviewers, who have said that the thing that keeps this from being a fantastic book, is the lack of maps. My suggestion: Get the book, but get a WWI-era atlas to accompany it! Some of the countries involved in WWI aren't even in existence anymore, and the book makes a lot more sense if you can picture the different countries discusses. With that said, I do recommend this book for anyone wanting an overview of the War. Another word of caution, though: This book doesn't read quite as easily as some of the other "Idiot's Guides." It's written at a slightly higher level, so takes a little longer to get through. It covers the entire time period from the pre-War era and the causes of the War, to the Treaty of Versailles and the post-War activities that actually lead up to WWII. Lots of biographical sketches and pithy quotes contribute to a well-rounded overview.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, but where are the maps???
Review: I'm going to have to agree with some of the other reviewers, who have said that the thing that keeps this from being a fantastic book, is the lack of maps. My suggestion: Get the book, but get a WWI-era atlas to accompany it! Some of the countries involved in WWI aren't even in existence anymore, and the book makes a lot more sense if you can picture the different countries discusses. With that said, I do recommend this book for anyone wanting an overview of the War. Another word of caution, though: This book doesn't read quite as easily as some of the other "Idiot's Guides." It's written at a slightly higher level, so takes a little longer to get through. It covers the entire time period from the pre-War era and the causes of the War, to the Treaty of Versailles and the post-War activities that actually lead up to WWII. Lots of biographical sketches and pithy quotes contribute to a well-rounded overview.
Rating:
Summary: Good general overview of the Great War
Review: This book tackles this broad subject well. It is said that World War I is not a "popular" war to study because it's simply too complicated. This book helps straighten out the confusion and does a good job of addressing the different facets of this war. This is a good book to start with; it can help readers decide which avenue they want to study further (e.g. Pershing, weapondry, aerial, etc.)
Rating:
Summary: Good general overview of the Great War
Review: This book tackles this broad subject well. It is said that World War I is not a "popular" war to study because it's simply too complicated. This book helps straighten out the confusion and does a good job of addressing the different facets of this war. This is a good book to start with; it can help readers decide which avenue they want to study further (e.g. Pershing, weapondry, aerial, etc.)
<< 1 >>
| 
