Not to be missed
World War I, the Great War, has a habit of getting itself overshadowed by WWII. Since they are now considered parts of one terrible conflagration, this book is necessary reading for anyone who wants to understand its effect on the present world. Meyer's gift is to combine excellent writing skills with careful historical research. His format breaks accounts of the endless battles, rain-soaked trenches, and human stupidity with chapters on individuals or the evolution of nations. Never dry, often exciting, he has made accessible a difficult and complicated story, one we ought to know.