OLD DUFFER'S
BOOK CORNER

First World War

Martin Gilbert for Harper Collins

This is a very difficult book to review. It contains a mass of interesting anecdote seeking always to flesh out the numbers with the experiences of the individual participants. This lends context to the offensives with their accounting treatment numbers. However, this sort of book requires a high level of historical knowledge and balance, and where these are lacking the result can be unintentionally partisan and misleading. Martin Gilbert's book suffers from two areas of questionable balance.

Firstly, repeatedly (and often without any particular reason or context) we get a little Jewish section. Mr Gilbert has written many books on the Jews and Israel but I have to say the amount of coverage they receive here cheapens the memory of the fate that awaited them the Second world War. Perhaps Martin Gilbert intended it as a common theme running through the text representing the commonality of experience across many Empires, if so it jarred. But much much more seriously he expends pages on the American experience without any pretence at balance as to battles fought, men employed and results gained. He admits that they did little but still gives it star treatment. For its anecdotes I enjoyed it, but as history it is poor stuff. Use it as your first port-of-call but not your last.

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© Copyright 1997 by Charles and Teresa Vasey.
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