Book Highly recommended

[wodin]

I suggest you all go out and buy this book.

Not only is it a great narrative of what happened upto the end of the battle of the Marne, it will also be of help Im sure to GoA.

LIAISON, 1914

by Edward Spears; Introductions by Winston Churchill and Max Egremont

A now classic account of 1914, the first year of the First World War, by Edward Spears who as liaison officer to the French and British Armies was an eyewitness to dramatic and momentous events in this gigantic clash of arms. Winston Churchill wrote of Liaison, 1914 that he found its pages ‘so captivating that I could scarcely lay them down’. Spears was the liaison officer between the British and French forces from August 1914 and dealt with Clemenceau, Petain, Lloyd George, as well as Churchill. Martin Gilbert (himself a distinguished historian of WWI) says Spears’ account is one of the most memorable - ‘he was able to give a portrait in words of the actions and moods of Flanders, the hopes of the soldier, and the perils of what would become a four year journey from the declaration of war1914 to the armistice in 1918.’ Max Egremont, in Under Two Flags, his biography of Spears, writes that Liaison, 1914 is a sensual book, alive with sounds, feelings, sights and atmosphere: the thrill of fear, then leaden exhaustion, the glimpses of horizons lit by burning villages, the flash of bursting shells, the view of columns of field-grey German troops pressing forward; or the jangle of the bridles of French cavalry waiting to move off, the odd sense of calm at British headquarters in the palace of Compiegne.’ At the time of first publication, Harold Nicolson wrote of its ‘literary quality’ which other war books lacked.

[DoomedMantis]

sounds very good

[wodin]

Amazon do sell it. So do Naval & Military. Its £14.99 and a massive but very enjoyable read.

Amazon UK seller
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 83-0185439

Amazon UK hardcover
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 83-0185439

Naval & Military
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASI ... 83-0185439


Amazon US seller
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... ce&s=books

[ptan54]

John Keegan's volume "The First World War" is also good, as is Sir Basil Liddell Hart's "A History of the First World War". I'm wary of accounts by officers, who will tend to be biased in some way, but it's always interesting to see what they have to say nontheless.

[wodin]

Ptan,

You will find the book is an account of how he saw it. He isnt biased in anyway. Its his account of being a liason officer between the Frnch and British. It gives a great look into what went on behind the scenes. I cant reccomend it enough.

[Dirtdog20]

Listen to Wodin, he has recomended several excellent books to me and hasnt missed yet.

[wodin]

Thanks Dirtdog.

Ive have some more. I will send them to you.