Modern design, richly illustrated with photographs and graphics, an insightful variety of first hand 'voices'.

A powerful collection of memories of ordinary men and women who survived World War 1. If you can, listen to the audiobook — rather than being read by a narrator, it comprises of the original recordings of the soldiers themselves. ( )

A stately book that does what it says on the tin; it is the story of the First World War told through the reminiscences of those who were there. Mostly British and Dominion troops, with a few French and German and – later – American contributors, the accounts are sometimes a bit dry. However, this is more than compensated by the matter-of-fact reportage, which shocks the reader as you recognise that those people were actually there and experienced those horrific things. The events were unspeakable and so it is no wonder that it is difficult to speak well of them. ( )

This one was intense. Not that I did not expect it to be, given the topic - but it still took the wind out of me on a few occasions.

Mr. Arthur - through the testimonies of the people who lived through it - pulls no punches. Whatsoever. You are taken on an emotionally intense, vivid, brutal and flat-out visceral tour of those four pivotal years in modern history.

But this is not a piece of "Rule, Britannia"-esque, self-promoting literature. You get to hear the voices of the Germans, the French, members of the ANZAC corps - and last but not least, the civilians. The voice of the home front.

And when I say visceral, I mean visceral. You are not spared any details. Decomposing bodies, gangrenous wounds, people drowning in latrines, foolhardy blaze-of-glory charges to no avail - it's all there, in gory detail. This book is not for the faint-hearted.

But you also hear of the more light-hearted aspects. The banter. The jokes. The famous Christmas truce. The stories of medical officers haranguing the common soldiery about the dangers of venereal disease - only to sneak into the clinic shortly after to give himself the treatment he was giving the privates' privates.

And of course the armistice. The collapse of the German army. How soldiers home on leave were handed the white feathers of cowardice because they were wearing "civvy clothes".

This book was an experience. It took some time to digest. But I heartily recommend it! ( )

Incredible book tracing WW1 through the words of men and women who lived through the war. Very moving and harrowing. and their contributions are put together chronologically. As it focuses on the whole war rather than one battle, it necessarily touches on lots of things. ( )