Customer Review
- Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2013I've read military history most of my life, and this book is definitely a classic. The depth of her research, across several languages, across the seas and across the Western and Eastern fronts, is impressive. To refine all of that research and multiple perspectives into diamond-bright prose makes this book even more remarkable. Military history buffs will definitely want this on their shelves. How have I not read this before?
Her chapter on the chase of the Goeben is one of the best naval combat descriptions I have come across. Her section on Tannenberg is also excellent. And through it all, she shows the events that led to the failure of both Plan 17 and the Schlieffen Plan in minute but thorough detail. As I read, and as it ended, I had that rare feeling when I read a book of this quality--give me more! If only she had covered each year of the war with such grasp of character, passion for research, and exquisite storytelling.
As usual in such military history works, the political background may be cursory--too cursory for some, given some comments I've seen. Yes, you may have to go elsewhere for such political histories, but then, should we be surprised? The title, after all, is "The GUNS of August," and Tuchman delivers. The focus is not on diplomacy (not that it ever had a chance to develop in 1914, given the treaties that doomed Europe), but on the hopes that the war once started could be won speedily. The mindset of each military, and of each countries' leadership, is well told, and provides ample background for how these battles unfolded.
I have a few quibbles, which have more to do with the state of book editing today than Tuchman. First were the typographical errors I found while reading this edition. I can't compare this to other editions in this regard, but a literary achievement such as this deserves to be polished occasionally. Second, while there are maps--good maps that illustrate the action--they did not translate well into paperback, and therefore readers may want a historical atlas to accompany this fine, fine narrative. Lastly, Tuchman seems to like to show off her French, and while her use of sentences from sources add welcome color and character, she was inconsistent in translating them--a strange flaw, given the lengths to which she devoted to writing such a literary monument in her native tongue. Despite these minor faults, it's still a 5-star book.
