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Joyce is Currently Reading

Joyce Lagow is currently reading

The House by the Medlar Tree

by Giovanni Verga

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— Jan 01, 2013 11:50am

Jan 01, 2013 11:50am

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Nixonland: America's Second Civil War and the Divisive Legacy of Richard Nixon 1965-1972

by Rick Perlstein

bookshelves: us-history, history, currently-reading

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— Jan 01, 2013 09:10am

Jan 01, 2013 09:10am

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The Great War and Modern Memory

by Paul Fussell

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— Sep 28, 2012 08:41am

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Joyce Lagow is now following Isabel Allende's reviews

May 05, 2013 04:22pm · like

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Joyce Lagow rated a book 5 of 5 stars

A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918
by G.J. Meyer

read in April, 2013

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I’m not sure precisely what fascinates me about military history. I really don’t need to continue to read it to be confirmed in my belief that the human race is capable of the most incredible stupidity; political evens suffice for that. But read it I...more I’m not sure precisely what fascinates me about military history. I really don’t need to continue to read it to be confirmed in my belief that the human race is capable of the most incredible stupidity; political evens suffice for that. But read it I do, and A World Undone is the latest in my efforts to understand why human beings continue to pursue such self-evidently destructive and almost always useless endeavors; wars usually do nothing more than pave the way for future wars.

I’ve read other histories of The First World War, or as it was known, The Great War. Most of them are standard sort of books: a brief introduction of the politics and players just before the outbreak of the war, descriptions of battles, some discussion of the leading military and political figures as they arose during the war, and mention of the armistice and the resulting chaos that led to the Second World War.

Meyer does this but far, far more. In his introduction, Meyer emphasizes that he wanted to do more than “the usual”. He set out to tell a story, a weaving together

“of the story’s most compelling elements--the strange way it began more than a month after the assassination that supposedly was its cause; the mysterious way in which the successes and failures of both sides balanced so perfectly as to produce years of bloody deadlock; the leading personalities; the astonishing extent to which the leadership of every belligerent nation was divided against itself; the appalling blunders; the incredible (and now largely forgotten) carnage--while at the same time filling in as much as possible of the historical background.”

Meyer succeeds to a large extent, especially in achieving the last-named goal. He does this by including separate sections, which he titles Background. These are fascinating brief but incredibly informative histories of nations, ruling families, personalities, peoples. For example, Chapter 1 is preceded by a Background on the Serbs: who they were and why it was a Serb who assassinated the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Other chapters have as Backgrounds,the Hohenzollerens, the Hapsburgs, the Junkers, Paris in 1914, the Cossacks, Kaiser Wilhelm, Clemenceau, women in the war and more and more.

I found all of it incredibly enlightening. Take, for example, just the first of what he terms the story’s most compelling elements--why, actually, was it five whole weeks before the assassination was the causus belli. I’d never given ti a thought before. But as Meyer unfolds the story, it becomes increasingly clear that what was obvious on the surface was not the real cause of the war but merely an excuse. Another, one that has always puzzled me: why, in the face of consistent failure, time after time, did Joffre and Haig, the French and British commanders in the field, continue to throw men in assaults against well-defended German positions, causing nothing more than the slaughter of their own troops? Meyer explains the mentality behind the decisions.

Right in line with these utterly fascinating looks at what was beneath the surface--the history that propelled the war--is an Epilogue on the post-armistice period which he entitles The Fate of Men and Nations. It not only sums up the events that would lead to the Second World War but also gives brief histories of the later lives of some of the major players: Clemenceau, Lloyd George, Wilson,Haig, Foch, Petain, Ludendorff and others.

All such histories have to choose a focus, and Meyer clearly focuses on the Western and Eastern Fronts. He does more than mention other fronts, but does not go into much detail. For example, he brings in the Italian-Austrian front when appropriate but does not go into any great or even moderate detail. Well, you have to choose. but anyone who wishes to know more about that aspect of the Great War is advised to read mark Thompson’s the White War, which is a superlative description of the truly monumental incompetency of the Italian military command and the reasons behind Mussolini's rise to power.

As a special note: Canadians , Australians, and New Zealanders should take special pride in reading this book, given that the troops of these three nations were the finest on either side. It also leaves someone like me wondering, given the idiocies of the British High Command, why any of those three countries are still in the Commonwealth.

The book has only one weak point, really, a common one--the maps. I’m going to be kind and merely describe them as pathetic. There is only one that is of any use and that is the last one showing the thrust of the last great German offensives of 1918. However, there are very, very few books of military history that are any better in this regard, a complaint often voiced by those of us who actually try to follow the course of the fighting.

A superb book. Highly recommended.(less)

Apr 14, 2013 03:28am · see review

Joyce Lagow took the Never-Ending Book Quiz

questions answered:	158
correct:	117 (74.1%)
skipped:	78
best streak:	7
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Apr 03, 2013 06:40pm · like · beat her score

Joyce Lagow rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Heir of Novron (The Riyria Revelations, #5-6)
by Michael J. Sullivan (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2013

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Mar 22, 2013 01:32pm

Joyce Lagow made a comment on her review of The American Ephemeris for the 21st Century: 2000 to 2050 at Midnight

"Quite farnkly, I'm nowhere near exert enough to comment on your formulas! I'm very impressed."

Feb 24, 2013 06:42am · see review

Joyce Lagow made a comment on her review of Death at La Fenice (Commissario Brunetti, #1)

"This is one of her best books. I've stopped reading her, since her later books have bee flat out terrible. she did a good job on about 10 or so, then....more "

Feb 13, 2013 11:41am · see review

Joyce Lagow rated a book 4 of 5 stars

The Beggar King (The Hangman's Daughter, #3)
by Oliver Pötzsch

read in February, 2013

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Third book in The Hangman's Daughter series.

Jakob has just left for Regensburg, a Free City that is the Imperial seat of the German Empire; he has received a letter from his sister's husband, telling Jakob that his sister is very ill. Magdalena can n...more

Feb 04, 2013 12:48pm · see review

More of Joyce's books…

Quotes Joyce Likes

“We stand there, quiet. My questions all seem wrong: How did you get so old? Was it all at once, in a day, or did you peter out bit by bit? When did you stop having parties? Did everyone else get old too, or was it just you? Are other people still here, hiding in the palm trees or holding their breath underwater? When did you last swim your laps? Do your bones hurt? Did you know this was coming and hide that you knew, or did it ambush you from behind?”
― Jennifer Egan, A Visit from the Goon Squad

141 people liked it