And the World Went Dark: An Illustrated Interpretation of the Great War

by Steven N. Patricia

This beautiful and evocative book gives an illustrated overview of the First World War, on land, on sea and in the air. With original drawings in full color, Steven Patricia uses 30 years' experience as a historical illustrator to give an informative and insightful account of the war, portraying the human faces of the participants and capturing moments in time with a vividness and immediacy that brings home both the emotional impact and the tragedy of war.

Accompanied by soldier's diary extracts and other contemporary literature, there are many drawings of the hardware of war: aircraft and airships, submarines and ships, guns and grenades. We also get a glimpse of weary officers relaxing in an RAF mess, see panicking sailors swimming desperately away from a sinking ship, soldiers stumbling across no-man's land, and the dramatic scene of one of last great cavalry charges of any war, in Egypt. The role of animals is featured, including the importance of horses and rescue and messenger dogs. The text gives a concise introduction to the events of the war and why it started, with maps of the different fronts where fighting took place and a diagram of a trench system. Designed for readers with little familiarity of the conflict, this is a unique and unmissable book in the centenary of the 'war to end all wars'.

96 pages, Hardcover

Published July 8, 2016

Reviews

[John Kaess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a most unusual book; unlike any other historical account of The First World War. Instead of focusing on events and important personages, it brings us into personal contact with the soldiers themselves via diary excerpts, sketches, and descriptions of the tools and equipment of waging this war. You'll come away with a very personal feeling after reading and viewing this book. While every page has sketches and drawings, the glue that pulls it all together is reading the words of the soldiers themselves. Not the Generals or the politicians, but the infantry, the officers, and even the wounded. Patricia weaves an account of this war that makes it seem more real than what you can experience from a typical history book. It's an excellent portrayal and one can only wish this book would be found on the bookshelves of school, college and public libraries

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book used an interesting approach to broaden my knowledge of WW1, which is sadly lacking. Although I read it in its entirety, I can see myself going back to it repeatedly, and reading sections over again. There is a lot of information there, but it is broken up into nice manageable pieces, so you can read about a particular subject and mull it over for awhile. The personal anecdotes gave it great feeling.

[Bill Tippins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! It combines the brutal history of The Great War with the emotions that only an artist like Steve Patricia can portray. Extraordinarily informative, yet approachable for all ages. And topping it off is the high quality of the binding and pages. First class!