This book is accessible to the average interested reader as well though. A history of warfare is a book by military historian john keegan, which was published in 1993 by random house. Probing the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict. He was the defense editor of the daily telegraph london. Keegans book serves as a potent counterpoint toand more, refutation ofpopular claims by scientists such as richard wrangham and edward. Not only, does he provide a crystal clear analysis of the development of the war, but he also makes the reader feel what the men who fought this war, the johnny rebs or the billy yanks, felt.
John keegan, an englishman widely considered to be the preeminent military historian of his era and the author of more than 20 books, including the masterwork the face of battle, died. Book summary john keegan, one of our most eminent military historians, fulfills a lifelong ambition to write the definitive account of the great war for our generation. With the same erudition, discernment, and crisp prose that made his a history of warfare an international bestseller, keegan surveys the literature of world war. In this magesterial history and national bestseller, john keegan shares his original and perceptive insights into the psychology, ideology, demographics, and economics of the american civil war. The greatest military historian of our time gives a peerless account of americas most bloody, wrenching, and eternally fascinating war. John keegans books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields. The book the first world war by john keegan is a historical book that narrates the situations before, during, and after the first world war. This book on the american civil war demonstrates why john keegan is rightfully considered the best military historian today. Probing the mystery of how a civilization at the height of its achievement could have propelled itself into such a ruinous conflict, keegan takes us behind the. We were sitting in keegan s office in the large manor house in rural wiltshire that he and his wife susanne author of books on alma mahler and kokoschka acquired fifteen years ago. Therefore, this paper is an analysis of the whole book that explores different elements that have been brought out by the author as well as the goal that it aims to achieve. John keegan is our generations foremost military historian. In the book of war, john keegan marshals a formidable host of war writings to chronicle the evolution of western warfare through the voice of the most eloquent participantsfrom thucydides classic account of ancient greek phalanx warfare to a blowbyblow description of ground fighting against the iraqi troops in kuwait during the gulf war. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era.
John keegans books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. The highest praise greeted the hardcover publication of this engrossing, brilliant book the definitive story of the great war, the war that created the modern. A conflict of unprecedented ferocity, it abruptly ended the relative peace and prosperity of the victorian era, unleashing such demons of the twentieth century as mechanized warfare and mass death. However, the woed brazil does not appear in a kindle search inside his book. Sir john desmond patrick keegan, obe, frsl was a british military historian, lecturer and journalist. He received a degree in history from balliol college, oxford in 1953. He was the defense editor of the more about john keegan. John keegan books list of books by author john keegan. The definitive account of the great war and national bestseller from one of our most eminent military historians, john keegan. Acclaimed military historian john keegans anthology of war writing from 25 centuries of battle.
John keegan s most popular book is the first world war. Historian john keegan packed all of the second world war in one book of 595 pages and did it well. The first world war by john keegan penguin random house. The battle for history by john keegan penguin random house. Warpaths, the battle for history, the first world war, and. From primitive man in the bronze age to the end of the cold war in the twentieth century, keegan shows how armed conflict has been a primary preoccupation throughout the history of civilization and how deeply rooted its practice has become in our cultures. John keegan, a renowned military historian known for the face of battle, a superb.
Acclaimed military historian john keegan s anthology of war writing from 25 centuries of battle in the book of war, john keegan marshals a formidable host of war writings to chronicle the evolution of western warfare through the voice of the most eloquent participantsfrom thucydides classic account of ancient greek phalanx warfare to a blowbyblow description of ground fighting. I read this book because i felt my knowledge of world war i left much to be desired. I can say that imho this is the best singlevolume military history of the first world war. Keegan narrates nearly a dozen case studies and then the intelligence takeaways from them. Audiobook the second world war by john keegan part 1 of 3 tanks history. The first world war book by john keegan thriftbooks. This book illuminates the war to end all wars and captures the sweep of the first global conflict.
A fellow of the royal society of literature, keegan is the author of numerous books including the face of battle. About the author john keegan is the defence editor of the daily telegraph and britains foremost military historian. In a bookcover blurb extracted from a more complex article, sir michael howard wrote. John keegan s books include the iraq war, intelligence in war, the first world war, the battle for history, the face of battle, war and our world, the masks of command, fields of battle, and a history of warfare. You really come to understand how about 15 individuals and a. Best military history of first world war as of 2019, i own 40x books on the great war aka ww1. He is the defense editor of the daily telegraph london. Complete summary of john keegan s the second world war. Granted, there were certain battles that were shortchanged or not mentioned at all but that is bound to happen when both the european and pacific theaters are being covered.
The book of war by john keegan abebooks passion for books. The acclaimed author and preeminent military historian john keegan examines centuries of human conflict. John keegan s points out in the second world war that supply of food, raw materials, of finished products, of weapons themselves, lies at root of war. See all books authored by john keegan, including the first world war, and the second world war, and more on. Acclaimed military historian john keegans anthology of war writing from 25 centuries of battle in the book of war, john keegan marshals a formidable host of war writings to chronicle the evolution of western warfare through the voice of the most eloquent participantsfrom thucydides classic account of ancient greek phalanx warfare to a blowbyblow description of ground. Keegan details the primary causes and the primary instigators of the conflict. The second world war by john keegan, paperback barnes. The second world war book by john keegan thriftbooks.
Thus john keegan, later sir john, began his landmark book, the face of battle. He published many works on the nature of combat between the 14th and 21st centuries concerning land, air, maritime and intelligence warfare as well as the psychology of battle. In the words of noted military historian john keegan, world war i was a tragic and unnecessary conflict. His 1976 book the face of battle helped start what is still called the new military history, with its emphasis on the cultural. In the book of war, john keegan marshals a formidable host of. Acclaimed military historian john keegans anthology of war writing. This, keegan reasons, is the ultimate mystery of the first world war. Keegans history of the great war is a masterpiece for the ages, in his acute perceptiveness of the military and political dimensions of that conflict. John keegan has 103 books on goodreads with 105669 ratings. This is no surprise since john keegan is generally regarded as the gold standard for authors of military history. John keegan is a fantastic writer with intelligence in war as another great contribution to military history. His narrative of the second world war fails to live up to the expectations set by the first, which. The first world war john keegan 1959 words essay example. With the first world war, john keegan, one of our most eminent military historians, fulfills a lifelong ambition to write the definitive account of the great war for our generation.
Sir john desmond patrick keegan obe frsl 15 may 1934 2 august 2012 was an english military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. A study of agincourt, waterloo, and the somme, published in 1976. As one would expect from the worlds most eminent military historian and the author of 12 other books, including the acclaimed the face of battle, the mask of command and six armies in normandy, the story of world war i has never been told with more insight, sympathy and scholarly sweep than in these pages. John keegan wrote numerous books of military history, including the face of battle.
He lived in wiltshire, england, until his death in 2012. Complete summary of john keegan s the first world war. John keegan, one of the most distinguished contemporary military historians, was for many years senior lecturer at sandhurst, the british royal military academy, and defense editor of the london daily telegraph. He wrote many published works on the nature of combat between prehistory and the 21st century, covering land, air, maritime, intelligence warfare and the psychology of battle. The first world war by john keegan is an excellent onevolume treatment of the great war. Acclaimed military historian john keegans anthology of war writing from 25 centuries of battle in the book of war, john keegan marshals. John keegan, may 15, 1934 august 2, 2012 john keegan was born in london, england on may 15, 1934. The first world war by john keegan, paperback barnes. Rip military historian john keegan, who saw war as product of.
Keegan was an englishman widely considered to be the preeminent military historian of his era and the author of more than 20 books. The shattering effects of the war to end all wars have been depicted unforgettably by novelists and. After graduation, he went to the united states on a grant to study the civil war. In the summer of 1914, europe enjoyed peace and prosperity that depended to a great extent on international cooperation in the commercial, intellectual, philanthropic, and religious spheres. In a riveting narrative that puts diaries, letters and action reports to good use, british military historian keegan the face of battle, etc. Despite this bit of caution keegan s book was immediately hailed as a classic, one that conveyed what the experiences of combat were like for the participants, above all the common soldier. Keegan the prophet, alas, seized control of this book, and uses it as a high. John keegan was knighted in the millennium honours and is still not quite used to the idea. Illuminated by keegans knowledge of military history he provides a fascinating look at how command and the slow evolution of its strategic logic influenced the course of the war.