World War 1 Books
recommended by historians and novelists
Last updated: May 14, 2026
A wide range of World War 1 books have been recommended on our site, exploring the outbreak of the war, the conflict itself and its economic, political and cultural consequences.
The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman is the classic work of popular history on the outbreak of the war in July 1914. The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916 by Alistair Horne is another highly readable book on the most destructive battle ever fought in Western Europe.
Personal accounts of World War 1 include Goodbye to All That, Robert Graves's memoir, and Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, who served as a nurse and whose book is described by explorer Wade Davis as "one of the finest, most heart-rending and most moving memoirs – not just of the Great War, but of any conflict." All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque is also unmissable. As novelist Alice Winn told us, "My copy, rather histrionically, advertises itself as ‘the greatest war novel of all time.’ I remember thinking, 'That’s a big promise!' But I think it might be right. It’s very distressing and actually quite life-changing."
On the consequences of World War 1, The Economic Consequences of the Peace by John Maynard Keynes looms large, and is described by economist Larry Summers as "among the dozen—perhaps half-dozen—most influential economics books that have ever been written." The Wilsonian Moment: Self-Determination and the International Origins of Anti-Colonial Nationalism by Erez Manela looks at how President Wilson’s 14 points and his doctrine of national self-determination played out in Egypt, India, China and Korea. In Realm of the Black Mountain: A History of Montenegro, Elizabeth Roberts looks at the only country on the winning side that disappeared (swallowed up by Serbia) in the wake of the First World War.
Another classic is The Great War and Modern Memory, in which Paul Fussell looks at how the experience of World War I changed modern literature.
For anyone visiting Northern France and Flanders, our editor made this list of guidebooks for visiting World War 1 battlefields.
Skylarks' War by Hilary McKay, meanwhile, is a very accessible account of World War I for children.
The best books on World War I, recommended by Jonathan Boff
It’s been more than 100 years since World War I ended, but there is still very little consensus about what caused it, or what its consequences were. Historian Jonathan Boff talks us through the latest books and best modern interpretations of World War I.
The Best First World War Novels, recommended by Alice Winn
There are dozens of novels about the First World War, many of them well worth your time. Here, Alice Winn—author of In Memoriam, a bestselling story of forbidden love between two young soldiers—selects five of the very best, including autobiographical fiction by former officers and historical novels that bring humanity to the horror of the Great War.
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1
Poetry of the First World War: An Anthology
ed. Tim Kendall -
2
From the Line: Scottish War Poetry 1914-1945
ed. David Goldie and Roderick Watson -
3
The Penguin Book of First World War Poetry
ed. George Walter -
4
The War Poems of Wilfred Owen
by Wilfred Owen, ed. John Stallworthy -
5
The Annotated Collected Poems
by Edward Thomas, ed. Edna Longley
The best books on Poetry of the First World War, recommended by Guy Cuthbertson
The best books on Poetry of the First World War, recommended by Guy Cuthbertson
Poetry written during the First World War has remained prominent in the public consciousness for more than a century; writers like Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, and Robert Graves are still commonly studied in British schools and universities. Here, Guy Cuthbertson—literary scholar and author of an acclaimed biography of Owen—selects five books to give an overview of the poetry produced during the Great War.
The best books on Legacies of World War One, recommended by Wade Davis
The explorer and author of Into the Silence, Wade Davis, tells us that the consequences of the Great War were much more than merely political. He says the war had a noticeable impact on exploration, arts and literature, and modernity itself.
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1
On War
by Carl von Clausewitz -
2
Yorck and the Era of Prussian Reform 1807
by Peter Paret -
3
L'or et le sang: Les buts de guerre économiques de la Première Guerre mondiale
by Georges-Henri Soutou -
4
Vessel of Sadness
by William Woodruff -
5
The Accidental Guerrilla: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One
by David Kilcullen
The Best Military History Books, recommended by Hew Strachan
The Best Military History Books, recommended by Hew Strachan
It’s no longer enough for military history to be just about battles told from the winning side, says Sir Hew Strachan, a leading historian of World War I and editor of the ‘Great Battles’ series. He talks us through what makes a great military history and chooses five of his favourites, from the Napoleonic Wars to the War on Terror.
