World War I: The Definitive Visual History

This was my first "DK Visual History" book and it will not be my last. I purchased this book as a reference (for maps and illustrations) along with a few historical books on WW1. All I can say is "wow". It exceeded my expectations because of the sheer amount of information. I was expecting there to be mainly pictures, but there is plenty of text to accompany each and every picture/illustration. I specifically enjoy the timelines of each year and the world maps and battlefield maps. I am so impressed, I decided to order the DK Smithsonian WW2 and American Revolution books. The only thing I was disappointed in was the shipping. The box showed up smashed and partially opened on one side. The paper cover that protects the hardcover was slightly torn. This does not reflect on the book, but I figured it would be worth mentioning.

This is a beautiful DK Motorbook volume superbly illustrating WWI. It is an astounding visual illumination and preservation of an event that radically altered the world as we knew it. I have studied WWI for many years and have read many books but this volume offered a fresh perspective! Some people will regard this as a "coffee table" book but I consider it a valuable reference in my WWI library. I highly recommend this volume to anyone that enjoys reading history.

This is an absolute essential guide to learn and understand World War I. DK visual guides are a breakthrough in the publishing industry, and these huge guides, like the WWII and this one, are for sure in the Top 10. If you have children at home who are in K-12, or if you are just an adult curious to learn, get this asap. I have read this book three times already, and I always learn something new every time. BTW, on the side, I fear there may be a WWIII around the corner because WWII was a conflict to solve unfinished business from WWI, and it is self-evident to me there are so many unfinished business from WWII that are still lingering in our 21st century ... just a thought!

A truly amazing book. Pictures help visualize the time of war, the soldiers, and places during the conflict.

I was disappointed by what seemed to be a minimizing of the American contribution to ending the war. My father fought in the infantry as an automatic gunner in several of the major offensives during the last year and suffered a gun shot wound just before the armistice. He spent several months in a field hospital, a converted dairy barn, with about thirty of his fellow soldiers. His brother also served in the infantry and after months of trench warfare and artillery bombardment, he suffered "shell shock" and spent the remainder of his life in the veterans facility at American Lake near Fort Lewis Washington. He never spoke again after the war and would sometimes strike out at my father when he would visit.

Quality in every way. This book is so prestigious I wear a pair of cotton gloves to keep clean the beautiful pages. As close as can come to having a museum in the home. Stunning photography and imagery. Extremely informative and detailed yet succinct and entertaining. Excellently written copy. Easily digestible in small bits or during longer sittings. Perfect accompaniment and reference while reading more conventional historical works. Even those uninterested in The Great War will find the book compelling.

My husband and I fell in love with DK (especially the Smithsonian line) during a trip to the Smithsonian museums. The books are filled with an immense amount of information which is presented in a fascinating, readable way. Of course the author couldn't include absolutely every single detail about the subject at hand, but they still did a wonderful job. The photos are gorgeous and a perfect complement to the information being presented. The books themselves have sturdy binding and stout construction.

This book is a great resource, filled with lots of small, not-so-well-known pieces of fascinating information, from the lives of everyday soldiers, their equipment, weapons, and uniforms, all the way up to major governmental and political issues of the warring nations. Being a Smithsonian publication, it is rich with amazing photography. While not overly detailed on any one topic, it is a great reference point and starting place for continued research. Add it to your library if you are a student of the First World War.

An excellent book which combines a wide array of excellent illustrations with informative text. It is a difficult task for any single volume to cover either of the world wars as there were so many theatres of campaign and complexities both political and military but this book makes a pretty good job of it. The layout is logical and whilst it progresses in chronological order the book has many sections covering a wide range of associated subject material. Given that the centenary of the outbreak of WW1 is to be commemorated this summer there no doubt will be alternative publications to attract buyers but I doubt if many will come close to the quality of this book, particularly at this price point. Excellent delivery service by Amazon and if I had to be picky the absence of a dust cover was the only negative.

ok

Elaborate yet concise. Begins from the Europe being on the brink of a war and ends with Versailles treaty and post war scenario. Major battles have been detailed with illustrations.

La coleccion DK dedicada al Smithsoniano es de las mejores. Gran calidad, excelente contenido y detalle fotografico sin igual. Muy recomendable. Gran libro de referencia.

If you are not a historian and you just want a great overview with great visuals of the key events of the war, this is a great buy. I read through it quickly and now it is a bedside reader that I revisit often. It gave me a better understanding of the magnitude of the war and made me realized how victory was hard won, not assured, as the simplistic Hollywood classic war movies portrayed.