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The Guns of August: The Pulitzer Prize-Winning Classic About the Outbreak of World War I Mass Market Paperback – August 3, 2004

by Barbara W. Tuchman (Author), Robert K. Massie (Foreword)

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Selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best nonfiction books of all time

The Proud Tower, the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Guns of August, and The Zimmerman Telegram comprise Barbara W. Tuchman’s classic histories of the First World War era

In this landmark, Pulitzer Prize–winning account, renowned historian Barbara W. Tuchman re-creates the first month of World War I: thirty days in the summer of 1914 that determined the course of the conflict, the century, and ultimately our present world. Beginning with the funeral of Edward VII, Tuchman traces each step that led to the inevitable clash. And inevitable it was, with all sides plotting their war for a generation. Dizzyingly comprehensive and spectacularly portrayed with her famous talent for evoking the characters of the war’s key players, Tuchman’s magnum opus is a classic for the ages.

Praise for The Guns of August

“A brilliant piece of military history which proves up to the hilt the force of Winston Churchill’s statement that the first month of World War I was ‘a drama never surpassed.’”—Newsweek

“More dramatic than fiction . . . a magnificent narrative—beautifully organized, elegantly phrased, skillfully paced and sustained.”—Chicago Tribune

“A fine demonstration that with sufficient art rather specialized history can be raised to the level of literature.”—The New York Times

“[The Guns of August] has a vitality that transcends its narrative virtues, which are considerable, and its feel for characterizations, which is excellent.”—The Wall Street Journal

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A brilliant piece of military history which proves up to the hilt the force of Winston Churchill’s statement that the first month of World War I was ‘a drama never surpassed.’”—Newsweek

“More dramatic than fiction . . . a magnificent narrative—beautifully organized, elegantly phrased, skillfully paced and sustained.”—Chicago Tribune

“A fine demonstration that with sufficient art rather specialized history can be raised to the level of literature.”—The New York Times

“[The Guns of August] has a vitality that transcends its narrative virtues, which are considerable, and its feel for characterizations, which is excellent.”—The Wall Street Journal

About the Author

Barbara W. Tuchman (1912–1989) achieved prominence as a historian with The Zimmermann Telegram and international fame with The Guns of August—a huge bestseller and winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Her other works include Bible and Sword, The Proud Tower, Stilwell and the American Experience in China (for which Tuchman was awarded a second Pulitzer Prize), Notes from China, A Distant Mirror, Practicing History, The March of Folly, and The First Salute.

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Product details

Mass Market Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Presidio Press (August 3, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345476093
ISBN-13: 978-0345476098
Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1 x 6.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Customer Reviews: 1,460 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #10 in World War I History (Books)
- #58 in Historical Study (Books)
- #3 in History Encyclopedias

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the finest piece on history by an American I have ever read

March 7, 2018

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

I fell in love with history at the age of 6 and excelled in it at school. One of my undergraduate majors was history and I spent a lot of time learning about the American Civil War and World War II. While I have a decent knowledge of World War I, it is a significant gap in my deep understanding of the 20th and 21st centuries.

H.W. Brands is one of my favorite modern American historians. He has written excellent books on TR, Grant, and the collision between Truman and MacArthur. In an interview, he mentioned that he has tried to copy the writing style of Barbara Tuchman, for he views her "The Guns of August" as the finest history book written. I bought it based on that recommendation.

This book was published in 1962. Ms. Tuchman is not a trained historian and does not have a PhD in the subject (neither did Gibbon or Churchill). It won the Pulitzer for non-fiction in 1962. Reading it 56 years after it was first published, I was absolutely blown away. While I don't want to fall victim to recency bias, it is clear to me that this is the finest piece on history by an American that I have ever read. Ms. Tuchman made extensive use of primary sources. She has an amazing grasp of the both micro and macro elements of the lead-up to and the first month of the war. Perhaps most significantly, she writes clearly and vividly. The book, despite having lots of information, is a breeze and a joy to read. It is fascinating.

I am deeply embarrassed that it took me this long to discover and read this book. Truly remarkable.

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Stevie Joe Payne

The Book that Saved the World in 1962

August 10, 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

“The Guns of August” has been called the book that saved the world. In the fall of 1962, looking at each other across the island of Cuba, the United States and the Soviet Union came nose to nose to pulling the trigger on a nuclear weapons war. United States Air Force U2 pilot Major Rudolf Anderson, USAF was shot down and killed. “Our guest has been up there for over an hour,” [Russian] Lieutenant General Stepan Grechko told a deputy. “I think we should give the order to shoot it down, as it is discovering our positions in depth.” With the commanding general, the only man authorized to order a surface-to-air missile launch, nowhere to be found, Grechko gave the order himself: “Destroy Target Number 33.” American Generals urged President Kennedy to order an attack on Cuba. The President said that one passage from Barbara Tuchman’s book gave him the courage to resist the pressure of his generals. “Your Majesty,” General Moltke said to the Kaiser, “it cannot be done” when the German army began its advance into Belgium and the Kaiser ordered Moltke to stop The trains are already in motion--and with that simple phrase, a war that took over 10 million lives was launched. I have read “Guns” several times over the years and I know how the story ends, yet I follow each decision as though it were now, each description as though it is happening, not has happened. It is an incredible story of horror, yet with examples of incredible courage. Her humor is able to shine through the darkness of the times with her characterizations of the Generals and Statesmen, Bethmann-Hollweg, “who means well feebly”, British Field Marshall Sir John French, “who knows nothing at all about the subject” and most of these are simply quotations made by other participants. Her effort was tireless, her research masterful, and her writing brilliant. I work with soldiers in the recruiting group here and I have bought and given this book to several of the sergeants hoping that it will percolate upward. It’s a command decision book and anyone who would think about war should understand the true horror of war. Not only were soldiers injured, blinded, maimed and killed, but the general population was starved so much that the Germans called the time “the turnip winter”. No bombs fell on Berlin but Germans suffered gravely. Paris was almost reached by the German armies until German General Von Kluck made one strategic mistake and presented his flank to the retreating French army. Remember too, this deals only with August, only a single month of a war that was to last four years, and to be the trigger for the next war, World War II, in which 60 million lives were lost. I believe an entire semester course should be taught using this book, not just in college, but also in high school. One thing I should mention. I speak both German and French, and read in them, so it can be a challenge with some of the reports---but, don’t give up on it. Her writing still come through, loud and clear, and clairvoyant.

Stephen Joe Payne

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Tuchman's laurels for this work were well earned

January 3, 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The Guns of August was -- and still is -- a very important landmark in our understanding of the First World War. If you have little knowledge of WWI, this book would be an excellent place to begin your studies. The Guns of August is focused on how the war began. The war's beginning was not a simple thing. Honestly, how could it be? Great nation's do not casually embark upon wars that have the potential to cause death and destruction on continental scales.

Tuchman's magnum plus starts by presenting a portrait of Europe -- and especially the major combatant nation's -- at the dawn the 20th century. She examines there economics, culture and society, their histories from the 19th century, their relationships with each other.

She then tas the reader by the hand and guides them step-by-step through the historical minefields that are at least as bewildering as their real world counterparts. She carrys her history through to the end of 1914 and the failure of the German army's attempt to deliver the fast knockout blow which would be needed, if Germany hoped the defeat the combined military forces of the Entente. (They did not come to be called the Allies until after the United States joined the war.)

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