1914-1918 Voices and Images of the Great War
Not a history per se, this is an array of contemporary material that tells its own story. Arranged chronologically are the letters, diaries, and anecdotes relating to the Great War as well as the songs, poems, and newspaper and magazine accounts by which the British people defined their war. The technique that worked so well for MacDonald in They Called It Passchendale ( LJ 4/15/84) works less well her. There is too much reliance on British Empire sources to be an overview; indeed French sources are noticeably lacking; and the inclusion of some American and German speakers forces the reader to identify each entry to avoid confusion. That said, with its fine illustrations and period advertisements, this makes a nice supplement to most collections.- George F. Scheck, Naval Underwater Systems Ctr. Lib., Newport, R.I.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.