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Fiction. Literature. Thriller. Historical Fiction. HTML:Jeff Shaara has enthralled readers with his New York Times bestselling novels set during the Civil War and the American Revolution. Now the acclaimed author turns to World War I, bringing to life the sweeping, emotional story of the war that devastated a generation and established America as a world power. Spring 1916: the horror of a stalemate on Europeâ??s western front. France and Great Britain are on one side of the barbed wire, a fierce German army is on the other. Shaara opens the window onto the otherworldly tableau of trench warfare as seen through the eyes of a typical British soldier who experiences the bizarre and the horribleâ??a â??Tommyâ?ť whose innocent youth is cast into the hell of a terrifying war. In the skies, meanwhile, technology has provided a devastating new tool, the aeroplane, and with it a different kind of hero emergesâ??the flying ace. Soaring high above the chaos on the ground, these solitary knights duel in the splendor and terror of the skies, their courage and steel tested with every flight. As the conflict stretches into its third year, a neutral America is goaded into war, its reluctant president, Woodrow Wilson, finally accepting the repeated challenges to his stance of nonalignment. Yet the Americans are woefully unprepared and ill equipped to enter a war that has become worldwide in scope. The responsibility is placed on the shoulders of General John â??Blackjackâ?ť Pershing, and by mid-1917 the first wave of the American Expeditionary Force arrives in Europe. Encouraged by the bold spirit and strength of the untested Americans, the world waits to see if the tide of war can finally be turned. From Blackjack Pershing to the Marine in the trenches, from the Red Baron to the American pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille, To the Last Man is written with the moving vividness and accuracy that characterizes all of Shaaraâ??s work. This spellbinding new novel carries readersâ??the way only Shaara canâ??to the heart of one of the greatest conflicts in human history, and puts them face-to-face with the characters who made… (more)
User reviews
I've read many novels centering on the Revolutionary War, dozens dealing with the Civil War (one of the
Written in a style identical to that frequently used by his father (selecting several combatents and following the events through their eyes), Shaara successfully takes us from the trenches, to the skies and finally to Pershing's AEF headquarters, with all the political intrigue surrounding it.
I must admit to being almost embarressed by my lack of knowledge of this key era in American history. My only familiarity with The Red Baron (Baron von Richtofen) having been provided by Snoopy's narrative as he pilots his Sopwith Camel. This novel has left me wanting to learn more about the conflict and the personalities involved.
The opening is a superficial view of the economic, political and social climate in Europe when the time war began. From that point on chapters, or several chapters at a time, are devoted to a one person’s experience. At first the war is a gentlemanly pursuit, but gradually the violence escalates. The Americans come in late, but are the last impetus to bring a close to the killing. World War I is the first war where massive munitions, airplanes and gas are used. The mechanization of war far outstrips the ability of any man to survive – luck of the draw seems to rule whether you live another day or die now. The killing, maiming and destruction are described in enough detail to give some understanding of what these men endured. The book gradually builds, through the experiences of the characters, to climatic explosions, death and crushing, life-long damage to the souls of the men who survive.
I do not know if the characters are all real. I do not know if the thoughts and feelings depicted here are exactly what these people felt. I do believe the responses Shaara paints are real and did happen to some of the participants in the upheaval. The end summary of each man, true or not, draws a picture of people haunted by what they experienced. Most of them died young. Most of them suffered their whole life from what they did and saw.
This book is one of the first I have read drawing the picture of the hell on earth these people endured and how it changed them, not all for the better, for all their lives. I was haunted by the end where the living thought the lucky ones were the ones left behind – maybe they were.
I have read several of Jeff Shaara’s books and learned from and enjoyed them all, so I may be biased in my review. Being a veteran and working with veterans though gives me a picture of what these people live with.
I give this book five stars.
Though an unfair comparison, I would prefer re-reading All Quiet on the Western Front than
Good book. I found many parts of it fascinating but it's exceedingly long on details and drags horribly in certain places. I love a good war novel but this one took forever to get through. I'm not scared of thick books but I got really tired of this after a while.
This book like it's predecessors is made good because of it's mix of roles. First there are generals like Pershing and others most of whom only get one chapter to make different points. Then there are front line grunts like Temple and Richthofen who eventually enjoyed killing. Then there are peaceful and serene people like Lubefry who at first nurtured a hate for all kinds of Germans who fought France and the United States, but before his death came to terms with himself. and his enemy.
Having previously over the past 10 years read 20 books concerning primarily the origins and background to WW1, I found that this novel succinctly provided a good historical overview of the US involvement in the conduct of the later stages of
Overall however I believe this book offers a great overview of US participation from the US declaration of War on 2 April 1917 through to the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919.
The novel succinctly details the lives of the air aces such as the Red- Baron, Manfred von Richthofen with 82 kills and his western adversaries, notably Captain Lufbery of the Lafayette Escadrille, and Captain Edward Rickenbacker of the US 94th Aero Squadron.
The novel provides great insight into the difficulties faced by General Jack Pershing in coordinating with the Allies to gain recognition for the US as an independent entity that contributed significantly to the wars outcome as a win for the western allies.
In short the book provides a succinct overview of the total US contribution to the winning of the war. The story clearly delineates relationships amongst the allies and also amongst the German hierarchy of the Kaiser, Paul Von Hindenburg, Ludendorff and the civilian leader, Chancellor Max Von Baden.
The US lost 50,000 men out of a million deployed men over a six month period. The Europeans averaged a lost rate of 5000 combatants per day and overall 10 million men lost their lives over a 51 month period as the war raged across 52 countries of the world. “The War to end all wars!”