All Quiet on the Western FrontAll Quiet on the Western Front
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1914, a classroom of idealistic German schoolboys, urged on by their schoolmaster, volunteer for the "glorious war." Paul Bäumer, one of them, tells what follows: the horror of the trenches, the deaths of his friends, and a growing disillusionment that leaves him unable to return to the life he knew. It's the story of a generation destroyed by the war, even those who survived its shells.
Why it's worth reading
It was one of the ten best-selling books in America in 1929 and is on the BBC's Big Read. It's the most famous antiwar novel ever written, and still one of the most powerful.
You'll love it if you liked
The Killer Angels
Slaughterhouse-Five
Catch-22Good to know
It's short and plainly written, and the ending is devastating. Its depictions of trench warfare are graphic.
By the numbers
- Readers86 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller71 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic
More by Erich Maria Remarque
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Quick answers
Is All Quiet on the Western Front worth reading?
Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books in America in 1929 and is on the BBC's Big Read. It ranks #326 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 81.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is All Quiet on the Western Front about?
In 1914, a classroom of idealistic German schoolboys, urged on by their schoolmaster, volunteer for the "glorious war." Paul Bäumer, one of them, tells what follows: the horror of the trenches, the deaths of his friends, and a growing disillusionment that leaves him unable to return to the life he knew. It's the story of a generation destroyed by the war, even those who survived its shells.
How long does it take to read All Quiet on the Western Front?
About 6 hours (248 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after All Quiet on the Western Front?
If you liked it, try The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. or Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.