The Guns of AugustThe Guns of August
Score Classic
What it's about
Barbara Tuchman tells the story of the first month of World War I, from the funeral of Edward VII in May 1910, where nine kings rode together, to the Battle of the Marne in September 1914. She follows the generals and statesmen of Germany, France, Britain, Russia and Belgium as their plans, mistakes and pride turn a crisis into a catastrophe. By the end of that month, the war that would last four years and kill millions was locked in.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize and is on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. It's the model of narrative history: dramatic, witty and authoritative. President Kennedy famously drew on its lessons during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
You'll love it if you liked
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century
The Great War and Modern Memory
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi GermanyGood to know
It's mostly about generals and battle plans rather than the soldiers' experience. Having a map handy helps.
By the numbers
- Readers76 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics86 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller24 out of 100 · counts 14%
- 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
- #33 of the 198 history books we rank
- #63 of the 762 classics we rank
- #193 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Barbara W. Tuchman
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Quick answers
Is The Guns of August worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize and is on the Modern Library's list of the best nonfiction ever written. It ranks #193 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Guns of August about?
Barbara Tuchman tells the story of the first month of World War I, from the funeral of Edward VII in May 1910, where nine kings rode together, to the Battle of the Marne in September 1914. She follows the generals and statesmen of Germany, France, Britain, Russia and Belgium as their plans, mistakes and pride turn a crisis into a catastrophe. By the end of that month, the war that would last four years and kill millions was locked in.
How long does it take to read The Guns of August?
About 16 hours (658 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Guns of August won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (1963).
What should I read after The Guns of August?
If you liked it, try A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara W. Tuchman, The Great War and Modern Memory by Paul Fussell or The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer.