Not really what I was expecting, but all in all a very thought provoking read. I was expecting more an argument as to why the 20th century turned out as it did and why much of that was the result of World War I. There was elements of that in here, but it was more about how societies perceptions of the Great War changed over time, to tie it to current societal trends. Cogent and well written, I would certainly recommend. ( )

The concept is simple: Although overshadowed by the Second World War, WWI (or The Great War) was a vast conflagration that inspired far-reaching reactions that percolated through subsequent decades. The war led directly to such manifestations as nationalism, pacifism, the desire for revenge, new nations being born, and an attempt at controlling the evil of mass war, The League of Nations. The author examines The Great War's impact on Britain and her WWI allies and adversaries, including the U.S. He notes the far-sighted, but flawed, internationalism represented by Woodrow Wilson. He also points out that Britain enjoyed the post-war decades far more than most countries because of a host of unique factors. The concept for this book is certainly valid, but in its execution, I believe Reynolds goes overboard--for example, in examining WWIs impact on novels, art, and poetry of the day. The book at this point becomes lit crit, not history, and by this point he has made clear his central thesis and is gilding the lily. He splits the work into two parts, and the first (about actual effects of WWI on Europe in the post-war years), is the stronger and more interesting of the two. ( )

For those who like to take a very long view of history, examining how a single event can have a wide variety of repercussions lasting centuries, The Long Shadow is an excellent choice. David Reynolds uses the First World War (the Great War) as a starting point and illustrates how the events of that conflict were interpreted and re-interpreted in the light of later events, and how they influenced the views of those later events. Each chapter covers a major theme (e.g. Democracy, Civilization, Evil) and talks about how the First World War's legacy is expressed in various countries in relation to that theme. One chapter talks about the cultural legacy of the Great War, specifically how it was memorialized in various countries (with the UK doing the most in terms of war art and poetry), while another talks about the widely differing experiences each of the participating countries had during what later became known as the interwar years -- why some turned to fascism while others remained more centrist.

This book has abundant citations and endnotes that could provide even more reading enjoyment for avid history buffs. It's a fascinating book and I recommend it if you like broad sweeps of history. ( )

A very thorough analysis of the impact of WW I both for the immediate aftermath and for the long range "legacy." George F. Kennan once described WW I as " The seminal event of the 20th century." It was not only responsible for reconfiguring Europe in the aftermath of the collapse of the Old Order and dynasties but created new paradigms for conducting diplomacy; the Wilsonian vision. Unfortunately, in redesigning the political map it laid the seed for enduring resentments that would provide fuel for the likes of Mussolini, Hitler, and many aggrieved minorities. Among them would be Arab and Asian nationalists. Reynolds treats each section of the globe both within its unique context and in the wider diplomatic scheme. He writes well, and as one reviewer indicates does seem to muddle in a few spots but they are the exception. Complete with maps that show the evolution of events, it is highly recommended for the specialist who enjoys competent historiography and for the generalist who desires a better comprehension of the grand sweep of history. ( )

a study of how ww 1 affected the nations that fought it. it explores how those nations thought about the war after the war. the war for most nations took the cork out of the bottle so to speak, especially in eastern europe. it certainly was not the war to end war, it actually encouraged new wars. wilson with all his ideas let use demons that had been hidden for generations. its interesting to note that perhaps the only nations that the war empowered was GB and the US. of course the US got into the war at the end and suffer in war deaths the least. most of the american deaths were caused by the flu of 1919 not combat. this is a mix of pop history and more in depth study readable but it is long, over 400 pages. ( )