20 Classic and Contemporary Books About World War I

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By Max Knoblauch2014-06-28 17:30:13 UTC

Brutally honest, unrelenting and poetic — novels can teach us about war on a deeper level than your standard textbook.

June 28 marks the centennial anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, an event considered to be the most immediate catalyst to World War I. In remembrance of the Great War, the massive online book club that is GoodReads has pooled together 20 of the most highly rated novels about the conflict.

See also: 24 Must-Read Books for Summer 2014

From memoirs about the front lines to contemporary steampunk fiction, this collection is both a great recommendation list for the history-fanatic in your life and a fascinating look at how we're keeping the first world war in the public consciousness.

Take a look at the list below, containing ten classics and ten modern stories about World War I.

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Topics: books, GoodReads, history, Lifestyle, reading list, Travel & Leisure, Watercooler, World