# Recommendations for WW I fiction/docu-drama?



## Morkonan (Jan 25, 2014)

Does anyone have a good World War I (fiction/docu-drama) book  recommendation? (Besides "All Quiet..") I'd prefer something centering  around an infantry unit, but I don't care who they fought for. I need it  for some source material, mainly the vernacular of the day and the  common experiences of a WWI infantryman. It's important that it be considered fairly "authentic" in its representation of their experiences. In lieu of a fiction/docu-drama, a good source-book for the experiences of WW I infantrymen would be appreciated.


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## Deleted member 49710 (Jan 25, 2014)

Blaise Cendrars, _The Severed Hand._ You'll need to pay attention to the translation, though, if you're interested in the vernacular.

some WWI slang websites I've used before:
http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/wordswar.htm
http://www.ict.griffith.edu.au/~davidt/z_ww1_slang/index_bak.htm

also, while the story etc. is not that useful, Abel Gance's 1919 film _J'accuse_ used actual trenches and battlefields for the sets, so if you're trying to get a feel for those, might be worth seeking out.


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## The Tourist (Jan 25, 2014)

If you're into non-fiction and history, you might look into books on *Hiram Maxim*.  I just learned the other night that he had other patents in unrelated fields.

As for WWI, Maxim was a real game-changer.


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## FrozenLadyElsa (Jan 25, 2014)

Hi there! I know just a thing you're looking for. Go to this website and here you'll able to read hundreds of diary pages from soldiers during WW1. http://www.operationwardiary.org/


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## Morkonan (Jan 25, 2014)

lasm said:


> Blaise Cendrars, _The Severed Hand._ You'll need to pay attention to the translation, though, if you're interested in the vernacular.
> 
> some WWI slang websites I've used before:
> http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/wordswar.htm
> ...



Excellent links! Now, all I have to do is figure out how they're used conversationally.  (Not too difficult for some.)

I'll see if I can find a copy of The Severed Hand tonight. J'accuse sounds interesting, but I don't really need any environmental stuff. There's tons of resources out there for that sort of thing. Thank goodness for cameras and film! (There's some really nice WWI documentaries, too. I'm going to look for those as well, just to get a feel for the ambiance.)

There have been a couple of decent WWI movies in recent history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_I_films  Hmm, I may have to check out that 2013 Aussie film. (I watched Warhorse awhile back ago.... Black Beauty was better. I have no idea how they squeezed that movie out and no clue why some people liked it.

Great suggestions, thanks!



			
				The Tourist said:
			
		

> If you're into non-fiction and history, you might look into books on *Hiram Maxim*.



Aye, the Maxim helped bring wholesale death to the battlefield, courtesy of buzzing bees... World War 1 gave plenty of opportunities for innovation, but not all innovation was "forward." This comes to mind: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chauchat

Oh, absolutely, let's invent an automatic weapon for use in muddy trench warfare that has open magazines... (How in the heck can you count rounds if they're covered in mud? There's a reason some cast aspersions on French martial "ingenuity." Maginot is a type of whine...  )


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## Gavrushka (Jan 26, 2014)

Just saw: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spying-World-War-Margriet-Ballageer-ebook/dp/B00DY4CW2S/ref=zg_bsms_digital-text_2  and remember this thread. - It's 99 pence, and about a female spy in WW1 (real life)... You may be able to take something from it.


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## Morkonan (Jan 26, 2014)

Thanks! Looking it up, now. (Am in a bookstore, again, looking for ref works. I like to support brick&mortar stores, whenever I can.)

I did look for works mentioned by Iasm as well as the movies, but they're not on the shelves that I have looked through. There's a bibliophile store not too far from where I'm at and they have a huge collection of out-of-print and used books. I'll stop by there later this week. (An old house with three stories of books! Science-fiction and fantasy is in the basement... No respect, I tell ya!  )

Edit-Add- Looks like it's e-book only... I don't "do" e-books.


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