598. The First World War: The Eastern Front Explodes (Part 5)

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Dominic read an excerpt from this memoir at the opening of the episode, describing it as 'one of the most haunting and lyrical of all memoirs' about the Eastern Front in World War I, published by the New York Review of Books in their classics range.

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Quoted multiple times throughout the episode, including a line about the Austro-Hungarian army's 'principal strength lay in exotic parade uniforms and splendid bands' and descriptions of General Potjorek and the Shuka family's deportation story.

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Described as 'a brilliant book on the Eastern Front,' cited for its descriptions of the Serbian soldier and the battle scenes during the Serbian counterattack in December 1914.

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Referenced when discussing East Prussia and the surrounding region as 'the bloodlands, then, of Timothy Snyder's book' — described as 'probably the worst place to be born in the 20th century.'

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Mentioned as one of the books that will be discussed in the Rest is History Club's new book discussion series.

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Mentioned as an upcoming book to be discussed in the Rest is History Club's new book discussion series.

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Mentioned as the next book to be discussed in the Rest is History Club's new book discussion series, described as a 'dystopian fable.'

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Extensively discussed in a bonus clip at the end of the episode, exploring how the book reflects Tolkien's First World War experiences and the sensibility of the 1920s and 1930s.