The last decade of the 19th Century and the first decade of the 20th Century saw days passed that were filled with an awesome fear of the future and of change. In every European country, there were radical revolutionary movements calling for the overthrow of governments and the elimination of monarchs. Some of those monarchs were about to die at the end of a firing squad. Everywhere, there was a sense of foreboding. Then in 1901, the long-serving Queen of England died and it felt that at that moment the deluge was about to engulf the continent. And these feelings were correct. In 1914, Europe was going to fall down a black hole. Barbara Tuchman's magnificent book tells us the tale of summer 1914.
RECOMMENDED READING
The Guns of August,
Series: Modern Library 100 Best Nonfiction Books,
Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (March 8, 1994),
ISBN 034538623X