Book

The Origins of World War I. ed. by Richard F. Hamilton and Holger H. Herwig. Cambridge, 2003. 537p bibl index ISBN 0-521-81735-8, $60.00.

History Today: “A fine work. What on earth could possibly be said about this topic which hasn’t been said a hundred times before over the past nine decades? As the twelve contributors to the collection demonstrate, however, the answer is: ‘quite a bit.’ Each of the chapters in this work examines how a particular country came to the decision to go to war, and will thus make welcome teaching vehicles for students and lecturers alike.” History: Review of New Books: “deserves reading by anyone interested in World War I or decision making in conflict situations.” Choice: "The authors offers many interesting and original interpretations. Ending with a vindication of liberalism while attacking the monarchy and Marxism, the book is lively and interpretative, although it would have been stronger with more archival evidence. Highly recommended." History Review: “This would not be the first book I'd recommend on this topic, or even the second, especially given the price; but it would be a valuable addition to the library. Serious students will sometimes strike gold and have the multifarious problems of Europe on the eve of catastrophe illuminated.” American Historical Review: “The essays on Russia and Japan offer some of the most interesting new perspectives on 1914. Regrettably, two of [the four conceptual essays] are not entirely successful.”