Ring of Fire - by Alexandra Churchill & Nicolai Eberholst (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The dramatic story of 1914--the start of World War I--presenting an expansive, dynamic history of the start of this truly global conflict.

Most countries did not know what they were getting into during the precarious days of 1914. Global citizens believed they were going to get a short conflict that would settle old scores in a matter of weeks--but it was soon clear that was not going to be the case.

From the Balkans to East Prussia, France, and Belgium, nineteenth-century warfare came face to face with twentieth-century technology and the ensuing, brutal clash of empires resulted in deadlock. And it was a truly global war, stretching from Europe to Oceania, from the Middle East to North America. It affected civilians as well as soldiers and governments, and for the first time, the world was faced with the fact that neutrality was practically impossible.

Understanding such a complex conflict is difficult, and over the last hundred years, it has been made even more so by a repeatedly blinkered approach to the history of it, with a focus almost entirely on English-language sources and a narrow view of the conflict through two main prisms--the Eastern Front and the Western Front. But what about the rest of the world? Countries like Australia and Canada willingly sent their young men to Europe. Danes were conscripted into the German army, North Africans immediately traveled to fight and die for France; and in colonies as remote as Samoa, men ran for ports and a chance to fight.

Ring of Fire will set out to rebalance our conceptions of a war that truly reshaped the world. Using access to an enormous quantity of primary material, largely untouched by general historians, the authors will tell the story of 1914 with a firm eye on presenting a truly comprehensive, inclusive popular history, a people's narrative that draws on source material from over twenty languages.

Review Quotes

"A detailed scrutiny of the first month of World War I. Focused almost exclusively on August 1914, the enormous scope of this book belies its rigid time frame. An outstanding depiction of global conflict."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Churchill and Eberholst present a multifaceted perspective on the global impact of WWI, challenging traditional narratives by shifting the focus beyond the Eastern and Western Fronts. The book is groundbreaking in its use of primary sources from over 20 languages, providing a fresh, inclusive perspective on the war's reach from Australia and Canada to Morocco, Samoa, and more. This thought provoking approach ensures that Ring of Fire is not just a history book, but a work that challenges one's perception, making it a must-read for scholars and enthusiasts alike."--Booklist (starred review)

"An eye-opening alternative to the well worn stories of brave tommies marching off to bash the Boche."--Charlie Higson

"By focusing on the immense impact the conflict had on common people--from colonial subjects to women and even children--Ring of Fire prompts a dramatic reassessment of how we should view and tell the history of this terrible war."--James Holland, author of The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943

"Challenged everything I thought I knew about this war."--Iain Dale, British broadcast and author

"Churchill and Eberholst put the world back into the First World War. They portray the astonishing scale and reach of a war that might have started in Europe but was a genuinely global catastrophe."--Dan Snow, historian and host of History Hit

"In this sweeping account, historians Churchill and Eberholst recap the opening weeks of WWI, a dramatic season when epic battles raged on every front. The result is an intense exploration of the emotional and intellectual landscape of the war's outbreak that brings complexity and depth to the first truly international conflict."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Alexandra Churchill has a master's degree in history and her thesis focused on the Somme in 1916. She appears regularly on television and in military history documentaries. Together, they are currently working on a documentary series for History Hit, in which they look at the plight of Belgium in 1914, before the British Army was first engaged at Mons.

Nicolai Eberholst is a qualified archivist working in Copenhagen, where he has established a cult following on social media (@PikeGrey1418). His appearances on major podcasts have garnered thousands of downloads and high praise. Together, they have also been instrumental in the formation of the new Great War Group, which was established in 2020 to make the subject of World War I more inclusive.