To the Last Man: A Novel of the First World War

Jeff Shaara comes through again with this soul searching novel about the seemingly senseless carnage that was the First World War. The war begins in 1914 and most of the book is devoted to the war prior to America’s entrance, as it should be. Imaginative descriptions of both ground and aerial combat fill the pages. The Baron von Richthofen comes to life with his 80 kills but Shaara also introduces to the reader a French born American by the name of Raoul Lufbury who was a master of the skies as well. Most of his kills fell behind enemy lines and could not be confirmed so estimates vary wildly, but his total estimates range from 35 to as high as sixty. And a small group of other American volunteer pilots, whose exploits between 1914 to 1917 helped keep the war before American eyes, served in the French Air Force and were known as the Layfette Escadrille. Eventually American President Woodrow Wilson succumbs to pressures and asks Congress to declare war in 1917, arriving in sufficient force to begin significant fighting by 1918. General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing is placed in charge of all American forces sent to Europe with instructions that our Doughboys were to be kept together as a fighting unit and to resist all pressure from both the British and the French to simply use them as casualty replacements in the endless slaughter of the Western Front trenches. And these fresh troops, proved to be the difference turning the war from a near Allied defeat into an Allied victory. Although classified as historical fiction, his writings are based on solid historical research and the reader can learn much about the war, the personalities, the motives, the causes and results, by reading his works. As one reviewer has already noted (Joseph E. Persico), “Jeff Shaara [makes] literature read like history and history read like literature.” I could not agree more.

I love history. Though my preference is ancient, I find myself reading historical novels from all ages. I decided to read Shaara's novel because I knew little about WWI. Since reading it, I'm certain most Americans know virtually nothing about this conflict. Shaara's work is extremely interesting and will, at a minimum, give you a framework and basic understanding of WWI. As a former fighter pilot (F-106), I found the emphasis on the airwar that was prevelant in the first half of the book intriguing. Richtoffen emerges as a real human being of commitment and dedication, not some cartoon character. The Lafayette Esquadrille and the subsequent Hat in the Ring Squadron come to life as well. The land war focuses on General Blackjack Pershing and his approach to this new theater of combat, and the horrors of trenches are seen through the eyes of Everyman's soldier, Roscoe Temple. There is no doubt that the Americans turned the tide of the conflict and were personally responsible for changing the tide of battle. While I was reading the book, I was traveling in England. I discussed the book with my friends and associates there and was surprised to learn that they knew even less about WWI than I did. I strongly recommend this book to every American. In this great land of opportunity we are so often apt to forget and overlook the sacrifices of our forefathers. We can still recall the sacrifice of WWII. My Dad, a Flying Tiger, is still alive. Few of us, however, know anything about WWI. We all must read this book to keep history alive for us and our children.

Jeffrey Shaara has written a masterpiece! Hs book graphically details what World War 1 was like for the soldier fighting in the trenches, a pilot in the fledgling air force, and from a general's point of view. Let the reader understand, this is not a blow by blow description about the events of World War 1. Instead, it is a book about four real historical people who actually lived and in some cases died in the Great War. I consider Shaara's book better than a history lesson as it probes the minds and hearts of those who participated, and helps the reader to understand the sheer horror of war and the lasting effects it had on the participants. This is a book you will not want to put down. The narrative is so realistic and gripping, that the reader is transported back in time and is actually there beside the soldier as he rises to charge enemy machine gun gunfire. Life in the trenches is explored in detail from the point of view of a Marine soldier. The tension and drama of an aviator in an open-pit plane is described in such stunning detail that you nearly feel the wind from the propeller in your face. Despite its length, I read the book in two sittings, literally frozen to my reading couch, unable to stop! I have never read any description of war with more detail and understanding than what Shaara presents in this fine literary story. My father was a soldier in WW2 and despite my many promptings, he never wished to discuss his part of the war and his experiences there. Having read Shaara's book I now finally understand. Shaara describes battlefield with stunning gripping clarity. One can feel the shudder of exploding shells, the stench of uncountable rotting bodies, the tension of an after-dark patrol into enemy lines, and the day to day lives of the soldiers who were called upon to shoulder the burden of the war. It is horrible beyond description and leaves a lasting permanent imprint of terror on the soldiers of both sides. Who would want to dredge up such experiences? If you really want to experience what war is really like without leaving the comfort of your reading couch, then this is the book for you. I cannot recommend it highly enough. You will be changed forever in how you view soldiers and war after reading this book. Jin Konedog Koenig

In "To The Last Man," Jeff Shaara captures the horror and human cost of close combat be it in the air or on the battlefield. It does not matter whether the fight occures in France in 1918 or Iraq in 2004, for those who actually take the fight to the enemy the experience is fundmentally the same, only the dates and details change. I believe the American people are too far removed from a knowledge of the horrors of war. We haven't had a war on our own soil in 140 years. Today's reporting from a combat zone is santized to the point of being more proporganda than news. A good dose of reality would do the American people good with regard to war and its human cost. We infantry jungle rats from the Viet Nam War used to have a saying: "War is hell but combat is a m-----f-----." If we as a people had a more realistic image of the true nature of war perhaps we would not be so easily led like sheep into such horror.

Jeff Shaara has done it again. He has written another masterpiece, this time on the often forgotten war that set the future of the Twentieth century and beyond. Shaara deviates slightly from his usual style in that, this book is essentially two books in one. It can be divided into three parts. The first 1/3 of the book deals almost exclusively with the air war focusing mainly on the heroics the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen and the French born American ace, Raoul Lufberry. In the middle 1/3 of the book, Shaara introduces Gen. Pershing and a young marine private named Roscoe Templer, which begins the second book as the first concludes with the deaths of Richthofen and Lufberry. The final 1/3 of the book focuses exclusively on the exploits and perils of the ground war. When it comes to the descriptive narrative of the horrors of war, I have always felt Stephen Crane's Red Badge of Courage set the standard. Shaara has surpassed that standard and has broken new ground with all of his books, this one included. Anyone who has ever served in the military will appreciate the detail of Shaara's narrative of the horrors that both the flying aces and the doughboys endured in World War I. As with all of Shaara's books, it is really a shame to call this a historical fiction as it is meticulously researched and historically accurate to the letter. Shaara captivates the reader by making history read like the best of literature. As with all of Shaara's books, this one is a must for the history classroom. Of course, it will probably never see the light of day in public schools, but home-schoolers should certainly utilize Shaara's gift for putting accurate military history in the form of intriguing and captivating resources for expanding ones knowledge of the events. Whether you are a novice or a World War I aficionado, you will love this book. If you have never read Shaara, this one will captivate you and have you soon reading his other fine works. You don't want to miss this book. Add it to your library now. You won't regret it. Monty Rainey www.juntosociety.com

Jeff Shaara proves in TO THE LAST MAN why he is a premier artist in the literary picture of war history. His prior successes, stories of the American Civil War, were skillful chronologies and great story lines. TO THE LAST MAN is no less in its characterization of World War I. Much has been written about WWII and the Civil War, but Shaara brings alive the events of a war on European shores and how the Americans helped to end the great struggle. Shaara's style is much like that used in his earlier novels. The introduction lists the main players in the war drama, with brief bios and early family histories. Subsequent chapters follow the viewpoint characters during their particular experiences and time frames for their actions. A large section is devoted to the stories of air war, its place in the conflict and the men who became heroes due to their aerial successes. Previous wars had depended on plodding trench battles, often fought hand-to-hand. But the aeroplane forever changed the landscapes of modern warfare. Shaara pictures heroic lives from both sides, those daredevil pilots who brought gunfire to the skies. The names of Baron Manfred von Richthofen and Raoul Lufbery dominate these chapters. Shaara demonstrates a deep probe of historical fact by his true-to-life portrayals. These pilots and their compatriots jump from the page and put the reader into the action. Emotions sway toward the humanity and character of each aerial duelist. Enter John J. Pershing, military commander of the American forces reluctantly sent to France. Pershing endures endless delays in the deployment of American troops and is frustrated by the tactics of French and British leaders. In the war's late stages, European commanders want the American forces assimilated into their respective armies. But Pershing holds firm to the independence of his forces. Roscoe Temple is the character Shaara uses to tell America's story in the war. Temple is a Marine recruit, a replacement for the thousands of French and British soldiers who lay dead in the muddy French fields. He is the embodiment of the American spirit that traveled to France to do a job --- kill the enemy and drive the Huns back to Germany. His transformation from green recruit to seasoned warrior happens rapidly and leads to the war's end. Shaara has written a remarkable book, full of history, real and imagined. The majority of the action is authentic, with imagined characters living their reality. Through their eyes, a reader today can easily grasp the horror (yet majesty) and great action known as World War I. TO THE LAST MAN is certain to become a bestseller. --- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad