Pulitzer Prize General Non Fiction Winner

The Guns of August

by Barbara W. Tuchman

Summary

A vivid and gripping account of the first month of World War I, detailing the diplomatic failures and military blunders that led to global catastrophe. It is a masterpiece of narrative history.

Historical Context & Significance

President Kennedy was so moved by the book's warning on "miscalculation" that he distributed copies to his cabinet during the Cuban Missile Crisis to avoid a similar stumble into war.