11th Month; 11th Day; 11th Hour; Armistice Day, 1918.

11TH MONTH; 11TH DAY; 11TH HOUR; ARMISTICE DAY, 1918. Joseph E. Persico. 2004. Read by Jonathan Marosz. 14 cds. 17.5 hrs. Books on Tape. 1-4159-0781-1. $112.00. Vinyl; content notes. SA*

Persico returns repeatedly to the last day of WW I, on which combatants took 10,944 casualties; 2,738 died (320 Americans), most after the Armistice had been signed. But this book is more than a recounting of the day. This is a history of the entire war, from its murky beginnings to its aftermath, which resonates today. Persico draws heavily from letters from French, Canadian, English, German, and American soldiers and officers, including a sack-full of letters written by German officers to their families. He also read histories, diaries, personal reminiscences, officers' logs, and interviews to bring into focus a war of attrition: "A mile gained, a mile lost, and bodies in between." He probes the prevailing tendency to romanticize war, even the generals' "map room heroics," which insisted "pressure be applied to the last."

The book is exceptionally wide-ranging in its military and cultural explorations; names that became famous 20 years later appear. The language is exceptionally listenable. Marosz narrates in a rich voice with a tone of deep sadness, appropriate to the theme that, in WW I, too many (almost 11.5 million) died. Edna Boardman, Libn., Bismarck, ND

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advance students and adults. This code will help librarians and teacher working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.