A World on Edge: The End of the Great War and the Dawn of a New Age

In 1918, Europe was in ruins after World War I, but with the end of hostilities, a radical new start seemed possible. Unorthodox ideas such as new politics, societies, art, and culture emerged, and the struggle to determine the future had begun. This was a time of sacrifice and questioning, as Virginia Woolf published her first book and George Grosz was revolted by the violence on the streets of Berlin. Historian Daniel Schönpflug describes this watershed year as open-ended, unfathomable, and its outcome unclear, combining acutely observed details to compose a brilliantly conceived panorama of a world suspended between enthusiasm and disappointment.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 16 May 2019
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

A World on Edge: Europe in 1918 is a captivating and profoundly moving requiem for what might have been. Written by Douglas Smith, the author of Rasputin and Former People, the book offers a vivid portrayal of Europe in the aftermath of World War I. The continent was left in ruins, but with the end of hostilities, a sense of hope and possibility emerged. Unconventional ideas began to flourish, lighting up the age with a sense of radical transformation. New politics, new societies, new art and culture, and new ways of thinking emerged, sparking a struggle to determine the future.

Among the individuals whose lives were intricately intertwined with this transformative period were the sculptor Käthe Kollwitz, whose son had died in the war; Ho Chi Minh, who worked as a dishwasher in Paris and harbored dreams of liberating Vietnam; Captain Harry S. Truman, who ran a mens haberdashery in Kansas City and was unexpectedly thrust into the presidency of the United States; Professor Moina Michael, who was about to invent the remembrance poppy, a symbol of sacrifice that would endure for generations; and Virginia Woolf, who had just published her first book and grappled with the question of whether the sacrifices made were worth it.

At the same time, a world of power and privilege was collapsing for rulers and revolutionaries, while a dream of overthrowing democracy was taking shape for others. Historian Daniel Schönpflug skillfully captures the essence of this pivotal year in his book, A World on Edge: Europe in 1918. With novelistic virtuosity, he paints a vivid picture of the year as it unfolded, offering an open-ended and unfathomable narrative. Told from the perspectives of people from all walks of life, famous and ordinary, good and evil, Schönpflug weaves a rich tapestry of acutely observed details that bring the period to life. The result is a brilliantly conceived work that offers a profound understanding of a momentous year in history.

Weight: 230g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509818518