All Quiet on the Western Front

This autobiographical novel of WWI that inspired multiple film adaptions evokes “the horrors of modern warfare has lost none of its force” (The Times, London).

In 1914, as the world descends into war, twenty-year-old Paul Baümer and his classmates enlist in the German army. Full of youthful excitement and visions of adventure, they quickly find themselves caught in a whirlwind of death and brutality. Though their patriotic ideals are dashed by the cruel realities of trench warfare, Paul endures the hell of combat for years, steadfastly resisting the lure of blind hatred for the enemy.

A German WWI veteran, Erich Maria Remarque stirringly conveys the physical, psychological, and emotional toll that war takes on those who are sent to fight it. Originally published in 1929, All Quiet on the Western Front blazed a trail for generations of authors who would share their experiences on the front lines.