A World Undone cover art

A World Undone

The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

A World Undone

By: G. J. Meyer
Narrated by: Robin Sachs
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $43.99

Buy Now for $43.99

About this listen

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Drawing on exhaustive research, this intimate account details how World War I reduced Europe’s mightiest empires to rubble, killed twenty million people, and cracked the foundations of our modern world

“Thundering, magnificent . . . [A World Undone] is a book of true greatness that prompts moments of sheer joy and pleasure. . . . It will earn generations of admirers.”—The Washington Times

On a summer day in 1914, a nineteen-year-old Serbian nationalist gunned down Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. While the world slumbered, monumental forces were shaken. In less than a month, a combination of ambition, deceit, fear, jealousy, missed opportunities, and miscalculation sent Austro-Hungarian troops marching into Serbia, German troops streaming toward Paris, and a vast Russian army into war, with England as its ally. As crowds cheered their armies on, no one could guess what lay ahead in the First World War: four long years of slaughter, physical and moral exhaustion, and the near collapse of a civilization that until 1914 had dominated the globe.

©2006 G. J. Meyer (P)2022 Random House Audio 20th Century Military Modern World War Interwar Period

Critic Reviews

“Meyer’s sketches of the British Cabinet, the Russian Empire, the aging Austro-Hungarian Empire . . . are lifelike and plausible. His account of the tragic folly of Gallipoli is masterful. . . . [A World Undone] has an instructive value that can scarcely be measured”—Los Angeles Times

“An original and very readable account of one of the most significant and often misunderstood events of the last century.”—Steve Gillon, resident historian, The History Channel

“Thundering, magnificent...this is a book of true greatness that prompts moments of sheer joy and pleasure. Researched to last possible dot...It will earn generations of admirers.”—Washington Times

All stars
Most relevant  
Probably the best single volume history of the Great War that I have read. Brilliantly structured, it concentrates on the background and context for the war rather than it's battles. Great read.

Great history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am pleased that the writer included the Battle of Le Hamel and Australian General Sir John Monash’s role in this pivotal battle. On 4 July 1918, the Australian with support from the Brits and some 1000 Americans, gained in 93 minutes ground that would have taken eight months of trench to trench slogging to achieve. It was decimation that the Germans never recovered from. It was no surprised that they gave up on taking Amiens and were forced to withdraw to the Hindenburg line. It was also no surprise that they initiated peace talks soon after that led to the end of WWI on 11 November 1918.
I would have liked the author to have covered this all-important battle as extensively as he did some earlier ones. It was as if he was running out of puff and hurried to finish the book. Understandable but also a shame.

Battle of Le Hamel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Having read many works on World War One, this stands out as an wonderful introduction and big picture view of complicated events. Very well crafted and written.

Excellent overview

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.