All Quiet on the Western Front (The Greatest Historical Novels series) Unknown - 1985

All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque. The book is narrated by Paul Bäumer, a young soldier who enlists in the German army during World War I. It follows the experiences of Bäumer and his comrades as they confront the harsh realities of trench warfare and struggle to cope with the physical and psychological trauma of the war. The novel is a powerful and poignant critique of the futility and brutality of war, and its impact on the lives of soldiers who are often treated as mere cannon fodder by their superiors. Remarque's masterful prose and vivid descriptions of the horrors of war make All Quiet on the Western Front a classic of modern literature.

In 1930, the novel was adapted into an acclaimed film directed by Lewis Milestone. It was the first talkie war film to win an Oscar. In 1979 it was adapted again into a television film by Delbert Mann starring Richard Thomas and Ernest Borgnine. In 2022 a new film was released directed by Edward Berger. This last adaptation won four Oscars.