Skip to main content

Empires of the Dead: How One Man's Vision Led to the Creation of WWI's War Graves

by David Crane

128 Members (3.88) 2 Awards

On This Page

Recommendations

Author Information

Awards and Honors

Common Knowledge

Classifications

Description

Shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction; the extraordinary and forgotten story behind the building of the First World War cemeteries, due to the efforts of one remarkable and visionary man, Fabian Ware.

Tags

Recommendations

The Quick and the Dead: Fallen Soldiers and Their Families in the Great War by Richard Van Emden

The Quick and the Dead: Fallen Soldiers and Their Families in the Great War

Richard Van Emden

The Unending Vigil by Philip Longworth

The Unending Vigil

Philip Longworth

Remembered: The History of the Commonweath War Graves Commission by Julie Summers

Remembered: The History of the Commonweath War Graves Commission

The First World War by John Keegan

The First World War

A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East by David Fromkin

A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East

Somme Battlefields: A Comprehensive Guide from Crecy to the Two World Wars by Martin Middlebrook

Somme Battlefields: A Comprehensive Guide from Crecy to the Two World Wars

Martin Middlebrook

Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Lawrence

Seven Pillars of Wisdom

Six Weeks: The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer in the First World War by John Lewis-Stempel

Six Weeks: The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer in the First World War

John Lewis-Stempel

Old Contemptibles: The British Expeditionary Force, 1914 by Robin Neillands

Old Contemptibles: The British Expeditionary Force, 1914

Robin Neillands

When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War by Andrew Riddoch

When the Whistle Blows: The Story of the Footballers' Battalion in the Great War

VCs of the First World War: Arras and Messines 1917 by Gerald Gliddon

VCs of the First World War: Arras and Messines 1917

Fromelles 1916 by Paul Cobb

Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers' War 1914-18 by Peter Barton

Beneath Flanders Fields: The Tunnellers' War 1914-18

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman

The Guns of August

Barbara Tuchman

Dreadnought : Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War by Robert K. Massie

Dreadnought : Britain, Germany, and the Coming of the Great War

Robert K. Massie

In Memoriam by Robin Cross

Before Endeavours Fade: Guide to the Battlefields of the First World War by Rose E.B. Coombs

Before Endeavours Fade: Guide to the Battlefields of the First World War

Rose E.B. Coombs

Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East by Scott Anderson

Lawrence in Arabia: War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East

Twelve Days on the Somme: A Memoir of the Trenches, 1916 by Sidney Rogerson

Twelve Days on the Somme: A Memoir of the Trenches, 1916

Sidney Rogerson

For Sake of Example by Anthony Babington

For Sake of Example

Anthony Babington

Boy Soldiers of the Great War by Richard Van Emden

Boy Soldiers of the Great War

Richard Van Emden

The Reluctant Tommy: An Extraordinary Memoir of the First World War by Ronald Skirth

The Reluctant Tommy: An Extraordinary Memoir of the First World War

The Roses of No Man's Land by Lyn Macdonald

The Roses of No Man's Land

Stretcher Bearer!: Fighting for life in the trenches by Charles Horton

Stretcher Bearer!: Fighting for life in the trenches

The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme by John Keegan

The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme

Fields of Memory: A Testimony to the Great War by Anne Roze

Fields of Memory: A Testimony to the Great War

The First World War by Hew Strachan

The First World War

Mapping the First World War: The Great War Through Maps from 1914 to 1918 by Peter Chasseaud

Mapping the First World War: The Great War Through Maps from 1914 to 1918

Peter Chasseaud

The Battlefields of the First World War: The Unseen Panoramas of the Western Front by Peter Barton

The Battlefields of the First World War: The Unseen Panoramas of the Western Front

To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918 by Adam Hochschild

To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914-1918

Adam Hochschild

Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea by Robert K. Massie

Castles of Steel: Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea

Robert K. Massie

The Pity of War: Explaining World War I by Niall Ferguson

The Pity of War: Explaining World War I

Not Forgotten: The Great War and Our Modern Memory by Neil Oliver

Not Forgotten: The Great War and Our Modern Memory

Somme by Lyn Macdonald

The Missing of the Somme by Geoff Dyer

The Missing of the Somme

War Diaries: A Chaplain at Gallipoli: The Great War Diaries of Kenneth Best by Kenneth Best

War Diaries: A Chaplain at Gallipoli: The Great War Diaries of Kenneth Best

They Called it Passchendaele by Lyn Macdonald

They Called it Passchendaele

Great War Generals on the Western Front: 1914-1918 by Robin Neillands

Great War Generals on the Western Front: 1914-1918

Robin Neillands

Wounded: A New History of the Western Front in World War I by Emily Mayhew

Wounded: A New History of the Western Front in World War I

Somme Mud by E. P. F. Lynch

The Wipers Times: The Famous First World War Trench Newspaper by Chris Westhorp

The Wipers Times: The Famous First World War Trench Newspaper

Revolt in the Desert by T. E. Lawrence

Revolt in the Desert

War Memorial: The Story of One Village's Sacrifice from 1914 to 2003 by Clive Aslet

War Memorial: The Story of One Village's Sacrifice from 1914 to 2003

Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front by Richard Holmes

Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front

Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War by Max Hastings

Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War

On the Western Front by John Laffin

On the Western Front

The Royal British Legion: 90 Years of Heroes by Matt Croucher

The Royal British Legion: 90 Years of Heroes

Messines Ridge: Ypres (Battleground Europe) by Peter Oldham

Messines Ridge: Ypres (Battleground Europe)

Chemical Soldiers: British Gas Warfare in World War I by Donald Richter

Chemical Soldiers: British Gas Warfare in World War I

Enemy on the Euphrates: The British Occupation of Iraq and the Great Arab Revolt, 1914-1921 by Ian Rutledge

Enemy on the Euphrates: The British Occupation of Iraq and the Great Arab Revolt, 1914-1921

Complete Recommendations

Member Reviews

Featured Recent Thumbs

All Ratings
3
4
½1
2
½1

Members

Recently Added By: mamore, azri, Victoire9, Fergal1890, KatyCooper, WilliamDunham, ScottishGenSoc, Jim.Shine, BethanyG

Lists

Books about World War I

80 works; 14 members

Author Information

7 Works 503 Members

David Crane teaches English literature in London.

Awards and Honors

Awards

Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction (Shortlist – 2013)

PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize (Shortlist – 2014)

Common Knowledge

Original title: Empires of the Dead
People/Characters: Fabian Ware
First words: High on the north wall of Florence’s Duomo can be seen one of the most arresting images of the early Italian Renaissance.
Last words: (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)A corner of Thorney Island shall be forever Flanders.
Original language: English

Statistics

Members: 128
Popularity: 253,963
Rating: (3.88)

Languages: English
Media: Paper, Ebook
ISBNs: 5
ASINs: 2

Quick Facts

Published: 2013
Genres: History, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, Art & Design
DDC/MDS: 940.465
LCC: D639 .D4 .C73

Author

Picture of author.

7 Works 503 Members

Popular Covers

Find It

Links

No links

Popularity

100%
44%
41%
29%
36%
24%
30%
35%
9%
17%
19%
22%
18%

2013
2026

Ratings

Stars: (3.88)

Click to expand

Click to reduce

Helpers

Verdana Standard Verdana Small The Lorax System Standard System Large Georgia Large Text Atkinson