Original cover for Hemingway’s classic novel A FAREWELL TO ARMS
According to the WALL STREET JOURNAL, over the past 53 years some 12,500 books on World War I topics have been published in America, compared to more than 43,000 on World War II over the same period. On the whole Americans, have been far less interested in the First World War, perhaps due to an inability to place the American experience “Over There” in its proper context.
With the coming of the centenary of World War I, however, US publishers are looking to capitalize on renewed interest in the war as they release and market new titles, both non-fiction and fiction, as well as re-release some of the classics. Whether in marketing or in format, publishing houses are looking to present new works which tap in to trends among modern readers.
Among the new releases will be THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS, a graphic novel from Broadway Books based on the 15th New York Infantry by Max Brooks, author of THE ZOMBIE SURVIVAL GUIDE and WORLD WAR Z. Earlier this year, Harper Collins timed the release of the historical novel SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE to coincide with the American start of the latest season of the popular television drama “Downton Abbey.”
Among the classics to be re-released are Eric Maria Remarque’s ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, along with Hemingway’s A FAREWELL TO ARMS.
For more information on the trends in World War 1 books to be released in the coming years, see THE WALL STREET JOURNAL story here.
