By August 1914 Europe descended into total war, with its origins beginning in the century before. Yet, the sheer scale of this evolving war would be determined in July, when Europe’s powers argued and threatened in what became known as the July Crisis. Connor Martin’s new book takes a omniscient approach to the First World War’s July Crisis prelude with an unique ‘diary-like’ format. The book details and explores the July Crisis before delving in detail in a event by event, and day by day coverage from late June to early August 1914 in an interesting book full of surprising, yet true, facts about Europe before its four year haul at war.