Currently reading "Sleepwalkers" by Christopher Clark, a professor of history at Cambridge University. It is an account of the lead up to the first world war. It delves into the complexities of Balkan politics going back several years before 1914, and explains how the various alliance agreements obliged European nations to come to each other's aid and also to oppose each other.
For several years I have wanted to know more about how the "Great War" came about; I knew it was not simply just about Archduke Franz Ferdinand's assassination in Sarajevo. This book certainly tells you more - much, much more, the detail is amazing and as a result you really need to concentrate to keep track. It is written by a very accomplished academic, and I suspect would be an excellent academic source for someone studying this historic event. An excellent read, meticulously researched, but requires real application and concentration.