Storm of Steel is the memoir of German officer Ernst Jünger's experiences on the Western Front during the First World War from December 1914 to August 1918. The book is a graphic account of trench warfare. It can be read affirmatively, neutrally or as an anti-war book.
First edition cover
A memoir is any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiography since the late 20th century, the genre is differentiated in form, presenting a narrowed focus, usually a particular time phase in someone's life or career. A biography or autobiography tells the story "of a life", while a memoir often tells the story of a particular career, event, or time, such as touchstone moments and turning points in the author's life. The author of a memoir may be referred to as a memoirist or a memorialist.
Title page of Henry Thoreau's memoir, Walden (1854)
An excerpt from the manuscript "Memoires on Napoleon's campaigns, experienced as a soldier of the second regiment", written by Joseph Abbeel, 1805–1815.