What to read, watch, and listen to if you loved1917
Film · 2019
If you loved 1917, start with Five Came Back (2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to 1917 across media.
What hooked you in 1917 was the way the immense, terrifying scale of history becomes an intimate, visceral survival mission.
Books on the same thread
All Quiet on the Western Front
Erich Maria Remarque · Book · 1987
Explores: Loss of innocence, The trauma of trench warfare, Existential disillusionment.
Like 1917, this masterpiece captures the suffocating reality of trench warfare, grounding the massive conflict in a singular, harrowing perspective on the loss of innocence and existential disillusionment.
Atonement
Ian McEwan · Book · 2007
Explores: Guilt and Atonement, Childhood Trauma, Class Conflict.
Much like the soldiers in 1917, the characters here are trapped in a world where war dictates their fate, emphasizing how individual choices ripple through the chaos of historical tragedy.
The Things They Carried
Tim O'Brien · Book · 2017
Explores: Vietnam War, Trauma, Memory.
This work mirrors the emotional weight of 1917 by focusing on the heavy, intangible burdens soldiers carry, exploring how memory and trauma persist long after the fighting has ceased.
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Ernest Hemingway · Book · 2023
Shares a thread with 1917: Sacrifice.
If the mission-focused tension of 1917 gripped you, this story of a guerrilla soldier behind enemy lines provides a similarly focused, high-stakes look at sacrifice within a brutal conflict.
Series on the same thread
Generation War
Philipp Kadelbach · Series · 2013
Explores: Loss of Innocence, The Horrors of War, Friendship Tested.
This series captures the same tragic decay of spirit found in 1917, following young men as their idealism is stripped away by the relentless and unforgiving machinery of war.
Band of Brothers
Series · 2001
Shares a thread with 1917: Military Drama.
The bond between soldiers in 1917 is echoed here through the lens of a real-life rifle company, highlighting how brotherhood serves as the primary defense against total psychological collapse.
The Vietnam War
Series · 2017
Explores: War Trauma, Anti-War Movement, Cold War Conflicts.
For those moved by the historical scope of 1917, this documentary offers a similarly immersive experience, mapping the profound personal trauma of war against a massive, world-altering backdrop.
Five Came Back
Series · 2017
Shares a thread with 1917: Sacrifice.
While 1917 uses cinema to place you on the front lines, this documentary reveals the filmmakers who risked their lives to capture the same raw, terrifying reality on camera.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
If you appreciated the way 1917 forces you to confront the weight of historical legacy, this series offers a similarly deep, urgent investigation into the foundations of American identity.
Yarnhub
Podcast
Explores: Military History, Brotherhood, Bravery.
This podcast shares the DNA of 1917 by prioritizing cinematic storytelling, focusing on individual acts of bravery that turn abstract military history into powerful, human-centered narratives of survival.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is 1917 based on a true story about a specific mission?
The film 1917 follows two British soldiers tasked with crossing enemy territory to deliver a message during the First World War. While it depicts the high stakes of the conflict, it is a fictional narrative centered on their urgent mission to prevent a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers.
What is the primary objective for the soldiers in 1917?
In 1917, the primary objective for the two young British soldiers is to traverse dangerous enemy territory. They must successfully deliver a critical message that is intended to stop a deadly attack on hundreds of their fellow soldiers at the height of the First World War.
Does 1917 take place during the entire First World War?
No, the movie 1917 does not cover the entire duration of the war. Instead, it focuses on a specific, time-sensitive mission occurring at the height of the First World War where two soldiers must deliver a message to prevent a deadly attack on their comrades.
Is 1917 focused on a large-scale battle or a specific journey?
The film 1917 focuses on the journey of two young British soldiers as they cross enemy territory. The narrative centers on their individual mission to deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack, rather than depicting the broader scope of large-scale military engagements.