A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, Paul Liska draws upon more than four decades as a chief financial officer and corporate executive in his work as a private investor. An avid reader in his free time, Paul Liska enjoys nonfiction works about history, with The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman being one of his favorites.
Published in 1962 to great critical acclaim, The Guns of August details the first month of World War I through a unique storytelling style that brings to life the events and characters of one of the most important eras in world history. The book appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for over 40 consecutive weeks and won the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction in 1963.
The book’s impact has extended well beyond the bestseller lists. For example, President John F. Kennedy was reportedly greatly influenced by the book. In addition to presenting copies of the book to his staff, Kennedy drew upon information in the book while navigating the Cuban Missile Crisis in the fall of 1962. Since that time, the book has been a mainstay in high school and college history curricula while having a lasting effect on the way we understand both World War I and the shape of 20th century history.
