In Anecdotes of the Great War, Youssef Al-Bustani presents an unusual account of the First World War, where tragedy intermingles with amazement, and tears with smiles, in a blend of stories he gleaned from Arab and foreign newspapers and magazines published at the time. The tales here are not merely military facts about the first warplanes or the poison gases that changed the face of battles; rather, they are contrasting human scenes that reveal the absurdity and cruelty of war, while simultaneously revealing the humor of situations born amidst the devastation. Between the tragedy of soldiers and the laughter of chance, between the absurdity of political decisions and the heroism of individuals, the book presents a vibrant portrait of a war that ravaged everything, yet could not extinguish the flame of humanity within souls.

يوسف البستاني (1900–1965م) أديب وصحفي لبناني. كتب في الأدب والسياسة. نشر مقالات في الصحافة المشرقية. وكان من المثقفين الناشطين في النهضة.