Mr Crucial posted:

Dreadnought by Robert K. Massie is another very good book along similar lines. Despite the title it doesn't concentrate too much on the naval armaments race, there's a lot in there about the relationships of the monarchies of Europe (e.g. the Kaiser being grandson of Queen Victoria and a cousin of Nicholas II and George V) as well as the political events. It ends at midnight on August 4th 1914...

...where Castles of Steel immediately takes up the story, focusing exclusively on the naval aspects of WW1. I prefer Castles of Steel because it seems to be slightly better written, or maybe it's just the excitement of naval combat that makes it an easier read. von Spee's voyage across the Pacific and the subsequent battles of Coronel and the Falkland Islands are particularly good.