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Review
For the armchair general beleaguered by military history books, this arrives like blucher's army at Waterloo. Well presented and clear.
Review
For the armchair general beleaguered by military history books, this arrives like blucher's army at Waterloo. Well presented and clear.
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First Sentence
The military history of the ancient world covers a huge span, from the battle of Megiddo (c.1476 BC), the first about which we can write with even a degree of confidence, to the swamping of Roman infantry by mounted warriors at Adrianople in AD 378. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
The military history of the ancient world covers a huge span, from the battle of Megiddo (c.1476 BC), the first about which we can write with even a degree of confidence, to the swamping of Roman infantry by mounted warriors at Adrianople in AD 378. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Richard Holmes has a sure touch as an author of military history and this book sits well with its partner The Oxford Companion to Military History also edited by him.
To some extent the format and content are not new. The decisive battles of history are placed in their military, geographic and chronological context and we are given the latest interpretations of each battle. Excellent recent scholarly books on a number of battles, not least Crecy, Agincourt, The Somme, and Loos have added much to our understanding of these battles and are reflected in the battlefield explanations in this book. There should be few objections to the 300 battles chosen as `decisive'.
Each chapter is introduced with a summary of the military conditions that imposed on the battlefields of the era. The shift in technology and tactics is discussed and placed in the political context that the battles sought to solve.
Richard Holmes suggested that his intention was to produce more than just a dictionary of battles and the book succeeds in that respect due to the personal and incisive comment that we expect from him. It is primarily a reference book and the test of such a book is how often it is used. Within two hours of receiving it I was using it to cross reference, and suspect that will continue to happen. As with all such books a mark of success is the ability to enthuse the reader to seek out more detailed reading and research and in that context the excellent Further Reading list is a well constructed route map.
Previous similar books have concentrated on region (e.g. Chandler on Europe) or timescale (e.g. Calvert/Young 1715-1815 etc) but this book adds to the library by virtue of being inclusive. This book is a good resource and should also be a useful starting point for the general reader seeking a structured advance into military history.
Mike McCarthy
Editor, "The Battle Guide"
Guild of Battlefield Guides.
To some extent the format and content are not new. The decisive battles of history are placed in their military, geographic and chronological context and we are given the latest interpretations of each battle. Excellent recent scholarly books on a number of battles, not least Crecy, Agincourt, The Somme, and Loos have added much to our understanding of these battles and are reflected in the battlefield explanations in this book. There should be few objections to the 300 battles chosen as `decisive'.
Each chapter is introduced with a summary of the military conditions that imposed on the battlefields of the era. The shift in technology and tactics is discussed and placed in the political context that the battles sought to solve.
Richard Holmes suggested that his intention was to produce more than just a dictionary of battles and the book succeeds in that respect due to the personal and incisive comment that we expect from him. It is primarily a reference book and the test of such a book is how often it is used. Within two hours of receiving it I was using it to cross reference, and suspect that will continue to happen. As with all such books a mark of success is the ability to enthuse the reader to seek out more detailed reading and research and in that context the excellent Further Reading list is a well constructed route map.
Previous similar books have concentrated on region (e.g. Chandler on Europe) or timescale (e.g. Calvert/Young 1715-1815 etc) but this book adds to the library by virtue of being inclusive. This book is a good resource and should also be a useful starting point for the general reader seeking a structured advance into military history.
Mike McCarthy
Editor, "The Battle Guide"
Guild of Battlefield Guides.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is really helpful if, like me, you like to go off and visit battlefields. Many books of this type spend too much time trying to be a history book, whilst others try too hard at being tour guides - this book is just honestly a book about critical battles. Its importance, however, is its breadth and the ability to give the reader a feel for what it was like to be on that battlefield during the fighting. An easy, but illuminating read.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A must have for any strategist, tactician or war buff.
13 May 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
When Oxford releases a reference book, you know it will be excellent.
This is no exception. I wish it had come in a bigger grander edition, as this is a worthy edition to any library, or people who enjoy even reading about such things, any battle of any significance mentioned in a book or periodical is bound to be in this authoritative work.
This is no exception. I wish it had come in a bigger grander edition, as this is a worthy edition to any library, or people who enjoy even reading about such things, any battle of any significance mentioned in a book or periodical is bound to be in this authoritative work.
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