A History Of Warfare
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Review
'John Keegan is at once the most readable and the most original of living military historians...His book is a work of massive sweep...the most remarkable study of warfare that has yet been written.' Michael Howard, New York Times Review of Books. 'He examines every branch of warfare in its history, psychology, metallurgy, genetics, logistics, archaeology, tactics and strategy...He is as much at home in the Empire of Babylon as he is on the Somme...On every subject he has something fresh to say. His learning is staggering and his gift for exposition unequalled.' Nigel Nicolson, Weekend Telegraph 'Keegan's power as a writer derives from the fact that he does not see himself merely as a chronicler of battles, but as a student of the human condition. It is the breadth of his grasp of civilisation, as well as of the soldier's art, that makes this book so formidable.' Max Hastings, Evening Standard 'A masterpiece...one of those rare books which could still be required reading in its field a hundred years from now.' New Yorker 'Our finest military historian has produced a book of breathtaking scope...A tour de force.' Niall Ferguson, Daily Mail 'The best book I read in 1993 was A History of Warfare...a dazzling display of historical pyrotechnics.' Paul Johnson, Books of the Year, Sunday Times 'Magnificent' Sunday Telegraph
Book Description
'John Keegan is at once the most readable and the most original of living military historians-His book is a work of massive sweep-the most remarkable study of warfare that has yet been written.' Michael Howard, New York Times Review of Books
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The book is structured around an examination of the Clausewitzian definition of war. Keegan compares forms of warfare from other cultures and across history in order to test the definition's validity.
We are treated to a wide-ranging and intelligent discussion of various forms of warfare written in an engaging and accessibl;e academic style (so no... it's not populist). I cannot recommend this book highly enough, it's a must for most students of warfare.
HOWEVER, Keegan, by trying to be accesible relies enormously on secondary texts which are often swiftly dealt with in passing. For serious academics this might be dissapointing but I am sure that the comments he makes on secondary sources are valid and insightful.
So it's a superb book but experts might find it a little light.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Few books in the market provide a better general overview of the history of warfare since the dawn of war-making. In this ambitious piece of work, Keegan ranges effortlessly across epochs and continents to tell the story of more than four millennia of world history. If all this sounds a little daunting, the book is written in an accessible style that constantly engages the reader and ensures that you'd probably not need to go over a paragraph twice.
One of the great strengths of the book is its thematic layout. What might have been a long and humdrum narrative is enlivened by intelligent chapter divisions that deal with the different `ages' in warfare according to specific themes. This breaks the account into more manageable portions. The overall structure and coherence of the narrative is always preserved.
Keegan offers something more for the informed reader through the inroads he makes into military philosophy. Notably, he highlights the limitations of Clausewitz's `war is merely a continuation of politics' by demonstrating the intimate connections between war-making and culture.
This book is a must-read for any military history enthusiast, or anyone else interested in a first taste of this genre.
One of the great strengths of the book is its thematic layout. What might have been a long and humdrum narrative is enlivened by intelligent chapter divisions that deal with the different `ages' in warfare according to specific themes. This breaks the account into more manageable portions. The overall structure and coherence of the narrative is always preserved.
Keegan offers something more for the informed reader through the inroads he makes into military philosophy. Notably, he highlights the limitations of Clausewitz's `war is merely a continuation of politics' by demonstrating the intimate connections between war-making and culture.
This book is a must-read for any military history enthusiast, or anyone else interested in a first taste of this genre.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As the title suggests this is a hugely ambitious work. Strangely, it begins with Clausewitz and devotes the best part of the first chapter to the life and times of this admittedly highly influential writer and theorist. It then goes back to the beginning, to an account of warfare from the earliest `primitive' warfare of inter-tribal conflict (so far as it is known) and continues through to the atomic age. In the process, it describes the effects of socio-political and technical developments on the practices and consequences of war, and includes some graphic and gruesome examples of man's inhumanity to man. The book is primarily concerned with land warfare but also covers war at sea and, latterly, in the air. The logistics of warfare and the limitations they impose, are also covered; constraints such as - how far a man can march in day, how far he can march before he must be resupplied, the socio-economic impact of attempting to raise and then maintain a large citizen army, and, not least, the constraints that terrain, climate and regional resources impose on military ambition. A not insignificant portion of the book is devoted to a consideration of the causes of war, to its psychological and sociological underpinnings, to the motivations of those facing death on the battlefield, and to the psychology of face-to-face combat.
In areas of the topic where I have some knowledge, I spotted a few, albeit relatively minor, errors of fact. Assuming that the rest of the book contains no greater errors, the ambitious nature of the title would seem to have been broadly achieved.
In areas of the topic where I have some knowledge, I spotted a few, albeit relatively minor, errors of fact. Assuming that the rest of the book contains no greater errors, the ambitious nature of the title would seem to have been broadly achieved.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
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This book is so detailed, that unless you're completely clued up on what he's talking about, it's extremely confusing - well, I found it to be anyway. Read more
Published 13 months ago by geeee,
Did not recieve product!
Just like to say that I was purchasing the book for a vital piece of coursework for university assignments but it never arrived and I was still charged! Read more
Published 16 months ago by John Flynn
Sustained brilliance
Even though I didn't always agree with him I found this book to be fascinating.
It give a great rundown of warfare through history and he also studies how it stands alone as... Read more
It give a great rundown of warfare through history and he also studies how it stands alone as... Read more
Published 18 months ago by The Emperor
Weak on Mesopotamia
He's very good on the technical side. I'm grateful to learn so much about fortifications, horses, chariots, armor and the like. Read more
Published on 12 Jan 2010 by Ian Elliott
Interesting, but fundamentally flawed.
This book is not a history of warfare at all, but a political-military treatise, heavily biased to a single point of view. Read more
Published on 7 Aug 2008 by Ron Labbatt
Gross misinterpretation of Clausewitz
Keegan sets out on a bold crusade to discredit Carl von Clausewitz and fails - miserably. Two major problems:
1) Keegan is oblivious of the fact that Clausewitz's phrase... Read more
1) Keegan is oblivious of the fact that Clausewitz's phrase... Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2008 by Bjorn Hansson
Gross misinterpretation of Clausewitz
Keegan sets out on a bold crusade to discredit Carl von Clausewitz and fails - miserably. Two major problems:
1) Keegan is oblivious of the fact that Clausewitz's phrase... Read more
1) Keegan is oblivious of the fact that Clausewitz's phrase... Read more
Published on 5 Feb 2008 by Bjorn Hansson
A History of Warfare
This is an interesting look at warfare throughout human history. It looks at the various developments from primitive ritualised warfare, the use of horses and chariots, the growth... Read more
Published on 15 Dec 2007 by Spider Monkey
A readable history of warfare!
This is simply excellent. The narrative is well-written, never stuffy and pitched for a level above beginner. Read more
Published on 1 Sep 2006 by Bugs
Not one of Keegans best works
Although i enjoyed reading 'A History of Warfare' i was somewhat dissapointed with certain aspects of his book. Read more
Published on 30 April 2002
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