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The Face Of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme [Paperback]

John Keegan (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 7 Oct 2004

The Face of Battle is military history from the battlefield: a look at the direct experience of individuals at 'the point of maximum danger'. It examines the physical conditions of fighting, the particular emotions and behaviour generated by battle, as well as the motives that impel soldiers to stand and fight rather than run away.

In his scrupulous reassessment of three battles, John Keegan vividly conveys their reality for the participants, whether facing the arrow cloud of Agincourt, the levelled muskets of Waterloo or the steel rain of the Somme.

(20040305)

Frequently Bought Together

The Face Of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme + A History Of Warfare + The Mask Of Command: A Study of Generalship
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Product details

  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Pimlico; New Ed edition (7 Oct 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1844137481
  • ISBN-13: 978-1844137480
  • Product Dimensions: 13 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 126,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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John Keegan
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Review

The book which changed how military history is written. Keegan set out to discover what it must have been like to be present at Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme - and he succeeded brilliantly (Bernard Cornwell (Chosen As Number One Of His Six Best Books) Daily Express 20050315)

This without any doubt is one of the half-dozen best books on warfare to appear in the English language since the end of the Second World War. (Michael Howard Sunday Times )

In this book, which is so creative, so original, one learns as much about the nature of man as of battle. (J. H. Plumb New York Times Book Review )

Book Description

'The most brilliant evocation of military experience in our time.' C. P. Snow (20040305)
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Inside This Book (Learn More)
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 28 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The definitive work on battle & the human condition. 22 Dec 2004
By "reefslayer"
Format:Paperback
This is a great work. I've always been facinated by the Human elements of war making. What posseses people to endure battle? What were the experiences of the various types of combatants through the ages? This book looks at all of this and much more.
Be warned, this is not light reading and nor shoul it be. Keegan employs complex structure in his language. This adds value for me. I've read this over and over and derived new thoughts each time. If you are interested in military history this is essential.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Engrossing 17 Sep 2007
By Didier TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
What's it like to be in battle? Many of those of us who haven't actually been in battle must have wondered now and then. After all, war and battle seem to be a permanent part of the human condition, and evidence of past battles surround us on all sides.

We may never truly know (except if you're willing to join one, I beg to be excused) but reading this book will bring you as close as possible to understanding what moves men to go out and kill others.

John Keegan tries to shed light on the matter using 3 well-known battles (Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme) and does so in an eminent matter. What he has to says is compelling, convincing, and very readable as are all his books. A great read.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Why do soldiers stay on the battlefield? 4 Sep 1999
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
It has been several years since I read this book, and while the details are fading, the overall impression remains vivid. A theme running through the book is why a soldier would commit the seemingly irrational act of remaining on a battlefield, where a person could get killed. Keegan finds that the reasons have changed through time, and posits that one of the challenges leaders in modern warfare face will be getting their troops to fight rather than hunker down for the duration.

_The Face of Battle_ is, or at least was fairly recently, required reading for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff Course.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars The Face Of Battle
An excellent well researched book which deals mostly with the human experience of war and its totality on those that fought. Read more
Published 21 days ago by Kobiangelus
4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting study
I think all history students should read this book! It is very interesting and engaging, providing detail and information without going too far!
Published 2 months ago by David New
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for any military history fan
The first chapter is a bit heavy going but once the battle analysis begins this book is a fascinating listen. Read more
Published 3 months ago by whiff_of_grape
4.0 out of 5 stars John Keegan
To read and understand this book the reader should have a deep interest in military history. It gives a new perspective to actual events but at times can be quite heavy goiong
Published 4 months ago by Mancolm S
5.0 out of 5 stars Good
There has to be a heading to a review and I thought of many and 'Good' doesn't remotely touch it but it lets me get to these words. Read more
Published 5 months ago by T. J. Jarratt
2.0 out of 5 stars Flawed by awful grammer
Whilst undoubtedly this book has a lot of useful information I found the written style to be awful. The sentences were far too long and convoluted to the point where it was hard... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mr. M. Kostyrka
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book
Brilliantly written and easily readable. Well-informed and thought-provoking. It often states the obvious that many people interested in military history would not even think about... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Exeter
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
This is a fine exposition from a viewpoint I was not familiar with. The fact that the book is a 'classic' is I well known to specialists in the field, which of course, I am not. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2011 by Keith A. Mellard
3.0 out of 5 stars I am a geek .......
Interesting book, but there are descriptions of these battles in other books (the Somme is covered in Keegan's own brilliant book on WW1) and the other stuff that Keegan adds here... Read more
Published on 29 Sep 2010 by M. J. Harris
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic of Military History--or better, A Classic, period
Surely The Face of Battle was meant to be a very specialistic study of military history, dealing with a very specific issue, that is, what is combat seen from those who fight, be... Read more
Published on 17 Nov 2007 by Vittorio Caffè
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