The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme

Book Description

What is it like to be in battle? John Keegan, a senior instructor at Sandhurst, the British Military Academy, speaks for soldiers who were present in the fray.

For examples, Keegan selects Agincourt in 1415, Waterloo in 1815, and the Somme in 1916. What is common about them, what is different? Agincourt was hand-to-hand combat, thrust and cut--a fearful and personal encounter. At Waterloo, 400 years later, the battle was still largely personal. As it swayed back and forth, men on opposite sides came to recognize the same individuals they had fought off in previous charges.

Keegan closes his book with the Somme. For him it stands as the distillation of wars in the industrial age: long-distance killing of faceless men by others who merely activate the instruments of destruction.

Customer Reviews:

Reads like a PhD Thesis.......2007-09-21

I have read many recent historical works of John Keegan including has book on WWI and the Price of Admiralty. I enjoyed them both. So, I was very disappointed when I tried to get into the Face of Battle. The language was so stilted, the use of commas and long run-on sentences going in differnet directions was so painful that I almost stopped reading it. The book has an excellent premise: how to describe three important battles in three very differnt centuries from the perspective of the soldiers actually doing the fighting rather than the 10,000 foot view employed by contemporary military historians who were not participants in the battle. Unfortunately, Keegen spends the first third of the book explaining what a good military historian (like himself) can or should do, focusing on the unique quality of British military historians (they are less biased because the wars were mainly fought on someone else's soil. The book improves as he gets into the battles of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme, but a good editor could have made this a much better read. I realize this book was written in 1978, so perhaps it was, at the time it was written, in line with Keegan's academic proclivities. Not a book I would recommend to anyone other than an academic.

Post Graduate Military History .......2007-05-06

THis work lives up to the highest academic standards that I have come to expect of Keegan.He provides new insights in three epic battles ,He wets your appetite for history ,he makes it real and interesting

A classic.......2006-11-23

Keegan puts you on the scene at Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme. One of the earliest departures from the bird's eye, general's view, The Face of Battle captures the battles from a physical, sensory, even biological perspective. Keegan creates a model for historians to assess the ebb and flux of the battle by providing an almost socratic approach to combat inquiry.

My personal favorite is the narration of Agincourt. In this battle, the author looks at the reality of whether bodies could pile up as high as they are reputed to have done along the line of contact. He examines the effectiveness of arrows and notes that at the range given the primary effect would have been to enrage the adversary's horses and not, as is often thought, to inflict casualties. Especially fascinating was the brutal crush of fellow soldiers pressing the forward ranks into the "funnel" created by the forest, which made anything other than forward movement nearly impossible. Similarly, he captures the mayhem created in the ranks by returning cavalry, after a failed charge. And let us not forget, it isn't very easy to relieve oneself in a full suit of plate, especially with dysentary!

Engrossing.......2006-11-12

A fine worm's eye view of battle. The author has painstakingly recreated what it was like for a soldier on the field of Agincourt, Waterloo and the battle of the Somme. It's a grand tutorial in basic tactics.

Mr. Keegan's Opus.......2006-10-06

This is the first work that I and most others discovered Mr. Keegan's great mind for military history. It is an overview of the evolution of warfare from the middle ages to the present but more than that it seeks to answer the question of what motivates the common soldier to fight instead of following his instinct to run. Mr. Keegan's admiration and adoption of the common soldier's lot is moving and commendable in itself. He brings out the hero in the common man and for that all us common men can thank him.

Maple V Programming Guide (Version A): Release 5

Average customer rating:

The perfect tool for learning maple programming.
An easiest way to master Maple.

Maple V Programming Guide (Version A): Release 5
Keith O. Geddes , K. M. Heal , G. Labaln , S. M. Vorkoetter , John S. Devitt , M. L. Hansen , D. Redfern , and K. M. Rickard
Manufacturer: Springer-Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Programming | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Mathematical & Statistical | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Maple V Mathematics Programming Guide is the fully updated language and programming reference for Maple V Release 5. It presents a detailed description of Maple V Release 5 - the latest release of the powerful, interactive computer algebra system used worldwide as a tool for problem-solving in mathematics, the sciences, engineering, and education. This manual describes the use of both numeric and symbolic expressions, the data types available, and the programming language statements in Maple. It shows how the system can be extended or customized through user defined routines and gives complete descriptions of the system's user interface and 2D and 3D graphics capabilities.

Customer Reviews:

The perfect tool for learning maple programming........2007-05-13

I highly recommend this book for all those students who wishes to learn maple programming. The material is very well presented and organized and it has plenty of examples and exercises.

An easiest way to master Maple........2003-01-29

Maple is a powerful analytical calculation software which is one of the most popular among scientists and engineers. This book explains all important Maple programming techniques in the most lucid, dedactic, and at the same time concise manner with carefully chosen example codes. This book also covers some techniques which readers are assumed to know already and are omitted in other similar Maple texts. This book benefits both beginner and experts of Maple programming. This is the easiest way to master Maple.

Sharpe's Waterloo (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #20)

Average customer rating:

Cornwell's epic Sharpe series culminates with "Waterloo"
Sharpe's Waterloo
Historical Fiction at its Best
A Great Series
Brilliant, creative, a wonderful read

Sharpe's Waterloo (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #20)
Bernard Cornwell
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786110872

Customer Reviews:

Cornwell's epic Sharpe series culminates with "Waterloo".......2007-06-27

Bernard Cornwell's twenty-plus (and growing!) volume Richard Sharpe series has built and built and built to the titanic battle of Waterloo. Sharpe has fought in Flanders, India, Portugal, Spain, and France, and everything in his storied career has led him to this little valley with the odd name. And it led Napoleon and Wellington there, too.

Nobody denies that the world changed in the single day of battle where Wellington narrowly avoided disaster and sent Napoleon down to defeat. Trafalgar and the defeat of the Spanish Armada definitely have their roles in British military history, but it's debatable whether those two battles were more important to the future of Europe than Waterloo. Had Napoleon won, the French juggernaut could have rolled Europe up like a carpet.

But Richard Sharpe and his boon companion, Patrick Harper, have little sense of history. They are pure soldiers, even if Harper has left the army and follows Sharpe to the battlefield only to "watch." Through their eyes, Cornwell paints a magnificent, horrifying you-are-there portrait of the day's carnage, complete with the dizzying stupidity of the Prince of Orange. This peacock nearly cost the British everything by stupidly ordering infantry to form in line rather than square (thereby making them easy pickings for French cavalry) not once, not twice, but three times! For Sharpe and Harper, this is too much, and they take matters into their own hands.

Further complicating matters, Lord John Rossendale has stolen Sharpe's money and taken his wife, Jane. Sharpe does not lament the latter, but he rues the loss of his fortune, and he demands satisfaction. Rossendale, urged on by Jane, plots Sharpe's death on the battlefield, where there is a long tradition of soldiers settling private scores with bullets and bayonets in the back.

"Waterloo" is a bit unusual for Cornwell's books in that the battle is so well-known and so vast. This is not one of those battles where Cornwell has a free canvas to let Sharpe and Harper save the day together. While they surely get a lot to do, there are many other heroes, British and French alike, who get their day in the sun. Sharpe and Harper are by no means quiet, and Sharpe gets his own version of a triumph, but this is a day for real heroes as well.

Cornwell's research is impeccable, as always, and his battlefield prose sings with British pride. This is an excellent book to end the Sharpe series, and one wonders why Cornwell wrote another book after "Waterloo" (Sharpe's Devil). Where is there to go from here?

Sharpe's Waterloo.......2007-04-13

This book is more than just the battle of Waterloo being retold. It is the story of the clash between empires, between cultures and classes and most importantly between men. The battle is fought through the eyes of Sharpe, Cornwell's hero. You can feel the ground vibrate to the charge of cavalry and smell the black powder smoke and the mule like kick of the Baker rifle against your shoulder as you pour through the pages.
This is an outstanding read, a must for those that study military history and love adventure.

Historical Fiction at its Best.......2006-09-26

This is a very compelling 350-page description of a battle. That's pretty hard to pull off, even if you're Bernard Cornwell. Historical accuracy isn't easy to achieve, either--competing versions of events, the squabbling of modern historians, the paucity of evidence on certain events all conspire to make history something that you can't be 100% accurate about. Whatever "accurate" means. But the "inaccuracies" in this novel are no worse than in other works of historical fiction, like Shakespeare's English chronicle histories. I certainly wouldn't argue that Cornwell is a better writer than Shakespeare, but he is far kinder to the Duke of Orange than Shakespeare is to, say, Joan of Arc. I think the combination of realistic detail (the visceral battle scenes) with high romanticism (Sharpe's being single-handedly responsible for all of Napoleon's major defeats on the Peninsula) is nevertheless a very attractive one, the sort of thing that lifts this and the other Sharpe novels out of the "mere fiction" level to the level of at least minor literature. Richard Sharpe is an ingenious literary invention: a fictional device for telling the story of the Duke of Wellington, a man who really did defeat Napoleon that many times.

A Great Series.......2006-08-15

This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.

Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...

And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.

Brilliant, creative, a wonderful read.......2006-08-13

This book was my introduction to Cornwell. Interpersing the details and timeline of the Battle of Waterloo with the hero, Sharpe, makes reading him so enjoyable. The writing is fresh, original, creative, never repetitous. His descriptions of the weather, the landscape, the battlefield are clear, evocative and informative.

A bravo introduction to Richard Sharpe and all the writings of Bernard Cornwell.

One can easily get addicted.

The Waterloo Companion: The Complete Guide to History's Most Famous Land Battle

Average customer rating:

In depth read of the waterloo battle
one of the better books on Waterloo
Review
In a word...WOW!
The companion for the devoted student of Waterloo

The Waterloo Companion: The Complete Guide to History's Most Famous Land Battle
Mark Adkin
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0811718549

Book Description

There have been many books about Waterloo, but never one to rival this in scale or authority. The text, based upon extensive research, describes both the battle and the campaign that preceded it in detail, drawing upon the firsthand accounts of participants on all sides in order to give the reader a vivid feeling for the experiences of those who fought upon this most celebrated of all battlefields. The many full color maps, all specially commissioned for the book, and the numerous diagrams and photographs, the majority in color, as well as sixteen pages of original paintings, make the book a feast for the eyes and a collector's dream.

Customer Reviews:

In depth read of the waterloo battle.......2007-09-11

This is an excellent read, full with illustrations, photo's of the actual battlefield and information in general of napoleonic warfare.

one of the better books on Waterloo.......2007-05-17

This is one of the better books on waterloo. Good graphics and detailed maps. Fair and balanced view.

Review.......2006-07-15

This is a great read - full of very interesting detail. If you aee interested in the Battle this is a great reference book to have.

In a word...WOW!.......2006-05-09

I wish many other authors who understake the task of writing a "companion" book to a specific venture would first take a page from Mark Adkin. He has set about to compile a book FULL of information both relevant to the Battle of Waterloo itself as well as the necessary and informative background on several aspects related to the battle. He does this in a most readable format and writing style as well. I only wish I had purchased this book prior to reading Alessandro Barbero's The Battle: A New History of Waterloo. It would have really helped fill in the voids left by the lack of maps and information in that particular book.

Adkin breaks down the book and deals in detail with The Campaign, Orders of Battle, Command and Control, The Battlefield, The Infantry, The Calvary, The Artillery, Other Arms and Services (such as medical and engineering services), The Highlights and finally Myths and Controversies.

As each section is recorded, Adkin lays out the required information for a full grasp of the subject matter and how it relates to the strategy and tatics of the era as well as the specific battle itself. It is this "background" information that I personally found to be worth every penny of the price of the book. On many areas he delves into the debate of the times as to different views on several tatics (such as whether to slice or thrust with the sabres of the calvary). This is often complimented by actual first hand source material of the day.

The book shines in very unique way as well in that it contains many photographs of the actual physical battlefield onto which troop placement and movements have been superimpossed. This really allows the viewer as clear a picture of the battlefield area as one can possibly hope to get. Add in the many anecdotes for each section of the book and one cannot help but come away with a very clear picture of the battle and also the Napoleonic era itself.

If you are interested in this battle or of the Napoleonic Era itself, then I would say this a "must have" book for your personal library.

The companion for the devoted student of Waterloo.......2006-02-19

"The Waterloo Companion" is rightly subtitled "the complete guide to history's most famous battle." Mark Atkin's superb collection of information is less a battlefield history than a sourcebook about the armies who fought at Waterloo, the battlefield itself, and the many backstories that provide depth and context to an understanding of Waterloo.

"The Waterloo Companion" is richly illustrated with maps, diagrams on the locations of units, charts of military formations, color plates of uniforms, timelines, and annotated photographs of the battlefield showing the locations of units. For readers who have previously had access only to narrative and black and white maps, this book will make clear how the terrain influenced events at Waterloo. Atkin's narrative is spare and to the point, and there is every indication that he has done his research on the battle. Atkin gives credit where rightly due to various units and in the process may clear up a few persistent misunderstandings. Visitors to the battlefield will find in this book explanations of the various monuments. Serious students of the battle may find especially interesting a chapter on the myths and controversies of the battle.

This book is highly recommended to serious students of the Battle of Waterloo as providing a major resource of information necessary for understanding the events of 18 June 1815.

Average customer rating:

With a 19th century nerd as the hero, how can you not love it?
The Human Drama
All's fair in love and "Vanity"
All's "Fair" in love and vanity
Once you get into it you'll enjoy it.

Vanity Fair (Norton Critical Editions)
William Makepeace Thackeray
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Friendship | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0393965953

Book Description

This edition of one of the greatest social satires of the English language reproduces the text of the Oxford Thackeray and includes all of Thackeray's own illustrations.

Download Description

On a broad and colourful canvas, extending from urban and rural England to Waterloo and the continental haunts of exiles, Thackeray gives us one of the greatest social-satirical novels in the language - one of the most entertaining and profound, and, in the person of Becky Sharp, we have one of literature's most resourceful, attractive, and amoral characters. Essentially a commentary on hypocrisy and those ethical principles to which society pays lip-service, Vanity Fair (1847-8) invites us to consider which is to blame: the opportunist or the society that makes opportunism necessary.

Customer Reviews:

With a 19th century nerd as the hero, how can you not love it?.......2007-01-27

It's only now that I notice the subtitle "novel without a hero", and that is what struck me most about this novel- the lack of heroes. Indeed, just about all of the characters are flawed in some way, but I beg to differ that there is no hero. Surely the good and honest Major Dobbin qualifies. He may be gawky and awkward, but that makes him so much more endearing than the stereotypical Prince Charming type, or reformed rascal that we might expect to see in a typical contemporary Victorian novel.

In some ways, Vanity Fair is a typical Victorian novel. There are lots of characters that can be difficult to keep track of, it is kind of soap-opera-ish, and as it covers a long period of time, it is very long, tending to drag in the middle. However, the action really picks up in the last couple hundred pages, so it is well worth it to keep reading.

Another winning quality of Vanity Fair is the narration. It is a hyperbole and parody of the typical Victorian narration. Not only is the narrator an omniscent, third-person who passes judgements, but he is a wisecracking and exaggerated one as well.

I think Thackeray also deserves a lot of credit for not making the story predictable. I honestly didn't know quite how the story would wrap up, and as it neared the end I could tell that it wasn't going the way of a Hollywood movie plot (thankfully!).

When I read the summary of Vanity Fair, I was led to believe that it was all about Becky Sharp and that it was her story alone. Although you could argue in the end, it really is all about Becky and how she manipulates people, the characters of Amelia and Dobbin are too well-developed and interesting to play second fiddle to the scheming Becky.

In summary, Vanity Fair has more depth, wit, and honesty than your typical Victorian novel, so I highly recommend it!

The Human Drama.......2007-01-18

Thackeray's "Vanity Fair" is at once a fascinating glimpse into the aristocratic Europe of the early 1800's while also serving as a masterful critique of the modern human drama. While it takes some time for the story to really pull you in, you can expect a rather enjoyable ride once it does. Thackeray does a good job of developing the characters and their personalities, and you will often find yourself thinking "I know people like this." In short, "Vanity Fair" is a 200-year-old story which, if anything, has only increased in relevance.

All's fair in love and "Vanity".......2005-02-22

Greed, gold-digging and deception sit at the heart of "Vanity Fair." It's no joke that it's subtitled "a novel without a hero" -- William Makepeace Thackeray mercilessly skewered the pretentions and flaws of the upper class all throughout it. The result is a gloriously witty social satire.

It opens with two young women departing from a ladies' academy: dull, sweet Amelia (rich) and fiery sharp-witted Rebecca (poor). Becky Sharp is a relentless social climber, and her first effort to rise "above her station" is by trying to get Amelia's brother to marry her -- an effort thwarted by Amelia's fiancee. So instead she gets married to another family's second son, Rawdon Crawley.

Unfortunately, both young couples quickly get disinherited and George is killed. But Becky is determined to live the good life she has worked and married for -- she obtains jewels and money from admiring gentlemen, disrupting her marriage. But a little thing like a tarnished reputation isn't enough to keep Becky down...

"Vanity Fair" is actually a lot more complex than that, with dozens of little subplots and complicated character relationships. Reading it a few times is necessary to really absorb all of it, since it is not just a look at the two women in the middle of the book, but at the upper (and sometimes lower) social strata of the nineteenth century.

The main flaw of the book is perhaps that it sprawls too much -- there's always a lot of stuff going on, not to mention a huge cast of characters, and Thackeray sometimes drops the ball when it comes to the supporting characters and their little plots. It takes a lot of patience to absorb all of this. However... it's worth it.

Like most nineteenth-century writers, Thackeray had a very dense, formal writing style -- but once you get used to it, his writing becomes insanely funny. Witticisms and quips litter the pages, even if you don't pick them all up at once. At first Thackeray seems incredibly cynical (Becky's little schemes almost always pay off), but taken as a social satire, it's easier to understand why he was so cynical about the society of the time.

Becky Sharp is the quintessential anti-heroine -- she's very greedy and cold, yet she's also so smart and determined that it's hard not to have a grudging liking for her. Certainly life hasn't been fair for her. Next to Becky, a goody-goody character like Amelia is pretty boring, and even the unsubtle George can't measure up to Becky.

To sum up "Vanity Fair": think a period soap opera with a heavy dose of social commentary. In other words, it doesn't get much better than this, Thackeray's masterpiece.

All's "Fair" in love and vanity.......2005-02-06

Once you get into it you'll enjoy it. .......2004-12-24

Vanity Fair is not a book for the casual reader. It will probably always be neglected in schools and will be unread by those without patience. However, if you are willing to devote yourself to reading this long novel, it is well worth it.

The main characters that the story centers around are Becky and Amelia, two girls who are polar opposites, yet their lives intertwine in fascinating ways. In many ways they are caricatures, but the book is long enough to give them complexity and in the end you have two unexpectedly interesting and multifaceted characters. Of course they are not the only characters, there are probably 500 more of various importance. Some readers may have difficulty keeping track of them all, especially when several have the same last name. However, Thackeray manages to keep focus through all the characters and it ends up that there are only about a dozen major characters, all very well developed.

The story itself is concerned mainly with the relationships and wealth of Amelia and Becky, but there are as many subplots as there are characters. Occasionally the story becomes stagnant, but there are enough stories and settings that I never became bored. The influence of the Napoleonic Wars is much stronger in Vanity Fair than in any of Austen's novels, which creates some interesting settings such as the battle of Waterloo, as battle that has a profound influence on the story. There is plenty of humor in the story as well and also Thackeray's famous societal commentary. This makes having notes in the book important, as there are references to events, places, languages, and things that a modern reader would normally not be familiar with.

This is a long book and the beginning isn't much fun to read, but it is interesting and insightful once you get into it. The setting might be over a hundred years ago, but the people in it are not outdated and their motivations and characters will seem familiar to the modern reader. Whether or not someone would like this novel comes down to if one can get past the length, archaic language, obscure references, and number of stories and characters. It certainly took me awhile and I almost stopped reading it, but I came to care for the characters enough that I began enjoying it.

The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo

Average customer rating:

Recalcitrant Indecisiveness
A well written, interesting book with a fresh viewpoint.
The most important and unique work of its genre

The Age of Battles: The Quest for Decisive Warfare from Breitenfeld to Waterloo
Russell F. Weigley
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0253363802

Customer Reviews:

Recalcitrant Indecisiveness.......2005-10-14

This book explores several themes. First, it speaks in generalities to the rise of the Profession of Arms and talks about the development of professional officers. The second major theme is that it dicusses command and control and the execution and management of violence. the thesis is that decision making, technology and professionalism are essential tools that now become part of the overall thought, deliberate strategy planning and development process of the military. Thirdly, it speaks to and explores tactical decisiveness and lastly, it speaks to international law and custom.
All in all this is a great book, but dont expect that the conclusions or answers to these themes will always jump out at you. You will need to read with intention to discern these 4 themes, and some others, and how they may or may not apply to your contemporary comparisons of Modern war, that is from roughly WW II to the Gulf War of 90-91 and Post-Modern War, that is, current warfare post 9-11.
This two hundred year work of analysis ends where it begins. With the analysis of a decisive battle. The last 8 pages sum up a few of the auhtors conclusions; one that comes to mind is the political-military-business training and role that officers must have in order to perform there military roles effectively.
The greatest benefit of this book will be derived when one compares post modern war with the tactical lessons of the battlefield.
The academic debate rages, and will continue to rage over whether or not there is such a thing as the decisive battle. You will need to discern for yourself if the principles of war have changed and if the tactical execution of the battle has a direct correlation to the operational, strategic and or political aspects of war.

ps. read this book slowly and with intention, there is much to absorb here.

Terry Tucker, Prof Military Studies/History
Senior Doctrine Developer SANGMP

A well written, interesting book with a fresh viewpoint........1999-02-02

This is an excellent book providing an interesting alternative viewpoint of historical events that have been reviewed extensively. The author writes with an engaging style which maintains the readers interest throughout the text. The only fault in this excellent book is the number of typographical errors in the text in one case leading to a small factual error. The Dauphine Estates General met at the town of Vizille not Virille as shown in the text.

But still a very enjoyable book!

The most important and unique work of its genre.......1998-10-18

Russell Weigley, long established as the premier American military historian, has written a work that illustrates the necessity for the field commander to pursue complete victory over an adversary. This has long been a dream of military commanders, yet not until Gustavus Adolphus and his attempt to destroy his opponents at Breitenfeld, and his failure to move forward to Vienna, has the proverbial defeat been snatched from the jaws of victory. Weigley analyzes the failures, successes, and overall planning that became an essential part of post medieval warfare. His choice of particular battles and campaigns were carefully chosen to offer the greatest examples of military leaders opting for total, in lieu of negotiated partial victory. It is a necessary book for any student of military or political history, and it offers insights which may be compared to recent conflicts such as the Gulf War.

Average customer rating:

Universal
Great...Great...Great...
Uncanny!
Thackeray gives what he promises...
When Thackeray Writes There Is No Hero, He Means It

Vanity Fair (Penguin Classics)
William Makepeace Thackeray
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Friendship | Women's Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0141439831
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Edited by John Carey.

Customer Reviews:

Universal.......2007-06-15

The book is really good, even though it is really long, it is not boring. So many characters and things going on. And it still surprises me after all those years relationships have still the same tricks. The human physiology never changes.

Great...Great...Great..........2007-04-10

I picked up this book, and groaned at the sight. 700 pages of dense small text?! Numerous minor characters to remember? Arghhh...

But then, when I finally got enough time to read it, it is brilliant. Thackeray is a great social critic-and many of his criticisms of the upper class could be applied to high school and situations today. The novel is an epic, a journey to be sure, and is better than a current day soap opera, as some of the reviewers said. I thought it was more like Jane Austen - romance + criticism + 5 more families + many more minor relationships.

I'm definitely looking forward to rereading this book again (maybe not for a while though-it's a LONG book!) when I'm older

Uncanny!.......2007-03-03

I had this book on my shelf unread for years, thinking it was tedious and boring, but what a revelation when I picked it up after seeing the movie. The note of the other reviewer re C.L.R. James, the left-wing Trinidadian author and historian, was apt, and uncanny, as I found this book could have easily be called "Westmoorings", an area in Trinidad populated by people of the exact mindset (and indeed I have heard many times the very same spoken words as the characters). Indeed, there are many places in the Caribbean, or world, populated by people like this. I see why this book is historically taught in literature in high school in the US but not in the Caribbean.

Thackeray gives what he promises..........2006-08-24

Thackeray says there is no hero in this book, and he means it. This book seems to me like a nineteenth-century version of The Young and the Restless or Days of our Lives...so if that is what you're looking for, you'll thoroughly enjoy this book; however, if you want a real love story, look into Jane Austen, for instance.

I will admit that I saw the Reese Witherspoon movie version of this book before I ever read it...and as usual, was much more impressed with the book, and more surprised than I thought I would be at how much they truly deviated from the novel with that particular movie version.

When Thackeray Writes There Is No Hero, He Means It.......2006-08-23

VANITY FAIR is a sprawling epic novel that tells of the struggle of nearly everyone in it either to gain money or to bemoan the not having of it. This relentless groping toward money is not a trait normally associated with heroism, yet the subtitle suggests Thackeray's connection between the two: A Novel Without a Hero. This does not imply that the novel ambles along interminably with the central figure or figures merely deficient in the manly arts of dash and verve. Rather, for the protagonist to be heroic, such a person must exhibit the willingness to be so. In VANITY FAIR, Thackeray maintains a circumspect distance between character and reader by imposing an obstacle, namely himself, as that obstacle.

Thackeray sets up the reader to view his creations as un-heroic in two ways. First, he paints them as essentially flat. Amelia, in her passive attitude toward life is the polar opposite of Becky Sharp, who is bursting with energy and passion. Together, they alternate respectively from purposeful villainy to willing victim, from street smarts to pathetic naivety, and from patent guile to equally patent guilelessness. As one acts on her respective traits, she rises in the world in a financial sense while as the other acts on her traits, she falls. Later, they alternate roles, and the novel turns into a push-pull context with their changes in position occurring solely as a function of their acting on those impulses. In Amelia's case, these impulses are passive-aggressive. In Becky's, they are purely aggressive. But in neither case, is either heroic.

Thackeray regularly intrudes in the narrative so that he directs the responses and attitudes of the readers. The more he plays the omniscient narrator, the less convincing is the fleshing out of any character. It then becomes quite difficult for the reader to look past the puppeteer's strings to see that character in any terms except the flatness that Thackeray wishes. The best that one can say about Amelia is that she creates dramatic conditions that call for the real dramatic center: Becky Sharp. This is not to say that Becky is the hero in the morally positive sense. But she is the focal point of bursting enthusiasm. As she throws a dictionary out the window in a fit of petulant rage, Becky impacts on the reader in a way that no one else can. Becky spends the rest of the novel throwing metaphorical books out countless windows as she schemes, flirts, and uses men shamelessly, all the while escaping criticism from a morally neutral author. One does not admire Amelia for her passivity nor Becky for her aggressiveness. One tends to ignore the former and notice the latter. Long before the reader comes to the morally ambiguous ending when Thackeray bemoans: "Ah! Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world?" the reader has learned that the totality of VANITY FAIR's strong points--and there are many--do not compensate for the moral vacuum that the author leaves at the center where there ought to be someone or something more interesting

Great Battles in History - The Battle of Waterloo (Great Battles in History)

Average customer rating:

Great Battles in History - The Battle of Waterloo (Great Battles in History)
David Pietrusza
Manufacturer: Lucent Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Europe | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1560064234

Book Description

The Battle of Waterloo was justifiably the most celebrated battle of the nineteenth century and remains one of the most famous and significant battles of all time. It contained the classic elements of bravery, suspense and colossal blunders.

Waterloo: New Perspectives: The Great Battle Reappraised

Average customer rating:

Reappraises All Partcipants
Justly Discredited or mere character assassination?
Justly Discredited or mere character assassination?
New Perspectives Indeed - An Invaluable Account of Waterloo
An Excellent Account

Waterloo: New Perspectives: The Great Battle Reappraised
David Hamilton-Williams
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Belgium | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

The Battle: A New History of Waterloo

ASIN: 0471052256

Book Description

Critical acclaim for Waterloo: New Perspectives The Great Battle Reappraised.

"[T]he most important study of the Waterloo Campaign to have appeared in print for 150 years." —The Napoleonic Society of America.

"A meticulously detailed account of the Battle of Waterloo that sets right some of the errors and omissions of facts committed by earlier contemporary authors —recommended." —Library Journal.

"A superior account of the campaign—free of nationalist bias, thoroughly researched, and clearly written."—Booklist

"A thoughtful and dispassionate examination of the battle that brought Napoleon's power to an end ...a valuable addition to anyone's Napoleonic shelf." —The Washington Times.

Customer Reviews:

Reappraises All Partcipants.......2006-10-10

This book provides an excellent account of the entire Waterloo campaign and not just the Battle of Waterloo itself. The author touches on the injustices created by Siborne's model & account of the battle that badly portrayed the non-British contingents of the Allied army. Unfortunately, Sibornes account became accepted as historical fact.

The book briefly covers the demise of Napoleon in 1814 (and the treachery of key people in this), his return, and the intriguing political manoeurving and squabbling amongst the Allies at the Congress of Vienna. It was perhaps Napoleon's misfortune that the Allied leaders or representatives were gathered in one place to reach agreement on what action to take against him.

The author gives a good account of the initial French thrust into Belgium and the twin battles of Ligny & Quatre Bras. The author shows that Wellington's slow reaction to the invasion could have cost him dearly if troops of the Netherlands did not decide on their own initiative to hold the position at Quatre Bras. Marshal Ney is given more credit than what normally is given to him in that he had very little time to familiarize himself with his forces & disposition, and that his forces were still closing up to be able to launch an early attack on the Quatre Bras cross roads. However, it was probably Napoleon's biggest errors in not totally confiding with his Marshals, ultimately leading to the mishandling of d'Erlon's troops (that could have decisively defeated the Prussians at Ligny) and delaying the decision to pursue the defeated Prussians. The author also emphasizes Napoleon seems handicapped by the lack of presence of his old Chief of Staff.

The Battle of Waterloo itself is well covered off and the author draws on various accounts and references of the battle. The author gives credit where it is due, especially the non-British Allied forces whose actions are well covered and explained and thereby dispelling many myths that have arisen. In fact, all participants in the campaign are given good coverage and evaluation. Overall, the book shows how closely fought the Battle of Waterloo was, and that d'Erlon's main assault almost succeeded in breaking Wellington's line (if it wasn't for the perfect timing of the British cavalry that was Uxbridge's brilliance not Wellington's). There has been much controversy over the use of French cavalry charges, but as the author points out, Napoleon had nothing else but with to maintain pressure on Wellington's line and this had worked previously at Eylau against the Russians.

The books tends to show there are key moments of decision or indecision that may win or lose a battle/campaign. e.g. Rebecque's & Perpocher's decision to hold Quatre Bras, the tussle for the use of d'Erlon's troops at Quatre Bras or Ligny, the Prussian retreat to Wavre rather than along their lines of communication and supply, the delay in the pursuit of the Prussians, the perfect timing of British cavalry, the delay in the use of the Guard, Steinmetz attack at the hinge of Napoleon's army etc. Hamilton-Williams sums up that Napoleon lost the battle but ultimately his downfall was caused by the treachery of Tallyerand and Fouche in Paris and Napoleon's refusal to use force to ensure his power was maintained.

I found this to be an indepth, well researched analysis of the Waterloo campaign and a thoroughly enjoyable one.

Justly Discredited or mere character assassination?.......2004-03-13

I purchased this book precisely because it is one one of the few volumes still in print with anything close to full coverage of the Waterloo campaign, and with more or less the least amount of identity politics. Despite all the author's plugging of his own books-to-come and his claims, which are a good deal too much for the dust jacket and all, the book collapses on simply being a reasonably accurate accurate account of (mostly) the battles of Quatre-Bras and Waterloo (among the French, British, and Dutch/German/Belgian allies). There simply isn't anything terribly new or controversial in his book and I disagree with Peter Hofschroer's remark about its content being thrown in doubt, all other issues with him notwithstanding. The content is still too derivative, too close to previous works and experience (the Siborne, for example) for that to be the case.

The interested reader is challenged to find another volume with the same amount of coverage of the Battle of Quatre-Bras, for example. The author, it appears in parts of the book, does not attempt as much coverage of those areas with which were not evidently well researched (The Prussian contibution, perhaps thus some of Mr Hofschroer's vitriolics). The author does indeed venture to make make his opinions and interpretations, some of which the reader has to take with a grain of salt, but that is his authorial prerogative. We see that Mr Hofschroer clearly enjoys his privilege as well. The author's account is, overall and despite the criticism, surprisingly balanced. The writing is usually good and entertaining. Hamilton-Williams account is by no means a "fiction." I still find his attempts a good deal more useful in guiding me a little closer to the truth than the massive omissions so common in other volumes still in print which purport to cover the Waterloo campaign.

Personally I am tired of hearing all the petty squabbling among historians, amateur and some (huh-hum) professional, over who really won Waterloo, and worse yet the endless bickering among pedantic source hunters. When the reader who has access to enough of the excellent volumes and materials on the subject becomes fairly expert enough, he or she can cross check the common stories, narratives, or sources of quotes, most often without having to be a source hunter. There is criticism, even polemics, and then there is character assassination. I have yet to find a reasonable published account which proves D. H-W deliberately falsified his written account anywhere of the Waterloo campaign. I will wait to hear the author defend himself first before I pass judgement.

Moreover, take with more than just a grain of salt the many unprofessional reviews made by one "Michael La Vean" on this and David Hamilton-Williams other page. They smack of cheap personal vendetta and not anything resembling reasonable criticism. One wonders if they were to research Mr La Vean's own claims (if that is his real name) as to his identity and credentials what would turn up, if anything. I do not believe that a fellow of the International Napoleonic society would engage in ceaseless juvenile ranting as he has done on this site, making such serious and unsupported claims of his own. Furthermore, his methods are of such a common variety internet persona that he almost seems as if to materialize again and again in the guise of a reader from West Point, or from Moscow, London, Brussels, or who knows what other place names with any relevence to matters of Napoleonic military history.

Justly Discredited or mere character assassination?.......2004-03-13

I purchased this book precisely because it is one one of the few volumes still in print with anything close to full coverage of the Waterloo campaign, and with more or less the least amount of identity politics. Despite all the author's plugging of his own books-to-come and his claims, which are a good deal too much for the dust jacket and all, the book collapses on simply being a reasonably accurate accurate account of (mostly) the battles of Quatre-Bras and Waterloo (among the French, British, and Dutch/German/Belgian allies). There simply isn't anything terribly new or controversial in his book and I disagree with Peter Hofschroer's remark about its content being thrown in doubt, all other issues with him notwithstanding. The content is too derivative, too close to common knowledge for that to be the case.

There is criticism, even polemics, and then there is character
assassination. I have yet to find a reasonable published account
which proves D. H-W deliberately falsified his account anywhere of the Waterloo campaign, or deliberately falsified his sources. I will wait to hear the author defend himself first before I pass judgement.

Moreover, take with more than just a grain of salt the many
unprofessional reviews made by one "Michael La Vean" on this and
David Hamilton-Williams other page. They smack of cheap personal
vendetta and not anything resembling reasonable criticism. One
wonders if they were to research Mr La Vean's own claims (if that is his real name) as to his identity and credentials what would turn up, if anything. I do not believe that a fellow of the International Napoleonic society would engage in such juvenile ranting as he has done on this site, making such serious and unsupported claims of his own. Furthermore, his methods are of such a common variety internet persona that he almost seems as if to materialize again and again in the guise of a reader from West Point, or from Moscow, London, Brussels, or who knows what other place names with any relevence to
matters of Napoleonic military history.

New Perspectives Indeed - An Invaluable Account of Waterloo.......2003-12-26

Having read everything I can on the Waterloo battle I still find this book to be absolutely essential. I've read the critics who fault the author on many levels but I must say that he answers several questions that literally no other author has thus far addressed.
1) Why did Picton die crying, "Rally the Highlanders?" Were not the British lines indestructable?
2) How did a few companies of British Guards hold Hougamont against most of a French corps? After all, didn't the German and Nassau troops flee in terror? (see Jac Weller et al)
3) Why did the French Army fall apart and flee for their lives when the Middle Guard was repulsed, yet most could not see farther than twenty feet on the smoke filled battle field? Could it have had something to do with Ziethen's advance, ignored even in the otherwise excellent 'Waterloo Companion'?
4) Did Napoleon really lie about Grouchy's arrival - or did the attack by the Prussians on the Nassau forces on Wellington's left make him think Grouchy truly had arrived?
Until at least one other author addresses these questions I submit that Hamilton Williams is the man to read. Not to mention the fact that his commentary reads like an adventure story and his account of the battle is quite simply the best so far written by anyone.
The attacks on H-W by Peter Hofshroyer should also be taken with a large grain of salt. I was shocked by that until I realized htat H-W stole a march on him by getting to print first with what was certainly the first English language account of the battle to give proper credit to the Dutch Belgians, Prussians and various Germans.
This book belongs in any serious military history collection and truly does offer a "new perspective".

An Excellent Account.......2003-11-25

Even though the author's credibility is being questioned, his account of the battle should not be as easily ignored. One should always remember that historical "facts" are always tainted by those who write them. After all, it is usually the victor who writes of the battles and campaigns, and there always seems to be a political motivation in "sprucing" up of the truth.

I would suggest to anybody wishing to purchase the book to use one's best judgement. To truly be able to judge an author's work, one must remain open to all possible ideas and points of view. In the case of this book I would take it for what it is, and then proceed to further study the conflict, and then draw a conclusion.

I would not recommend a complete dismissal of this title. I just strongly suggest that the reader remember that to all points there is a counter, and not everybody will share the same opinion on any topic. The book is worth reading, because it causes people to think, and opens discussion about an issue that may never be resolved to anybody's satisfaction.

Average customer rating:
A military history of the western world: Vol. II:from the defeat of the Spanish Armada to the Battle of Waterloo
J. F. C Fuller
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007JTTCY

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books