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Post by timurilank on Sept 11, 2020 12:38:16 GMT
Finally completed High Kennedy’s ‘Muslim Spain & Portugal’, having received it as a birthday present at the end of June. Fairly tough going, written as it is for an academic audience, but I took some interesting facts from it. Now moving onto two Max Adams’ books ‘The King in the North’ and ‘Alfred’s Britain’. Not read any of his stuff, but his style looks similar to Dan Jones and Tom Holland, both of whom I’ve enjoyed hugely over the past couple of years. P Kennedy’s book is heavy reading but worth the effort. And his sources are particularly interesting from a gamer’s perspective. One example: Ambrosio Huici Miranda; Las grandes batallas de la Reconquista durante las invasions africanas (almoravides, almohades y benimerines)
describes the campaigns and battles in detail, but is possibly not yet translated to English.
However, much of his work can be found here: es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor%C3%ADa:Batallas_de_la_Reconquista
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Post by timurilank on Sept 11, 2020 19:22:53 GMT
I received today ‘The Art of War in Italy 1494 – 1529' by Frederick Lewis Taylor, Cambridge Library Collection a reprint of the 1920 edition. The chapter about Cavalry is amply detailed comparing heavy and light types of the major powers in the Italian Wars.
Many of the smaller actions mentioned are definitely campaign material.
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Post by lkmjbc on Sept 12, 2020 0:52:35 GMT
I received today ‘The Art of War in Italy 1494 – 1529' by Frederick Lewis Taylor, Cambridge Library Collection a reprint of the 1920 edition. The chapter about Cavalry is amply detailed comparing heavy and light types of the major powers in the Italian Wars.
Many of the smaller actions mentioned are definitely campaign material.
Taylor's book is great, though his analysis of Ravenna is flawed. Still, this is a must have because of his writing style...readable...and the subject matter...scant for this period in English. Another work to purchase...Bert Hall's Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe: Gunpowder, Technology, and Tactics (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology... Joe Collins
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Post by timurilank on Sept 12, 2020 6:49:23 GMT
I received today ‘The Art of War in Italy 1494 – 1529' by Frederick Lewis Taylor, Cambridge Library Collection a reprint of the 1920 edition. The chapter about Cavalry is amply detailed comparing heavy and light types of the major powers in the Italian Wars.
Many of the smaller actions mentioned are definitely campaign material.
Taylor's book is great, though his analysis of Ravenna is flawed. Still, this is a must have because of his writing style...readable...and the subject matter...scant for this period in English. Another work to purchase...Bert Hall's Weapons and Warfare in Renaissance Europe: Gunpowder, Technology, and Tactics (Johns Hopkins Studies in the History of Technology... Joe Collins Joe, I have not reached that part of the book yet, but I am impressed at the amount of primary sources (diaries/journals) used; curious if any are uploaded to the Gutenberg Collection. The other title looks interesting, thanks.
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Post by Cromwell on Sept 12, 2020 7:52:41 GMT
Just started "Conquistadors" by Michael Wood. Not an era I have much knowledge of.
Decided to read it as I really enjoyed both the TV series and the book by Michael Wood "In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great"
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Post by macbeth on Sept 13, 2020 23:28:45 GMT
On Friday I finished 'The Bear King' and thoroughly enjoyed it - an interesting reinterpretation of the Arthur Legend - setting it slightly earlier than is usual.
I then picked up Robert Low's "A Dish of Spurs" - a story set in the Tudor era Scots Border. I powered through it, and was done by early Late Saturday. The story was brutal, gritty but Low is, as always, an engaging storyteller. There was a trace of 'True Grit' and 'John Wick' in the story. He made several mentions of the propensity to Left Handedness of the Kerrs (where the Scots portion of my ancestry sits) but otherwise left my relatives out of the story. He has released a second novel (Burning the Water) which is interesting given that this story comes to a conclusion and has an epilogue set at the death of Elizabeth and the end of the era with the union of England and Scotland.
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Sept 15, 2020 23:00:11 GMT
I am currently reading "The Elite" by Ranulph Fiennes - a series of short essays on various elite units through the ages.
It is an interesting read but seems to be a re-telling of the more legendary exploits so far, and all up I have learnt nothing new about the subjects I am already well versed in and little about the ones I am less informed about.
Cheers
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Post by Berthier on Sept 16, 2020 17:43:44 GMT
Currently reading Brutus: Caesar's Assassin by Kristy Corrigan as I work on my Alternative Roman Civil War campaign. Can be a bit tedious reading at times but there is some good nuggets of information in there. Have a biography of Pompey the Great sitting in the wings waiting for its chance.
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Post by macbeth on Sept 18, 2020 3:31:45 GMT
Today I finished "The Elite" by Ranulph Fiennes - it was a reasonable story, not so much a history of each of the units he featured as a re-telling of one of their most important exploits with some tangential narrative about his own military service or various polar expeditions which he tried to link in some way to his main narrative.
All up though I did not learn anything new from the book, which was sad.
Cheers
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Post by goragrad on Sept 19, 2020 0:00:50 GMT
Joe, I have not reached that part of the book yet, but I am impressed at the amount of primary sources (diaries/journals) used; curious if any are uploaded to the Gutenberg Collection. The other title looks interesting, thanks. timurilank - Taylor is available on Gutenberg. Downloaded it after your origianl post. As to references, I just did a quick websearch on the Rustow - geshicte der infanterie and it was available on ebay and at The Internet Archive - archive.org/details/geschichtederin00rsgoogHaven't tried any others (have a survey I should be working on...), but seems to offer hope fopr others. Original German edition - not sure my couple of semesters will get me through it...
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Post by wingman on Sept 19, 2020 14:37:37 GMT
Just finished "Killing Crazy Horse" and it was a ripping good read.
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Post by timurilank on Sept 19, 2020 20:59:50 GMT
Joe, I have not reached that part of the book yet, but I am impressed at the amount of primary sources (diaries/journals) used; curious if any are uploaded to the Gutenberg Collection. The other title looks interesting, thanks. timurilank - Taylor is available on Gutenberg. Downloaded it after your origianl post. As to references, I just did a quick websearch on the Rustow - geshicte der infanterie and it was available on ebay and at The Internet Archive - archive.org/details/geschichtederin00rsgoogHaven't tried any others (have a survey I should be working on...), but seems to offer hope fopr others. Original German edition - not sure my couple of semesters will get me through it... Thank you for the link.
I found these two online from Taylor’s list of books consulted, section VII (Art of War). Francesco di Giorgio Martini, Trattato di architettura civile e militare Philippe duc de Cleaves, Instruction de toutes les manieres de guerroyer
The first describes a number of Italian cities detailing the state of their fortifications and the second is written by one who served as commander in the army of Maximilian and later with Louis XII in Italy.
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Post by macbeth on Sept 21, 2020 0:09:42 GMT
On the weekend I started reading "Sir Nigel" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
It is quite engaging a read.
Cheers
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Post by larryr on Sept 25, 2020 19:12:33 GMT
Anyone read the any of the series on Late Rome by Ilkka Syvanne?
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Post by macbeth on Sept 28, 2020 1:59:03 GMT
Early Saturday Morning I finished "Sir Nigel" and then for a change of pace started "Warfare In Independent Africa" by William Reno - part of the "New Approaches to African History" series.
This is proving to be an excellent read.
Cheers
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