The Book of War: 25 Centuries of Great War Writing [Paperback]

John Keegan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2000

From Thucydides' classic account of ancient Greek phalanx warfare to a blow-by-blow description of ground--fighting against the Iraqi forces during the Gulf War, The Book of War presents the face of battle over the course of more than 2,000 years. Acclaimed historian John Keegan brings together an amazing array of war writings, largely drawn from the protagonists themselves or firsthand accounts of the battles they describe. Here are Caesar's Commentaires on the Roman Invasion of Britain; Wellington on the Battle of Waterloo; Hemingway after Copretto, Ernie Pyle at Normandy; and James Fenton at the Fall of Saigon. Weaving the various pieces together, with a brilliant introductory essay and substantial headnotes, John Keegan has created a rich tapestry that epitomizes the warrior spirit.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In this eclectic anthology of war writings, military historian John Keegan (author of The Face of Battle and The Second World War) has collected some of the best that has been thought and said about armed conflict over the course of 25 centuries. Keegan is especially interested in how war has evolved over time; his introduction is a brief history of this development, from the heroic age of individual combat to the horrific "total war" of the 20th century. He begins with a pair of 5th-century-B.C. excerpts from Thucydides and concludes with a British soldier's brief description of combat against Iraqi soldiers in the 1991 Gulf War. In between are selections by Julius Caesar, Davy Crockett, Victor Hugo, George Orwell, and many others. If there is a theme to this book, it may be the clash of cultures: what happens when different military traditions collide, such as when the Romans invaded Britain, the Muslim Turks besieged Malta, or General Custer and the 7th Cavalry faced the Sioux in Montana. He understandably gives only cursory attention to several wars--the U.S. Civil War, Korea, and Vietnam--and lingers a bit on his coverage of the First World War (which Keegan views as a key to interpreting the whole 20th century) and the Second World War. The selections themselves are continually exciting, and rarely predictable. There are even a few poems thrown in for good effect. The Book of War may focus on an awful subject ("The history of all forms of warfare is ... essentially inhumane," writes Keegan), but it is also full of awfully good writing. --John J. Miller --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Keegan (the bestselling The First World War) stands out among contemporary writers of military history for the literary sensibility he brings to the subject. In his introduction to this anthology, he writes that he organized his selections around contrasting military traditions: a "Western" way of war based on a code of behavior that includes mercy to the vanquished, and a more tribal approach observing few inhibitions. Thankfully, Keegan's literary sense overrides this artificial framework. He offers nearly 100 vignettes from around the world, selected with an artist's eye and a historian's judgment, that combine to show war's multiple faces. The authors are great captains like Julius Caesar and the Duke of Wellington, as well as front-line warriors such as Gulf War veteran Andy McNabb. Elizabeth Custer has her place, as do Davy Crockett and Rudyard Kipling. Some accounts capture the immediacy of war, like William Laurence's narratives on the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Some voices are matter-of-fact, like George MacDonald Fraser's account of soldiers' stoic mourning of a comrade. Others, like Ernest Hemingway's 1918 letter from the Italian front, are self-consciously literary. Familiar settingsAthe trenches of the Great War; Russia in 1812Acontrast with Jesuit missionary Paul Ragueneau's account of an Iroquois Indian raid in 17th-century Canada. What the selections share is passion. All the men and women in these pages engage their experiences fully. Once again, Keegan has opened a door onto the human condition, showing that we are defined by warAat least in part. Major ad/promo. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (October 31, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140296557
• ISBN-13: 978-0140296556
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Romans to Iraqis, Prose and Verse, It's Right Here!, July 18, 2000

By 

Mark A. Savage - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of War (Hardcover)

I never thought of Julius Caesar as a good writer, or George Orwell as a soldier/fighter. Then I read this book, which at first I was a bit reluctant about. Guilt caused me to read it, but pleasure lead me to finish it, and I'm very glad I did.

The book is a great collection of some of the greatest war writings available, and that's the best way to describe them. Mr. Keegan introduces each "article" with short tellings of the background of each piece. These short intros are worth their weight in gold, as they are clear, honest, and detailed. Small gems for the reader, that's the best way to describe them.

Now, after each of these gems comes a tale, epic, letter, or poem, yes poem! "In Flanders fields the poppies grow.." or how about "Into the valley of death rode the 600..." How refreshing to revisit these childhood memories while exploring such dramatic tales of combat, fear, or war. Truly remarkable. I couldn't put the book down for fear of missing the next literary jewel.

Now let's talk about Victor Hugo (in War?) or George Orwell's terrible wound described by himself. There's also Davy Crockett, and my favorite, the stunning Julius Caesar. When Caesar writes an after-action report, he gets the point across. Also read about the soldier lost in the WWI trenches, the A-bomb aftermath, and Ernie Pyle's report from Normandie. The famous "Thin Red Line" of Balaclava is presented in 1st person reality that is awesome in it's readability.

So in other words, this is a termondous book. Mr. Keegan, you have done us all a great service by 1) your choice of the fine materials you included, and 2) by your excellent preparation of each for the reader. I'm a believer now, and my Keegan section will soon be growing...Thank you.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding collection of short pieces, July 31, 2000

By 

omarbukka (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of War (Hardcover)

Fascinating anthology of war writings. I have read many of Keegan's books (all of them are superb), but this one has a quite different flavor, since Keegan just writes introductory text for the pieces. The excerpts are often quite short, so the book is admirable suited to readers who want to dip in and out for 5 minutes at a time.

The choices are excellent and some of the works are not easily accessible in other forms. I have tried (with no success) to obtain copies of the some of the original books, many of which are out of print. Many of the images are unforgettable.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview of war through history, February 7, 2000

By 

John Ingle - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of War (Hardcover)

This is an excellent synopsis that traces war from the battles of Classical Greece and Rome up through the Persian Gulf War. Keegan has done an excellent job with this anthology of works. He gives a brief background history on the author and time of each particular work then gives the selected work from the original author. He has done an excellent job showing the evolution and adaptation of war and the attrocities that are committed during times of battle. Selected works include those from Thucydides, Xenophon, Julius Caesar, Josephus, Davy Crockett, Victor Hugo, Elizabeth Custer, Hemingway, and many others. This is a very interesting and informative book and will greatly benefit any who are interested in military history, world history, or the regular arm-chair historian.