Customer Reviews

50 Military Leaders Who Changed the World

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William Weir's book is a very informative and far-reaching book, showcasing the 50 military leaders he believes to be the most influential

the world has ever known.

You may wonder why famous military generals and strategists such as Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Richard the Lionhearted, Scipio Africanus, or the Duke of Wellington are not named in this distinguished list. Weir omits them because, although they were more famous, or talented, his book only focuses on people of impact, and, as he compellingly argues, talent and fame don't automatically translate into influence on a global scale.

He offers a fairly decent look at military conquest and strategy, in this most intriguing book, which makes a great companion to two of his other books, 50 Battles That Changed the World, and 50 Weapons that Changed Warfare.

50 Military Leaders is a treasure trove of info. on little known facts about the military greats and the battles they fought, and will greatly broaden your historical perspective about the fascinating world they helped to shape.

You would expect a survey detailing only 50 military leaders worldwide to selectively include only the best: but William Weir's focus is on those who left the world much changed by their decisions, not those who were the best leaders or strategists, necessarily. That's why 50 Military Leaders Who Changed the World is so important not just for military collections but for high school and college-level students of world history: it details both early and modern military leaders who made a strong impact on human history, from Genghis Khan to Yamamoto Isoroku. Chapters focus on how and why they impacted history so greatly.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch

Good book, a wide timeline range. The book reviews many leaders and their battles/wars but with not much details. Also, although the title reads "50 military leaders who changed the world", it does not verbalize how the world was "changed", just the outcome of their battles. It does not express the impact and how this leader influenced beyond his country. The vocabulary is simple. Entertaining.