What are the Forum members reading (8 Viewers)
- Thread starter Deitz
- Start date
Spitfrnd
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
- Messages
- 6,923
Re: With Musket, Cannon and Sword
I have been reading With Musket, Cannon And Sword: Battle Tactics Of Napoleon And His Enemies by Brent Nosworthy. I have skimmed this book before but I started again recently to read it in detail and found it an excellent source for information on how and why Napoleonic battles were fought. In fact, I don't think you can find a better analysis of the tactics and practices of fighting in the Napoleonic period. Nosworthy tacticals and dispells much conventional wisdom about the nature of combat by each major belligerent, including when and why various French formations were used, how accurate was musket fire and why, why the British fire was so much more effective than the French, when the close order of formations dissolved, what cavalry tactics did work against the square, how cavalry fought cavalry and which tactics were effective and which were not, why Napoleon's genius worked so well when it did and why the British did so concistently well against the French; not to mention many, many more. Nosworthy's conclusions are very well explained and documented with factual evidence and contempary observations. I would highly recommend this volume to any Napoleonic collector who would like to better understand the combat of the period and have a better insight into how to layout the various phases of a given battle.
I have been reading With Musket, Cannon And Sword: Battle Tactics Of Napoleon And His Enemies by Brent Nosworthy. I have skimmed this book before but I started again recently to read it in detail and found it an excellent source for information on how and why Napoleonic battles were fought. In fact, I don't think you can find a better analysis of the tactics and practices of fighting in the Napoleonic period. Nosworthy tacticals and dispells much conventional wisdom about the nature of combat by each major belligerent, including when and why various French formations were used, how accurate was musket fire and why, why the British fire was so much more effective than the French, when the close order of formations dissolved, what cavalry tactics did work against the square, how cavalry fought cavalry and which tactics were effective and which were not, why Napoleon's genius worked so well when it did and why the British did so concistently well against the French; not to mention many, many more. Nosworthy's conclusions are very well explained and documented with factual evidence and contempary observations. I would highly recommend this volume to any Napoleonic collector who would like to better understand the combat of the period and have a better insight into how to layout the various phases of a given battle.
jac28
Sergeant
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2007
- Messages
- 616
I'm currently reading "Lafayette" by Harlow Giles Unger.. Fascinating man - excellent read.
I recently finished "The Guns of Independence" by Jerome A. Greene... about the Siege of Yorktown.. this is what got me interested in learning more about the Marquis De Lafayette.
Jim
I recently finished "The Guns of Independence" by Jerome A. Greene... about the Siege of Yorktown.. this is what got me interested in learning more about the Marquis De Lafayette.
Jim
Spitfrnd
Banned
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
- Messages
- 6,923
Well it certainly was not by modern standards but it had its logic for the time. Essentially the true potential of small arms fire was yet to be realized and it did feature the use of men as expendible, although the British need to conserve their relatively smaller army encouraged their development of more protective tactics, as evidenced by their frequent deployment on the backside of ridges. Of course, the meat grinder approach to warfare did not end in this period and was perpetuated by Grant and the Great Powers in WWI. In fact, one could say the Great War tactics made the fighting in the Napoleonic period appear exceedingly rational.
Rob
Four Star General
- Joined
- May 18, 2005
- Messages
- 26,622
Osprey books are now down to 40% so I grabbed a few I was after , probably go down by more but the shelves looked like they were starting to thin out
Thanks for the tip mate,today my wife got me 'Mustang v FW190' ' Pz MkIII v Grant' and 'Tobruk' from the campaign series,all at 40% off!
Rob
FirstLegion
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2007
- Messages
- 1,901
I'm nearly through this one as well. Great read as are all the Beevor books....certainly provides much inspiration!
HistoryfortheAges
Staff Sergeant
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2007
- Messages
- 987
I just bought "The Trafalgar Companion" by Mark Adkin. Got it through Amazon which is offering a substantial discount to the retail price of $75. It's a huge hardcover book and very detailed about Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. It will take me some time to get through this one.
Gentle Friends,
I just finished reading Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India by Lawrence James (ISBN-10: 0-316-26382-1; ISBN- 13: 978-0-312-26382-9). The book is an excellent history of the Raj and I recommend it for anyone interested in the history of India. However, you should be warned that this book is written in a scholarly manner and does not read like an exciting novel. It is also helpful to have some basic knowledge of the Princely States and it is useful to have a dictionary on hand to determine the exact definition of words that are used in the narrative. In short, it is not a quick read. Nevertheless, there is much insightful information to be gleaned from the contents of this book.
Warmest personal regards,
Pat
I just finished reading Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India by Lawrence James (ISBN-10: 0-316-26382-1; ISBN- 13: 978-0-312-26382-9). The book is an excellent history of the Raj and I recommend it for anyone interested in the history of India. However, you should be warned that this book is written in a scholarly manner and does not read like an exciting novel. It is also helpful to have some basic knowledge of the Princely States and it is useful to have a dictionary on hand to determine the exact definition of words that are used in the narrative. In short, it is not a quick read. Nevertheless, there is much insightful information to be gleaned from the contents of this book.
Warmest personal regards,
Pat
The book seems above my reading level Pat.
Hi John,
Ha!
I have no doubt you could handle this book, John. Your reading level is fine. However, I doubt many people could read it very quickly. Perhaps I should more appropriately say I found I could not read the book very quickly. It is full of great information, but it is not presented in the most exciting style. Let me just say that after finishing the Raj, you appreciate a good novel all the more! Warmest personal regards,
Pat
The Military Workshop
1st Lieutenant
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2005
- Messages
- 4,778
I picked up a few books with my Christmas gift vouchers and have just started Beevor's Stalingrad. Thought I better start in sequence before going on to Normandy so you guys better not ruin the ending for me .
Also got D Day by Stephen Ambrose for about US$6.
.Also got D Day by Stephen Ambrose for about US$6.
One of my favorite writers is Bernard Cornwell of Sharpes fame, I have just finished the King Authur Trilogy, The Winter King, Enemy of God and Excaliber.
Imho these are Cornwells finest books to date that I have read, so well written and totally engrossing. Really puts the Legend of Authur in a different light and makes you think of the times differently.
I'd highly recommend them for someone looking for a novel
Thats a little different from the standard storyline.
Imho these are Cornwells finest books to date that I have read, so well written and totally engrossing. Really puts the Legend of Authur in a different light and makes you think of the times differently.
I'd highly recommend them for someone looking for a novel
Thats a little different from the standard storyline.
gk5717
2nd Lieutenant
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2005
- Messages
- 3,188
Great Book on Marines & Korean War
Just got done reading "The Last Stand of Fox Company". It is about a Marine Company defending a hill during the winter of 1950 in Korea.
Have to say this book rates right up there with "We Were Soldiers" and "With the Old Breed", the last two are my all time favorite books.
Gary
Just got done reading "The Last Stand of Fox Company". It is about a Marine Company defending a hill during the winter of 1950 in Korea.
Have to say this book rates right up there with "We Were Soldiers" and "With the Old Breed", the last two are my all time favorite books.
Gary