Difference between revisions of "Top Ten Books from the Oxford Battle Series"
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Oxford University Press has a series that covers classic battles from Ancient Greece to World War II. Each of these books discusses not only the battles themselves but how they were commemorated and their long term impact on history. The books try to understand not just how the battle took place, but why they became so important. | Oxford University Press has a series that covers classic battles from Ancient Greece to World War II. Each of these books discusses not only the battles themselves but how they were commemorated and their long term impact on history. The books try to understand not just how the battle took place, but why they became so important. | ||
| − | '''Anne Curry'''. ''Agincourt'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Anne Curry'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199681015/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199681015&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1318804a63681905f24f41be569e5017 Agincourt]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
Why is Agincourt one the best known and celebrated battles in history? What made it remarkable? Like many of the battles in the series, the legend of Agincourt has overshadowed the battle itself. One of the most famous speeches in Shakespeare's plays ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM Saint Crispin's Day Speech]) is Henry V's speech inspiring his soldiers before Agincourt. | Why is Agincourt one the best known and celebrated battles in history? What made it remarkable? Like many of the battles in the series, the legend of Agincourt has overshadowed the battle itself. One of the most famous speeches in Shakespeare's plays ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-yZNMWFqvM Saint Crispin's Day Speech]) is Henry V's speech inspiring his soldiers before Agincourt. | ||
Anne Curry first sets the scene, illuminating how and why the battle was fought, as well as its significance in the wider history of the Hundred Years War. She then takes the Agincourt story through the centuries from 1415 to 2015, from the immediate, and sometimes surprising, responses to it on both sides of the Channel, through its reinvention by Shakespeare in King Henry V (1599), and the enduring influence of both the play and the film versions of it, especially the patriotic Laurence Olivier version of 1944, at the time of the D-Day landings in Normandy. | Anne Curry first sets the scene, illuminating how and why the battle was fought, as well as its significance in the wider history of the Hundred Years War. She then takes the Agincourt story through the centuries from 1415 to 2015, from the immediate, and sometimes surprising, responses to it on both sides of the Channel, through its reinvention by Shakespeare in King Henry V (1599), and the enduring influence of both the play and the film versions of it, especially the patriotic Laurence Olivier version of 1944, at the time of the D-Day landings in Normandy. | ||
| − | '''Simon Ball'''. ''Alamein'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Simon Ball'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199682038/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199682038&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=0e6d329a23d95f71a28ef1d6c7849355 Alamein]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
The Battle of El Alamein was the most important battle of the North African conflict between German and Italy and the British Empire. The battle, which was in reality, a series of battles, has entered military legend and it is one of the best-known battles of WWII. The battle was involved some of the most famous generals of the war, including Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel. Significantly, the battle was a turning point in the European theater. | The Battle of El Alamein was the most important battle of the North African conflict between German and Italy and the British Empire. The battle, which was in reality, a series of battles, has entered military legend and it is one of the best-known battles of WWII. The battle was involved some of the most famous generals of the war, including Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel. Significantly, the battle was a turning point in the European theater. | ||
Simon Ball's book turns the interpretation of the battle on its head. Based on the intensive reading of the contemporary sources, in particular, the extensive and recently declassified British bugging of Axis prisoners of war, military historian Simon Ball turns Alamein on its head, explaining it as a cultural defeat for Britain. Ball's book is well worth a look. | Simon Ball's book turns the interpretation of the battle on its head. Based on the intensive reading of the contemporary sources, in particular, the extensive and recently declassified British bugging of Axis prisoners of war, military historian Simon Ball turns Alamein on its head, explaining it as a cultural defeat for Britain. Ball's book is well worth a look. | ||
| − | '''Murray Pittock'''. ''Culloden'' (Oxford Univesity Press, | + | '''Murray Pittock'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199664072/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199664072&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=3903b44cacfa9b765fb2f62e4d9dd7ae Culloden]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2016) |
| − | '''Jenny MacLeod'''. ''Gallipoli'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Jenny MacLeod'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019964487X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=019964487X&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=32d16240b85978e34ec9de589f4b9df0 Gallipoli]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
| − | '''John France'''. ''Hattin'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''John France'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199646953/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199646953&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=dc0e6f5289546048465a920c66557310 Hattin]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
| − | '''Peter H. Wilson'''. ''Lutzen'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Peter H. Wilson'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TS22C1/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B077TS22C1&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=38c3c584ae6154a49853e660d629e969 Lutzen]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
| − | '''Ian F. W. Beckett'''. ''Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Ian F. W. Beckett'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L5RBDP4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07L5RBDP4&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=66044b6238b74012f8a74f7527e84ebe Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
| − | '''Chris Carey'''. ''Thermopylae'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) | + | '''Chris Carey'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198754108/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0198754108&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=c2540a1fe3b004d2e930e06b2ca2e616 Thermopylae]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) |
| − | '''Alan Forrest'''. ''Waterloo''(Oxford University Press, ) | + | '''Alan Forrest'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199663254/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0199663254&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=62ba70bf374992b31bc6e0e9309d306a Waterloo]''(Oxford University Press, ) |
| − | '''Mark Connelly and Stefan Goebel'''. ''Ypres'' (Oxford Univesity Press, ) | + | '''Mark Connelly and Stefan Goebel'''. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HCBFHRM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07HCBFHRM&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=b07788ff847e58b65bdba43ff75c228b Ypres]'' (Oxford Univesity Press, ) |
Revision as of 22:53, 29 January 2019
Oxford University Press has a series that covers classic battles from Ancient Greece to World War II. Each of these books discusses not only the battles themselves but how they were commemorated and their long term impact on history. The books try to understand not just how the battle took place, but why they became so important.
Anne Curry. Agincourt (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) Why is Agincourt one the best known and celebrated battles in history? What made it remarkable? Like many of the battles in the series, the legend of Agincourt has overshadowed the battle itself. One of the most famous speeches in Shakespeare's plays (Saint Crispin's Day Speech) is Henry V's speech inspiring his soldiers before Agincourt.
Anne Curry first sets the scene, illuminating how and why the battle was fought, as well as its significance in the wider history of the Hundred Years War. She then takes the Agincourt story through the centuries from 1415 to 2015, from the immediate, and sometimes surprising, responses to it on both sides of the Channel, through its reinvention by Shakespeare in King Henry V (1599), and the enduring influence of both the play and the film versions of it, especially the patriotic Laurence Olivier version of 1944, at the time of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Simon Ball. Alamein (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015) The Battle of El Alamein was the most important battle of the North African conflict between German and Italy and the British Empire. The battle, which was in reality, a series of battles, has entered military legend and it is one of the best-known battles of WWII. The battle was involved some of the most famous generals of the war, including Bernard Montgomery and Erwin Rommel. Significantly, the battle was a turning point in the European theater.
Simon Ball's book turns the interpretation of the battle on its head. Based on the intensive reading of the contemporary sources, in particular, the extensive and recently declassified British bugging of Axis prisoners of war, military historian Simon Ball turns Alamein on its head, explaining it as a cultural defeat for Britain. Ball's book is well worth a look.
Murray Pittock. Culloden (Oxford Univesity Press, 2016)
Jenny MacLeod. Gallipoli (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
John France. Hattin (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
Peter H. Wilson. Lutzen (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
Ian F. W. Beckett. Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
Chris Carey. Thermopylae (Oxford Univesity Press, 2015)
Alan Forrest. Waterloo(Oxford University Press, )
Mark Connelly and Stefan Goebel. Ypres (Oxford Univesity Press, )
