| carojon | 28 Jun 2016 11:33 p.m. PST |
There have a been a few enquires about best books on the Peninsular War and I would suggest you could do a lot worse than looking at the writing of Dr Rory Muir.
Salamanca 1812 was part of this year's holiday reading and from a wargamers perspective and those who enjoy easy to read well researched history, I would suggest this book as a must have for Peninsular War enthusiasts. You can see my thoughts on this and other titles by Rory Muir by following the link to JJ's link Jonathan |
 ochoin  | 29 Jun 2016 2:02 a.m. PST |
I would agree as to the high quality of this volume. |
| Art | 29 Jun 2016 2:14 a.m. PST |
G'Day Jonathan… I do not buy contemporary books…I prefer to do my own research… But I bought this book…it has helped further my own research on a special project…the book has cleared up a few cloudy issues…it answered a few puzzling questions I had…and validated a few of my suppositions… Rory Muir put a lot of time consuming research into this book… Best Regards
Art |
| Trajanus | 29 Jun 2016 3:09 a.m. PST |
Art, Yes he certainly put a lot of effort into this book as he did in his two more recent volumes on Wellington which are staggering in terms of their content. When I spoke to him in April I got the impression that Salamanca broke the mold in terms of the effort he put in and the likelyhood of him doing another battle specific work anytime soon. Here's hopeing that " never say never" applies! |
| Lou from BSM | 29 Jun 2016 6:56 a.m. PST |
Excellent source… one of my 'go-to' references when planning Peninsular War scenarios. |
| rick32 | 29 Jun 2016 9:46 a.m. PST |
Excellent book, enjoyed it thoroughly. Recommend it for anyone interested in the Napoleonic wars. |
| carojon | 29 Jun 2016 3:07 p.m. PST |
Thanks for your comments chaps. I had a feeling there would be plenty of others who thought this was a good read.
Cheers
JJ |
| Gazzola | 30 Jun 2016 2:42 a.m. PST |
Good book, fairly detailed with some helpful photos of the battlefield. Maps could have been better but still very useful in understanding the terrain and action. |
| Navy Fower Wun Seven | 01 Jul 2016 3:56 p.m. PST |
Thanks, will add it to the list… |
| Terry37 | 01 Jul 2016 7:33 p.m. PST |
I think Jac Weller's book "Wellington in the Penubsula" is the best. I know it's an old book, but one I wore out back in the 70s, and still have a copy of it today. Terry |
| thistlebarrow2 | 01 Jul 2016 11:30 p.m. PST |
I agree about Jac Weller book. I took it with me on my walking holidays of the Peninsular battlefieds and found it very useful. It is a very easy read and provided the narrative for each battle we visited. We found the photographs and maps to be particularly useful. The simple maps made it easy to understand each battle. And we used the photos to orientate ourselves on each battlefield. Like you I wore out the first copy, and bought a second copy when it was republished in 1992. It is still on my shelves. Strongly recommended. |
| carojon | 03 Jul 2016 2:50 a.m. PST |
I also have Jac Weller and agree it is a very useful reference. I think however there are some key difference between the books.
Weller is a general reference book listing all of Wellington's battles and giving a general summary of them relying in the main on the work of Oman and Weller's battlefield walks in the 60's. I think his series on Wellington's campaigns give an excellent grounding in the subject. Muir's book and others like it are focussed on one battle in particular, looking at all the sources about it and carrying out a much more forensic study of the events, illustrating the contradictions in the sources and then drawing conclusions based on the data in the round. These more modern books are taking our knowledge, limited as it is, into hopefully a better understanding of the choreography of these battles and are excellent for those of us who want to try and refight them in a scenario with a level of detail that the more general books cannot match. |
| Trajanus | 03 Jul 2016 10:45 a.m. PST |
Sound points. Way to many authors have repeated Oman parrot fashion or plagiarised him over the years. Nothing seriously wrong with Oman but it has resulted in generations of readers thinking his views were original reportage. |
| Art | 03 Jul 2016 11:03 a.m. PST |
G'Day CAREFUL….I have been called a sinner for such thoughts…of course I went beyond the pale and even mentioned that he is the cause for more mistakes than one would think… It is for that reason I needed Rory Muir's book. Best Regards
Art |
| Trajanus | 04 Jul 2016 8:16 a.m. PST |
Just one of those things I'm afraid. Any number of books out there that when you look a their sources big numbers quote Oman. OK some are honest about it and fair play but when you see quotes or lifts from his volumes enough times you start to realise you might just as well have read them and saved the money. |
| von Winterfeldt | 20 Jul 2016 11:07 p.m. PST |
Due to the good reviews I bought the book, though not that interested in the Peninsular War, I wasn't disappointed.
I like especially how the author is discussing the sources – and what could be derived from them, by that showing his line of thoughts, good eye openers all along. |
paints brigs for the British fleet.
