"Reading recommendations for Hanover?" Topic

Hi,

I'm reasonable well-read on the SYW in general, and on France in particular, both in terms of the war and contemporary / political culture. I'm about to start a Hanoverian / Brit project for the period, however, and was hoping to get caught up on them.

What are peoples reading recommendations for Hanoverian Britain, with particular attention to the army / SYW experience, background political context (like the ascension of the House of Hanover, the Stuart challenge the rise of Pitt, etc.), and popular culture / political economy of the period?

Thanks,

FMB

Sir Reginald Savory's book, "His Britannic Majesty's Army in Western Germany During the Seven Years War" remains the gold standard of English-text books on that theatre of war (writen circa 1966) and there has been nothing written since then that is better. Fortunately it has been reprinted by Nigel Billington and is available for sale at a reasonable price.

18thcenturypress.com

I continue to be amazed that Osprey refuses to do a Campaign book on Minden. Disgraceful for a British publisher to not cover one of the British army's most famous battles.

+1 for the Savory – the absolute complete guide in 1 volume.

Thanks DAF for your kind comments.

If you can get hold of Niemeyer/Ortenburg's "The Hanoverian Army in the Seven Years War" you should grab it as, besides the many illustrations, there is a great deal of other information.

I actually have written permission to re-print this book but the interest was more limited than that shown for Savory, so the project never took place.

Dr. Stephen Summerfield's Hanoverian Army of the Seven Years War" is a nice little volume. It deals only with the actual Hanoverian troops. I believe it is available as a download.

As I understand your question, FMB,you are looking for background material as well as military stuff.There is a vast amount published on this very popular period and there are many books addressing a lot of detail, so it depends how deep you want to go.

My general background books on Britain in the 18th century include:
Albion's People by Geoffrey Rule
English Society in the 18th Century by Roy Porter
The Age of Oligarchy by Holmes & Szechi
A Polite and Commercial People by Paul Langford (from the OUP History of Britain series, still the gold standard for non-academic general histories)
Behind Closed Doors by Amanda Vickery – a good account of Georgian domestic culture
A recent biography of George II by Thompson which gives a good account of the tension between the British and Hanoverian parts of the kingdom
British Foreign Policy in the Age of Walpole by Jeremy Black

I hope that is helpful. Let me know if you need anything else dealing with specific aspects of non-military history.

I continue to be amazed that Osprey refuses to do a Campaign book on Minden.

Nobody seems to want to step forward to author it.

Thanks, all – plenty to get me going!

FMB

There are many works in german and french, but a few others in english are: The Anglo-Hanoverian Connection 1727-1760 (Boston U dissertation) by Mitch Allen; Hanover and Great Britain 1740-1760 by Uriel Dunn; The Journal of Corporal William Todd 1745-1762 ed by Andrew Cormack; The Coward of Minden by Piers Mackesy(excellent tactical study); French Navy and the Seven Years War by Jonathan Dunn (really good history of both American and German campaigns).

There is a new book on Minden out in August by Stuart Reid – it will probably be better than an Osprey I would think…