The Art of War: Great Commanders of the Ancient and Medieval Worlds

A big, thick, coffee table book with short chapters describing the leading military leaders of antiquity. There's a lot for the layperson to learn here, with broad content. Recommended for history buffs who want an overview of historical figures.

Published by Quercus Publishing, 2008, hardcover, illustrated, index, 430 pages, 22.5 cms x 28.4 cms x 3.5 cms, condition: new.

Compiled by an exceptionally distinguished team of historians, this title is a magisterial survey of the military giants of the early modern and modern worlds.

"The Art of War: Great Commanders of the Modern World is an authoritative account of the lives and careers of the greatest military commanders of the period, from Cromwell to Konev, from Marlborough to Moltke, and from Petain to Patton. Every commander is profiled in a concise and informative 3000-word article which not only brings its subject vividly to life via a lively, fact-driven narrative, but also analyses and assesses his tactical and strategic gifts. Each biography is accompanied by a 'battle feature' or 'campaign feature' - embellished by a full-colour battle plan or campaign map - focusing on the commander's greatest battlefield achievement.

The editor, ndrew Roberts,studied at Gonville and Caius College. He published his first historical book in 1991. He went on to become a public commentator appearing in several periodicals such as The Daily Telegraph and The Spectator. Roberts himself is best known for his 2009 non-fiction work The Storm of War A look at the Second World War covering historical factors such as Hitler's rise to power and the organisation of Nazi Germany, the book received the British Army Military Book of the Year Award for 2010. In 2018 his work, Churchill: Walking with Destiny, made the Bestseller List.