New Reading

In the spirit of Zenpundit's recent post, here's some books I've picked up recently.

• Edward Bruce Hamley, The Operations of War, 1909.
• Williamson Murray and Allen Millet, A War To Be Won: Fighting the Second World War, 2000.
• Edward Luttwak, The Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire , 2010.

Hamley's book (I have the 1909 edition) was an important text for British officers in the 19th century and early 20th century. Murray and Millet's book is a rather superb one-volume work on the solely military aspects of World War II. And I'm hoping to learn from Luttwak how the Byzantine Empire survived so long.

Comments

[Peter]

I enjoyed reading Luttwak's book, although it could have been structured better. It would be more interesting if he had integrated discussion of the classic Byzantine texts with the discussion of the Byzantine strategic framework and its application.

You're probably the first person in nearly 100 years to have read Hamley!

[A.E.]

My edition of Hamley actually comes with a letter addressed to a previous owner, dated 1917.

[Peter]

Any clue about what happened to the previous owner? I hope he wasn't killed in the trenches!

[A.E.]

The letter is addressed to "Brig. Genl. J.G. Harding Newman, C.M.G." Google hasn't turned up anyone matching that name.