"Ripples of Battle: How wars..." by Hanson

[Goffredo]

Hi guys
I read with great interest the book by Hanson "Ripples of Battle: how wars of the past still determine how we fight, how we live and how we think".
The book tells the battles of Okinawa, Shiloh and Delium discussing in detail the situations that lead upto the battles and then argues the consequences on the sociology of war and hence in world history. Anybody read the book? comments? If I have time I might write something.

One interesting fact that I didn't know was that the author of BEN HUR was General Wallace that fought at Shiloh.

[Theodosius the Great]

I read with great interest the book by Hanson "Ripples of Battle...

As in Victor Davis Hanson ?

One interesting fact that I didn't know was that the author of BEN HUR was General Wallace that fought at Shiloh.

Yup, General Lew Wallace.

[Praefectusclassis]

Yeah, that would be VDH. It's his main theme.

[Carlton Bach]

But how good is e when he strays away from Ancient Greece? His last foray into 'big picture world history' left much to be desired.

[Goffredo]

I like his books even when he strays from ancient greece as there is always much to debate about. There isn't much to a book that says things the ways we are accustomed to. A book may inform but it may also show known things from different perspective. Right?

I disagree with Hanson on some issues, mainly with his emphasis of certain things. But I have always found his positions interesting.

[Tarbicus]

A book may inform but it may also show known things from different perspective.

I found that with 'Julian' by Gore Vidal. Maybe it wasn't so accurate, and certainly had no sympathy for the upcoming Christian sect (charnel houses), but it was fascinating as a fictional account by a non-Christian Emperor, and lovingly written I felt.

I also loved the different take on 'Tiberius' by Alan Massie, as well as 'Augustus'. However, 'Caesar' and 'Marc Antony' bored me quite a bit by the same author.

'Scipio' and 'Hannibal' by Ross Leckie are great reads as well.

I don't know about the accuracy of the contents, but they gave very human perspectives to historical figures.