On War: The Best Military Histories

by Lawrence Rush "Rick" Atkinson IV, Carlo D'Este D.H.L., Max Hugh Macdonald Hastings FRSL FRHistS, James McPherson Ph.D., Allan R. Millett Ph.D.

Overview

Collected here for the first time are key works by this century’s leading military historians, all recipients of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. The Pritzker Literature Award honors writers whose work adds to the public’s understanding of military history and the role played by the military in civil society. In the tradition of historians dating back to ancient times, these authors and scholars demonstrate the numerous ways to write about military history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780989792813
Publisher:	Pritzker Military Museum & Library
Publication date:	11/22/2013
Series:	On War
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.10(d)

Editorial Reviews

"...well written, informative, and thought provoking, providing insights not only on their primary subjects but also, more broadly, on the nature of war, military service, and soldiers. Useful even for the seasoned historian, On War would also make a fine introduction to military history for any thinking person."

NYMAS Review

"...well worth its price... handsomely designed, nicely illustrated... It surely whets one's appetite to delve deeply into the originals"

Journal of America's Military Past

"...well written, informative, and thought provoking, providing insights not only on their primary subjects but also, more broadly, on the nature of war, military service, and soldiers. Useful even for the seasoned historian, On War would also make a fine introduction to military history for any thinking person."

The NYMAS Review

"Three of the seven essays collected here deal brilliantly with World War II; the others, equally brilliant, are well worth reading."

World War II

"Three of the seven essays collected here deal brilliantly with World War II; the others, equally brilliant, are well worth reading."

World War II Magazine

"...well worth its price... handsomely designed, nicely illustrated... It surely whets one's appetite to delve deeply into the originals"

The Journal of America’s Military Past

03/15/2014
This is a collection of chapters from previously published works written by subsequent recipients of the Pritzker Military Museum and Library Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement in Military Writing. The self-contained chapters provide an excellent overview of quality writing from renowned authors James M. McPherson (Battle Cry of Freedom), Allan R. Millett (Military Innovation in the Interwar Period), Gerhard Weinberg (Vision of Victory), Atkinson (An Army at Dawn), Carlo D'Este (Patton: A Genius for War), Max Hastings (Catastrophe 1914: Europe Goes to War), and Tim O'Brien (The Things They Carried) and cover the Civil War to Vietnam. Weinberg's entry offers deeper insight into the thought processes of both Hitler and Roosevelt while O'Brien's is a gritty viewpoint from the common soldier in Vietnam. VERDICT Longtime readers of these authors will not find anything new here, but lay readers will find that this collection provides a solid introduction to well-respected writers, an apt survey of U.S. military history, and a complete listing of their works for further reading. This title is recommended for such newcomers.—Patti McCall, Univ. of Central Florida Lib., Orlando

Library Journal