A History of Warfare

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993. First American Edition [stated]. Presumed first printing. Hardcover. Very good/Good. 25 cm. xvi, 432 pages. Illustrations. Maps. References. Bibliography. Index, DJ has some tears. Inscribed by the author to Bob Beckel. Robert Gilliland Beckel (born November 15, 1948) is an American political analyst and pundit, and a former political operative. Sir John Desmond Patrick Keegan OBE FRSL (15 May 1934 - 2 August 2012) was an English military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. He wrote many published works on the nature of combat between prehistory and the 21st century, covering land, air, maritime, intelligence warfare and the psychology of battle. Leaving the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1986, Keegan joined the Daily Telegraph as a defence correspondent and stayed as defence editor until his death. He also wrote for the American conservative National Review Online. In 1998 he wrote and presented the BBC's Reith Lectures, entitling them War in our World. Derived from a Kirkus review: With his usual fluent mastery, Keegan offers provocative perspectives on armed conflict through the ages. Taking immediate aim at Clausewitzian theory, the author argues that culture has frequently proved as powerful as politics in decisions to wage war. Ranging backward and forward in time, he divides his canvass into categories that allow him to focus on broad as well as narrow aspects of mortal combat. Keegan addresses such perplexing issues as why men fight, how primitive peoples do battle, what factors constrain belligerents, and the circumstances that can precipitate hostilities. He pays particular attention to weaponry and other aspects of the martial arts, including fortifications, logistics, and the organization of armies. Covered as well are warrior fraternities like the Crusaders, Mamelukes, and samurai, whose feats of arms Keegan illuminates with commentary on contemporary mores. Keegan concludes that global survival depends on our curbing humanity's capacity for violence--readers of his superb new survey will find, he's optimistic.