Good Books

I don't just watch TV and fret about politics.

The book I absorbed today was The Knight in Battle, a non-fiction work examining the changes in medieval warfare from the 1100s to the 1500s. The author, a titan of a chap called William Ewart Oakeshott, who alas died in 2002 before I could find him and thank him for being brilliant.

In the course of the book we get a looksee at Richard the Lionheart vs Saladin, the Battle of Lincoln Fayre (featuring the always awesome William Marshall) a glimpse of Bayard and the changes rise of the Swiss pikeman.

Oakeshott's scholarly abilities are never in doubt; his writing style is lively and engaging to the point of his works being collector's items for me. You never have a moment's doubt that he loves this subject completely, that he understands how to present it to the people who are new to the material and that he wants you to engage with it and learn more. In short, he's a joy to read.

For example, in describing the battle of Lincoln in 1217, Oakeshott throws us a quick appreciation of Bad Prince John - who was definitely bad, and yet also a really very competent soldier and strategist. If all you ever see of Prince John is the man being baffled by Robin Hood and standing in the shadow of Coeur De Lion, it's not surprising he gets a raw deal. Oakeshott drags him out of the shadows and lets us get a good look at the King who lost his country and then fought like a man possessed to keep it away from the French.

Oakeshott is deft, clever, witty and warm and any of his books are heartily recommended.