The book is a well-written and detailed survey of the generalship of Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig during the First World War. There is no attempt at psychoanalysis, or even a generalized biography. It is a study of his generalship and works quite well. Explicitly, J.P. Harris, a lecturer at the RMA Sandhurst, tries to avoid the extremes of passion engendered by Haig, and does a pretty good job. Haig comes across as a smart, complex man, who proved to be an adequate general - it is important to never forget that the Allies won, not the Germans. He is a self-aggrandizing and savvy political operator. But then, how does one reach the top if one is not. For all that, he tried hard to do the best for the BEF, and Harris shows that quite clearly. I finished the book not liking Haig, but at least I was cured of the detestation left by reading Winter's book last. As a minor nationalistic note, Harris, as a British historian, is visibly irritated with the glorification of the Australian and Canadian expeditionary forces, and tries hard, especially in the portion of the book dealing with the Hundred Days, to minimize their contribution. In fact, the Canadian Corps took over one quarter of all the prisoners taken by the entire BEF in the final few months, and made other contributions accordingly. I recommend this book to any serious amateur student of the First World War. ( )