Michael Howard (1) (1922–2019)

I'm not normally a fan of reading introductions before reading the primary, since so often introductions are arguing hard for the author's (sometimes quirky) interpretation, but this one is so good. Clausewitz is cited far more than read, and the more common editions are a 1907 or so translation. So, the book seems more archaic in language than it was. Howard was part of the best translation/edition, and this little book does a great job of summarizing Clausewitz's argument, and even show more explaining how it was misrepresented.

If you're interested in Clausewitz, start here. show less

The Platonic form of the VSI: a short essay on the subject's life, a slightly longer essay on the subject's thought, all very well written, clear and interesting without being needlessly condescending. Clausewitz seems more interesting to me now than he did before I read this (in part because Howard shows how C is influenced by German idealism; in part because Howard shows how C's thought might be relevant in the nuclear era, without denying that we have to make some adjustments to that show more thought). Highly recommended if you want to know i) a bit about the difference between absolute and limited war; ii) the relation between war and politics; iii) a few neat Clausewitz quotes without having to get through the 700 pages of 'On War.' show less

Michael Howard's history of the Franco-Prussian War has long been regarded as a classic of military history, and after reading it it's easy to see why. His book is a incisive recounting of the combatants and the operations they undertook over the course of the ten-month-long conflict. In the process he identifies the elements that defined the conflict, showing how just ill-prepared the French were for the war they faced, how poorly suited the French generals were for the type of war they show more were in, and how precarious Prussia's victory was after their ostensibly decisive victory in the battle of Sedan. While Geoffrey Wawro's [b:The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871|1054645|The Franco-Prussian War The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871|Geoffrey Wawro|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348178929s/1054645.jpg|378416] serves as a better introduction to the subject thanks to its broader coverage of the context of events, nobody interested in understanding the events of the war can afford to skip Howard's perceptive and enduring examination of it. show less

Brief but wonderfully written, leaving me with some idea not only of where things happened but why and how, and I think I will now have the patience to absorb a more detailed account. Subsequently reprinted as part of the "A Very Short Introduction" series from Oxford.