Experience of War: An Anthology of Articles from Mhq, the Quarterly Journal of Military History

For the most part, the 51 pieces in this superb anthology, gathered from MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History , eschew battles and campaigns and concentrate on the less often considered manifestations of war. Adrienne Mayor and Josiah Ober explore the historical basis for the legend of the original female warrior, the Amazon. Neil Silberman argues that the mass suicide of Jewish Zealots at Masada may never have happened. David Quammen writes about the remarkable relationship between man and horse in war. Elihu Root reveals what really happened aboard the battleship Potemkin that turned a mutiny into a perfect metaphor for the 1905 Russian revolution. Charles Strozier discusses why Franklin Roosevelt deliberately misinterpreted U. S. Grant's policy of unconditional surrender. Other writers represented include James McPherson, Stephen W. Sears, John Keegan, Stephen Ambrose, Paul Fussell, Ronald Spector and Geoffrey Ward. Consistently informative and entertaining. BOMC and History Book Club selections. (June)