On War by Carl von Clausewitz Princeton University Press (29 August 1989) Amazon What's it about?: Prussian general Carl von Clausewitz's classic treatise on war and military strategy. Written after the Napoleonic Wars, it is an incomplete work, with Clausewitz passing away before he could finish his task. It is considered to be one of … Continue reading On War →

The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King by Rich Cohen Macmillan USA (4 June 2013) Amazon What's it about?: The story of Samuel Zemurray, the self-made banana mogul and infamous robber baron of the twentieth century. It's a classic rags-to-riches story on an epic scale, with Zemurray going … Continue reading The Fish That Ate the Whale →

The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World: From Marathon to Waterloo by Edward Shepherd Creasy CreateSpace (16 February 2016) Amazon What's it about?: A book that chronicles historical conflicts that were real turning points on the course of civilisation. Edward Shepherd Creasy analyses fifteen battles that shaped the history, culture, and development of nations and … Continue reading The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World →

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times by George Crile Grove Press (6 November 2007) Amazon What's it about?: How US congressman Charlie Wilson, CIA agent Gust Avrakotos, and a host of characters manipulated global politics to turn … Continue reading Charlie Wilson’s War →

Reflections: Or, Sentences and Moral Maxims by François de La Rochefoucauld Forgotten Books (19 April 2018) Amazon What's it about?: A collection of epigrammatic reflections by François de La Rochefoucauld. The author is considered a pioneer of the maxime, a French literary form of the epigram, a brief statement that expresses some truth about human … Continue reading Reflections →

Complete Works of Demosthenes by Demosthenes Delphi Classics (27 November 2015) Amazon What's it about?: A collection of the works of Athenian statesman Demosthenes, who is recognised as one of the greatest orators of Ancient Greece. This volume is complete with illustrations, introductions, and bonus material including the Roman biographer Plutarch's account. My opinion: For … Continue reading Complete Works of Demosthenes →

The Conspiracy Against Hitler in the Twilight War by Harold C. Deutsch University of Minnesota Press (20 May 1968) Amazon What's it about?: A detailed account of the German anti-Nazi plot against the Fuhrer Adolph Hitler, between September 1939 and May 1940. The German resistance movement is covered in great detail, as is the role … Continue reading The Conspiracy Against Hitler in the Twilight War →

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (translated by Robin Buss) Penguin (21 July 2003) Amazon What's it about?: A revenge novel, originally serialised between 1844 and 1846. Set during the Bourbon Restoration in France, it tells the story of Edmond Dantès, a Byronic hero of sorts, who seeks revenge after he is unjustly … Continue reading The Count of Monte Cristo →