The British Soldier from the Restoration to Waterloo

All The King's Men

Saul David's All The King's Men is a thrilling history of the British Redcoat from the English Civil War to Waterloo. 
 
Between 1660 and 1815 British supremacy on foreign soil was near total. Central to this success was the humble redcoat soldier who showed heroism in battle and stoicism in peace, despite appalling treatment. This is their story: of brutal discipline and inedible food, of loyalty and low pay, of barracks and battlefield - of victory, defeat, life and death. 
 
Praise for All The King's Men: 
 
'An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...All The King's Men is all you could hope for...Quite an achievement', Patrick Bishop, Country Life 
 
'A heady mixture of heroism, incompetence, devilish tactics and plain good luck', Sunday Times 
 
'Filled with swashbuckling derring-do, the reek of blood and gunpowder, combined with shrewd analysis of power, war and psychology', Simon Sebag Montefiore 
 
Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857, Zulu and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire. He recently presented 'Bullets, Boots and Bandages' for BBC 4 and is a regular contributor to Radio 4.

Filled with swashbuckling derring-do, the reek of blood and gunpowder, combined with shrewd analysis of power, war and psychology

Those wishing to immerse themselves in this golden age of British military success will relish David's fine piece of history

An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...Combines a clear and powerful narrative with shrewd judgements, illuminating vignettes and fresh and telling detail... 'All The King's Men' is all you could hope for...Quite an achievement.

At a time when the Army is facing cutbacks while being expected to fight distant, unpopular wars on a shoestring, David's book could not be more topical

a big meaty, satisfying and thought-provoking book, a real achievement

Incisive and acute . . . [David] always finds a telling phrase, an eye-catching detail or a human story

Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857, Zulu and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire. He recently presented 'Bullets, Boots and Bandages' for BBC 4 and is a regular contributor to Radio 4.

"The British soldier," wrote a Prussian officer who served with Wellington, "is vigorous, well fed, by nature highly brave and intrepid, trained to the most vigorous discipline, and admirably well armed... These circumstances explain how this army ... has never yet been defeated in the field." 
 
From the Restoration of Charles II in 1660 to the Downfall of Napoleon in 1815, Britain won a series of major wars against France that enabled her to lay the foundations of a global empire. By Waterloo, she was the paramount maritime and industrial power in the world, and would remain so for much of the nineteenth century. 
 
This is the story of that extraordinary century and a half of martial success and the people who made it possible: the soldier-kings William III and the first two Georges; the generals Marlborough, Wolfe, Moore and Wellington; and the ordinary British redcoats who - despite harsh service conditions that included low pay, poor housing, inadequate food and brutal discipline - rarely let their commanders down in battles as far afield as Blenheim, Plassey, Quebec and Waterloo.

The Great Zulu Victory of 1879

Great Battles: The Battle of Isandlwana

Penguin Specials are designed to fill a gap. Written to be read over a long commute or a short journey, they are original and exclusively in digital form. This is Saul David's compelling examination of one of history's greatest battles. 
 
On 22nd January, at Isandlwana in Zululand, South-East Africa, the British Army suffered one of the worst defeats in its history. A camp of 1,700 men, armed with state-of-the-art weapons and two artillery pieces, was surprised and overwhelmed by a huge Zulu army equipped with only spears. It became the seminal battle of the Zulu War, an ill-conceived, incompetently executed and fruitless campaign for the British. 
 
In this Penguin Short, Saul David presents a concise, devastating and utterly gripping account of the most brutal of battles that will transport you to the plains of Africa and the cauldron of war, and all for less than the price of a cup of coffee.

The Rise of Empire

Victoria's Wars

In the tradition of Max Hastings, Antony Beevor and Andrew Roberts, this is a fantastically vivid and riveting journey through the great British battles of Queen Victoria's reign.

In Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire Saul David explores the early part of Queen Victoria's reign,when the British Empire was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire the world had ever seen. 
 
This is the story of how it happened and the people who made it happen. In a fast-moving narrative ranging from London to the harsh terrain of India, Russia and the Far East, Saul David shows how Britain ruthlessly exploited her position as the world's only superpower to expand her empire. Yet little of this territorial acquisition was planned or sanctioned by the home government. Instead it was largely the work of the men on the ground, and to those at home it really did seem that the empire was acquired in a 'fit of absence of mind'. Saul David creates a vivid portrait of life on the violent fringes of empire, and of the seemingly endless and brutal wars that were fought in the name of trade, civilization and the balance of power. 
 
'Splendid . . . a terrific treasure-chest of anecdotes . . . a splendidly brisk, cool and judicious narrator' Daily Telegraph 
 
'Incisive and acute . . . thorough and occasionally revelatory, [David] always finds a telling phrase, an eye-catching detail or a human story' Sunday Times 
 
Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed history books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (a Waterstone's Military History Book of the Year) and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire.

Splendid . . . a terrific treasure-chest of anecdotes . . . a splendidly brisk, cool and judicious narrator

Incisive and acute . . . thorough and occasionally revelatory, [David] always finds a telling phrase, an eye-catching detail or a human story

In the early part of Queen Victoria&rsquo;s reign, the British Empire was well on the way to becoming the greatest empire the world had ever seen. This is the story of how it happened and the people who made it happen. In a fast-moving narrative ranging from London to the harsh terrain of India, Russia and the Far East, Saul David shows how Britain ruthlessly exploited her position as the world&rsquo;s only superpower to expand her empire. Yet little of this territorial acquisition was planned or sanctioned by the home government. Instead it was largely the work of the men on the ground, and to those at home it really did seem that the empire was acquired in a &lsquo;fit of absence of mind&rsquo;. Saul David creates a vivid portrait of life on the violent fringes of empire, and of the seemingly endless and brutal wars that were fought in the name of trade, civilization and the balance of power.

The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879

Zulu

One of the most compelling and controversial episodes of British colonial warfare.

Saul David's Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 is a fascinating look at the most controversial and brutal British imperial conflict of the nineteenth century. 
 
The real story of the Anglo-Zulu war was one of deception, dishonour, incompetence and dereliction of duty by Lord Chelmsford who invaded Zululand without the knowledge of the British Government. But it did not go to plan and there were many political repercussions. Using new material from archives in Britain and South Africa, Saul David blows the lid on this most sordid of imperial wars and comes to a number of startling new conclusions. 
 
'Saul David's brilliant and magisterial account must now be regarded as the definitive history of the Zulu War' Frank McLynn, Literary Review 
 
'This meticulously detailed book...give[s] a fully rounded and judicious account of this dismal conflict Guardian 
 
'Fascinating, thrilling, convincing... reads like a novel' Economist 
 
Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed history books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (a Waterstone's Military History Book of the Year) and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire.

The Zulu War of 1879 was the most brutal and controversial British imperial conflict of the 19th century. Saul David is presenting a programme on the subject which will be aired in October 2003. He is using research from that to compile this book. The programme will hopefully raise awareness of this young historian's name and of the subject matter.

1857

The Indian Mutiny

Great history by a talented young historian.

In The Indian Mutiny: 1857 Saul David explores one of Britain's most harrowing colonial battles. 
 
In 1857 the native troops of the Bengal army rose against their colonial masters. The ensuing insurrection was to become the bloodiest in the history of the British Empire.Combining formidable storytelling with ground-breaking research, Saul David narrates a tale at once heart-rendingly tragic and extraordinarily compelling. David provides new and convincing evidence that the true causes of the mutiny were much more complex, and disturbing, than previously assumed. 
 
'A fine achievement by a huge new talent' William Dalrymple, Sunday Times 
 
Saul David is Professor of War Studies at the University of Buckingham and the author of several critically acclaimed history books, including The Indian Mutiny: 1857 (shortlisted for the Westminster Medal for Military Literature), Zulu: The Heroism and Tragedy of the Zulu War of 1879 (a Waterstone's Military History Book of the Year) and, most recently, Victoria's Wars: The Rise of Empire.

'A fine achievement by a huge new talent' William Dalrymple, Sunday Times 
 
In 1857 the native troops of the Bengal army rose against their colonial masters. The ensuing insurrection was to become the bloodiest in the history of the British Empire.Combining formidable storytelling with ground-breaking research, Saul David narrates a tale at once heart-rendingly tragic and extraordinarily compelling. David provides new and convincing evidence that the true causes of the mutiny were much more complex, and disturbing, than previously assumed.

Saul David

An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...Combines a clear and powerful narrative with shrewd judgements, illuminating vignettes and fresh and telling detail

A heady mixture of heroism, incompetence, devilish tactics and plain good luck. Those wishing to immerse themselves in this golden age of British military success will relish David's fine piece of history

He conveys the temper of soldiers' daily lives and their attitude to fighting beautifully...his description of the Battle of Waterloo makes one's heart beat faster

Highly readable.... Saul David is particularly good at battle scenes, and the incredibly violent 150-year period leaves him spoilt for choice....His insights are thoughtful and his prose style compelling

A rollicking account of the rise of the British Army ... the life of the humble redcoat, from the Restoration to Waterloo

The British Redcoat in the Era of Sword and Musket

Between 1660 and 1815 British supremacy on foreign soil was near total. Central to this success was the humble redcoat soldier who showed heroism in battle and stoicism in peace, despite appalling treatment. This is their story: of brutal discipline and inedible food, of loyalty and low pay, of barracks and battlefield - of victory, defeat, life and death.

Saul David

Praise for All The King's Men

An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...Combines a clear and powerful narrative with shrewd judgements, illuminating vignettes and fresh and telling detail

A heady mixture of heroism, incompetence, devilish tactics and plain good luck. Those wishing to immerse themselves in this golden age of British military success will relish David's fine piece of history

He conveys the temper of soldiers' daily lives and their attitude to fighting beautifully...his description of the Battle of Waterloo makes one's heart beat faster

An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...Combines a clear and powerful narrative with shrewd judgements, illuminating vignettes and fresh and telling detail

A heady mixture of heroism, incompetence, devilish tactics and plain good luck. Those wishing to immerse themselves in this golden age of British military success will relish David's fine piece of history

He conveys the temper of soldiers' daily lives and their attitude to fighting beautifully...his description of the Battle of Waterloo makes one's heart beat faster

An extraordinary story, packed with drama, incident and great characters...Combines a clear and powerful narrative with shrewd judgements, illuminating vignettes and fresh and telling detail

A heady mixture of heroism, incompetence, devilish tactics and plain good luck. Those wishing to immerse themselves in this golden age of British military success will relish David's fine piece of history

He conveys the temper of soldiers' daily lives and their attitude to fighting beautifully...his description of the Battle of Waterloo makes one's heart beat faster

Books by Saul David

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