Alistair Horne
By Strength Alone?
Intelligence In War: Knowledge Of The Enemy From Napoleon To Al-Qaeda
By John Keegan
Hutchinson 480pp £25 order from our bookshop
THIS EXCELLENT, AND highly readable, book is vintage Keegan - though perhaps not quite premier cru. Much of Intelligence in War harks back to the author's favourite battles (notably Midway, 1942), about which he has written memorably. His many fans, though they may disagree with his conclusions, will not be disappointed.
Keegan's main theme - which he reiterates, with force - is that, in war, it is force and not foreknowledge (ie intelligence) tl1at counts. With his usual engaging candour he admits his prejudice against spookery, declaring in the very first line: 'I have tried to steer clear of the intelligence
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
'This is entertainment of the highest class.'
@NJCooper_crime reviews new thrillers by Mick Herron, Kassandra Montag, @LVaughanwrites, @AuthorSJBolton, @ajaychow, @tombradby, @SaraParetsky, @writejemmawayne & @GillianMAuthor.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/may-2022-crime-round-up
'The day Simon and I Vespa-d from Daunt to Daunt to John Sandoe to Hatchards to Goldsboro, places where many of the booksellers have become my friends over the years, was the one with the high puffy clouds, the very strong breeze, the cool-warm sunlight.'
https://literaryreview.co.uk/temple-of-vespa
Some salient thoughts on book collecting from Michael Dirda with a semi tragic conclusion that I suspect many of us can relate to from the @Lit_Review #WednesdayMotivation