ePub Naval Battles Of The Twentieth Century by Richard Hough in History

Review

0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Naval BattlesBy Lindsay HarrisGood overviews of the battles which could lead to a more in-depth selection of them individually. If one didn't know about the naval conflicts before hand; this would be a good book to start with3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Good Read; Informative and Well WrittenBy David A. KempI've read the preceding reviews on .com of this book; and they give it a bum rap; but I think they miss the point. You don't criticize an apple for failing to be an orange. This book is not; and does not pretend to be; a heavyweight; exhaustive; scholarly treatment for naval professionals and buffs. You won't find a Samuel Eliot Morison level of thoroughness; detail; analysis; and documentation here. Instead it is a readable; well-written; informed; brief account of major twentieth-century naval battles; as selected and described by a British naval historian; intended for the lay reader. When such major battles as Jutland (38 pages); Midway (15 pages); and Leyte Gulf (20 pages); each of which has been the subject of full-scale books in its own right; are treated at such summary length here; it is obvious that this book is an exercise in synthesis; not analysis. It is a popular book; in the good sense of that term. If that's not what you want; look elsewhere. The book was a selection of the Military Book Club.My edition has a blurb from ex-Secretary of the Navy John Lehman; writing in The Wall Street Journal: Hough is a good storyteller with a refreshing; breezy style. That's an apt and fair summary: the emphasis is on good storytelling. The author has chosen 13 naval battles; each receiving a chapter; starting with the battle of Tsu-Shima (Russo-Japanese war) of 1905 and concluding with the battle for the Philippines of 1944; and has told their stories succinctly (chapters range from 10 to 38 pages; the text of the book is only 282 pages). Some maps are provided; where the author judged the complexity of the battle warrants; and there is a select; chapter-by-chapter bibliography.My complaints are that more maps might well have been provided (e.g.; no map for the battle of Midway); that the selection of illustrations is meager and inadequate; and that various errors bespeak careless preparation. Particularly in the last quarter of the book there are some silly and typographical errors that indicate a serious failure to proofread; a few of them are glaring; even egregious; but obvious (e.g.; 7 May on p. 223 should read 7 June; From their base at Rabaul; the United States reinforced. . . . on p. 227 should read Japan instead of US; Admiral Halsey on p. 243 should read Admiral Nimitz; Admiral Clifton Spruance on p. 267 should read Raymond Spruance).Strengths are that Hough was a good choice to write a book of this type: the writing is polished; spare; and lean; Hough is adept at painting a vivid picture with a few deft; broad strokes; at conveying much in little space. The narration of the battles unfolding is convincing yet economical; the writing colorful and incisive; with an eye for the telling detail; whether of personal character or physical description. Hough is even-handed and balanced; free from British bias or chauvinism. In several instances the author; a distinguished British naval historian with a number of books in the field to his credit; has personally interviewed survivors of these battles.Perhaps because (unlike the other .com reviewers) I wasn't expecting this book to be what it clearly is not; I found it highly readable and informative; and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So take the negative reviews here with a grain of salt. And for anyone interested; there are full; dramatic; memorable accounts of the battles of Midway and Leyte Gulf in Herman Wouk's War and Remembrance.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A Good Read; Informative and Well WrittenBy David A. KempI've read the preceding reviews here of this book; and they give this book a bum rap; but I think they miss the point. You don't criticize an apple for failing to be an orange. This book is not; and does not pretend to be; a heavyweight; exhaustive; scholarly treatment for naval professionals and buffs. You won't find a Samuel Eliot Morison level of thoroughness; detail; analysis; and documentation here. Instead it is a readable; well-written; informed; brief account of major twentieth-century naval battles; as selected and described by a British naval historian; intended for the lay reader. When such major battles as Jutland (38 pages); Midway (15 pages); and Leyte Gulf (20 pages); each of which has been the subject of full-scale books in its own right; are treated at such summary length here; it is obvious that this book is an exercise in synthesis; not analysis. It is a popular book; in the good sense of that term. If that's not what you want; look elsewhere. The book was a selection of the Military Book Club. My edition has a blurb from ex-Secretary of the Navy John Lehman; writing in The Wall Street Journal: Hough is a good storyteller with a refreshing; breezy style. That's an apt and fair summary: the emphasis is on good storytelling. The author has chosen 13 naval battles; each receiving a chapter; starting with the battle of Tsu-Shima (Russo-Japanese war) of 1905 and concluding with the battle for the Philippines of 1944; and has told their stories succinctly (chapters range from 10 to 38 pages; the text of the book is only 282 pages). Some maps are provided; where the author judged the complexity of the battle warrants; and there is a select; chapter-by-chapter bibliography. My complaints are that more maps might well have been provided (e.g.; no map for the battle of Midway); that the selection of illustrations is meager and inadequate; and that various errors bespeak careless preparation. Particularly in the last quarter of the book there are some silly and typographical errors that indicate a serious failure to proofread; a few of them are glaring; even egregious; but obvious (e.g.; 7 May on p. 223 should read 7 June; From their base at Rabaul; the United States reinforced. . . . on p. 227 should read Japan instead of US; Admiral Halsey on p. 243 should read Admiral Nimitz; Admiral Clifton Spruance on p. 267 should read Raymond Spruance). Strengths are that Hough was a good choice to write a book of this type: the writing is polished; spare; and lean; Hough is adept at painting a vivid picture with a few deft; broad strokes; at conveying much in little space. The narration of the battles unfolding is convincing yet economical; the writing colorful and incisive; with an eye for the telling detail; whether of personal character or physical description. Hough is even-handed and balanced; free from British bias or chauvinism. In several instances the author; a distinguished British naval historian with a number of books in the field to his credit; has personally interviewed survivors of these battles. Perhaps because (unlike the other reviewers) I wasn't expecting this book to be what it clearly is not; I found it highly readable and informative; and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So take the negative reviews here with a grain of salt. And for anyone interested; there are full; dramatic; memorable accounts of the battles of Midway and Leyte Gulf in Herman Wouk's War and Remembrance.