All The King's Armies
1642-1651

Book Review

Reviews by "Old Duffer"

Stuart Reid for Spellmount

Another ECW history? Anything but, Stuart Reid may not be in the grand historical tradition of Wedgewood and Gardiner, or the shamelessly partisan school of Young, but he has his own niche. Reid (a re-enactor and denizen of Partizan Press) simply reads the sources and tries to build his story from them. Of course he may be masterfully bending them to his will in an artifice of simplicity but, in general, I doubt it.

As a result a lot of sacred cows get put out to pasture (if I may mix my metaphors). He follows a broadly chronological trend, but occasionally will permit anachronism in order to cover the activity on one particular "front". Because Stuart's interests are in the detail the theme that comes through is the war as a history of the regiments that fought it. Not just to permit the right facings to be adduced but to demonstrate the "kampfgruppe" nature of the war with task-forces breaking off and reforming with field armies. Yet he never permits matters to descend into mere listing, an intelligent use of notes helping here.

The story is well told and would make me rethink some areas of my Good Old Cause both tactical and strategic. There are no orders of battle as such, but the notes and text give you a great deal of information. This is an excellent single volume history that is full of value.

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