I've been loaned a book entitled The Age of Robert Guiscard - Southern Italy and the Norman Conquest by G.A. Loud (Pearson Education Ltd., 2000, ISBN 0-582-04529) that is next on my list to read. After a quick look, it has gone down on my 'have to buy' list as well. The book chronicles the Norman conquest of Italy and Guiscard's role in the formation of a new hybrid society. The author has made extensive use of original sources, always a big plus, rather than revisionist hypothesis re: Rudy Lindner and his 'Huns on foot' nonsense.

Also new on my bookshelf...had to buy three new ones to hold all the recent acquisitions...is Adrian Goldworthy's new work, The Punic Wars (Cassell & Co., 2000, ISBN 0-304-35284-5). This has come highly recommended, though I haven't had a chance to look at it yet.