‘A seminal book about swordplay’ Rick Broadbent, The Times
‘The definitive study, hugely readable, of man’s most deadly art’ Simon Winchester
The classic history of sword fighting, as told by national sabre champion and Olympic fencer Richard Cohen.
The art and science of sword fighting goes back almost to the dawn of civilization and has been an obsession for much of mankind throughout recorded history. Evidence of this passion is all around us to this day: we shake hands to show that we are not reaching for our sword. A gentleman offers a lady his right arm because his sword was once attached to his left hip. Men button their jackets to the right to give them swifter access to their swords.
From the Roman arena to feudal Japan and from the duellists of Europe to the development of modern-day Olympic fencing, Richard Cohen traces the course of swordsmanship with wit and erudition in a fascinating and wonderfully wide-ranging account. He lets us see swordplay as graceful and brutal, balletic and deadly, technical and fiercely competitive – the most romantic of martial arts. Superbly written and impeccably researched, By the Sword is a tribute to a perilous but beautiful skill, the mastery of which for centuries defined what it meant to be a man.
eBook - ePub
By the Sword
Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai Warriors, Swashbucklers and Olympians
- 560 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Praise For By The Sword page
- Part 1: From Egypt To Waterloo
- Part 2: The Search For Perfection
- Part 3: The Duel's High Noon
- Part 4: Wounded Warriors
- Part 5: Great Powers
- Part 6: Faustian Pacts
- Epilogue: By Way Of The Sword
- Notes
- Index
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Yes, you can access By the Sword by Richard Cohen in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & World History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.