A late summer military reading list

As expected, I was drawn to history, specifically non-fiction military history. Books were, and continue to be, a way to travel back in time. Like many collectors, I read books centered on the history of the conflicts in which I collected.

However, in recent years, I’ve moved away from reading another book about the Indian Mutiny, Zulu Wars, or even the First World War in Africa. I am still very much drawn to those and other topics, but this spring and summer I opted to focus on topics I thought I knew, and was surprised by the new facts I learned.

With that in mind, here are my five recommended books for light end of summer reading.

Andrew Roberts, Viking, 784 pages

I had missed this book when it came out in November 2021, but opted to brush up on my history of the British monarch in advance of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Like many Americans, I grew up to believe George III to be a bit of a buffoon, the cartoonish “mad tyrant” who was hated by his people, especially the colonists. I’ve long since changed my opinion on King George III, and when I dug into The Last King of America, I expected it to be a fresh rehash of the rehabilitated ruler. I already knew that King George III should be viewed as a dedicated, cultured and moral man.

Andrew Roberts takes the story even further, opting to focus on a dedicated monarch who funded scientific expeditions, ruled over a massively expanding British Empire, and guided his country through the Napoleonic Wars.

Unlike his predecessors, including his grandfather George II, King George III remained strictly faithful to his wife, Queen Charlotte, throughout their long marriage. The Last King of America explores these and many other facets of the king, including how he was beset by talented enemies, incompetent ministers, and generally disastrous luck.

Yet, even after facing debilitating mental illness, King George III persevered. 

Roberts offers fresh insight into how the American Declaration of Independence’s list of 27 grievances was largely wartime propaganda. In reality, George III did not directly levy taxes — as that was Parliament’s job — and he even favored a limited monarchy. He was a forward-thinking ruler. Unlike the true autocrats of 18th-century Europe, George III deferred to the British Parliament.

Where there is the “woke” streaming series that plays loose with the facts (fiction inspired by fact), this book presents a deep dive into the truly most misunderstood monarch ever to reign.

Find it at https://amzn.to/4cl5NLs

M.C. Bishop (author), Giuseppe Rava (Illustrator), Osprey, 64 pages

Helmet collectors tend to love the latest books on the subject, and as a dedicated collector of such protective headdress, I have bought up every book on the subject. With all due respect to the authors, honestly, is there anything we don’t know about American and German steel helmets of World War II at this point?

So for those collectors looking for something new this year, I absolutely recommend Roman Cavalry Helmets, a concise history of late Roman Republic and early Empire-era helmets a read.  

The truth is that more than 2,000 years before General Adrian didn’t invent the modern steel helmet in the First World War, the Roman Army was already experimenting with new protective headdress for their mounted warriors. M.C. Bishop, who already did an excellent job with Roman Infantry Helmets last year (and that book is equally recommended), explains how these were also among the first helmets designed with the role of the troops in mind.

One of the book’s unique focal points is the introduction of spectacular, highly decorative face-mask helmets, which were not used in traditional warfare, but rather for specialized equestrian display events and training.

Bishop’s analysis further highlights how Roman cavalry helmets were about much more than stopping blows, as they became status symbols that allowed auxiliary cavalrymen to display their wealth and power.

Finally, the study further provides insight into the simplified helmet manufacture process adopted by the Romans, which resulted in greater uniformity than had largely been seen in the Classical World, and how the helmets influenced post-Roman groups, including the Saxon and Viking warriors. The story of the helmets began long before the Romans; of course, the Roman headgear for infantry and later cavalry could be described as the first mass-produced helmets designed for emerging threats on the modern (ancient to us) battlefield.

Find it at https://amzn.to/3TDn9wL

Josh Dean, Dutton, 496 pages

Aviation buffs certainly know the name Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, and they most love the story of the Lockheed U-2 “Dragon Lady” spy plane and the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The story of Johnson and those cutting-edge aircraft has been told before, but Josh Dean takes us deeper inside the story, to the origins of the Advanced Development Projects department at aircraft maker Lockheed.

It began with a humble warehouse in Burbank, Calif., which later earned the nickname the “Skunk Works.”

For those who didn’t know Kelly Johnson, let’s just say it was where such notable aircraft as the P-38 Lightning, XP-80 jet fighter, the U-2 and other aircraft were developed. The Impossible Factory explains how Johnson led a team that developed such cutting-edge aircraft and did so without modern computers and AI.

Today it takes nearly a decade to design and develop military aircraft, which explains why most are hardly cutting edge by the time they reach low-rate initial production (LRIP), but during Johnson’s 47 years with Lockheed, there was little red tape and aircraft were developed at speed rivaling the SR-71.

Dean also touches upon how the Skunk Works managed to deal with the paradox of developing top-secret technologies where if a project could be talked about openly, it was already obsolete. It also blurs the lines between the glamour of the 1930s and 1940s test pilots with the gritty, kerosene-soaked realities of cutting-edge engineering.

Today Silicon Valley operates on its “move fast and break stuff” approach to innovation, but Skunk Works perfected it decades ago! 

Find it at https://amzn.to/4fPbz90

Josh Ireland, Dutton, 384 pages

On August 21, 1940, Leon Trotsky was assassinated in Mexico City by Soviet agent Ramón Mercader. For the record, the ice pick (axe) that was used in the murder is now in the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.

The story is well known, but author Josh Ireland offered a deeper view into the story, including the complex relationship that existed between the two revolutionary leaders.

Ireland didn’t uncover any new or heavily guarded secrets.

Instead, the book weaves existing historical accounts into a more cinematic, espionage-styled thriller that puts the focus on the two main adversaries. It is well-established that the two men were never friends, and Stalin went to great lengths to neutralize any and all major political threats. The Death of Trotsky delves deeper into what motivated Stalin to conduct his ruthless, decades-long crusade to kill his fierce political rival, while stressing that Trotsky was no innocent victim. He must be remembered for orchestration summary executions, burning villages and employing early secret police tactics in the name of revolution.

This narrative further provides insight into Trotsky’s life in Mexico, where would-be revolutionaries and idealists surrounded him.

Finally, the book details how Mercader succeeded in infiltrating Trotsky’s inner circle, gaining his trust and eventually killing him. It could be said there are no heroes in this story, as it is one of a brutal authoritarian killed by a dedicated Soviet agent on the orders of a tyrannical dictator. Yet, it still makes for engaging and light summer reading.

Find it at https://amzn.to/4pShsHb

Pedro Soares Branco, Fronteira do Caos Editores

Finally, I include a book I regrettably did not read as I was preparing this list. However, it is a book I hope to have read by the end of the summer.

Written by my good friend Pedro Soares Branco with the support of the Portuguese military, it is easiest the most detailed study on military uniforms, hats, helmets, and accoutrements used by the Portuguese military in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a topic of which I know very little, but I know Pedro’s past works on the study of helmets and other equipment. 

Moreover, I know him to be a dedicated researcher who invested countless hours digging into archives, working with museums and other collectors. Although his work certainly isn’t “beach reading,” it will be a book I look forward to adding to my ever-growing reading reference library.  

Find it at https://fronteiradocaos.pt/loja/todos/uniformes-do-exercito-portugues-1834-1847-tomo-i/

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