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Summary: FINALLY: A book on Lord Nelson that says something NEW!!!
Review: Students of Napoleonic warfare have always known that the study of Horatio Lord Nelson's life is a stimulating activity. Nelson was a true genius of war, and mainly because, as this book shows, he was an eccentric and very unorthodox character. But the scarcity of insightful, informed and UP-TO-DATE analyses of his naval strategies, tactics, leadership, command and management has been very frustrating for those of us who believe that Nelson still has RELEVANCE for TODAY'S warriors. A ceaseless flow of books essentially narrating Nelson's life without thorough analysis has become boring and adds to our frustrations. Dr Hayward is the first to address our frustrations, and his book does so splendidly. Hayward demonstrates through a highly unusual, interesting and effective thematic approach that Nelson rivals Napoleon as their era's "greatest champion" and that, even though sea warfare has changed considerably, a study of Nelson's art of war will teach, challenge, enrich and impress today's naval warriors and all other armed forces personnel. Like in Hayward's ground-breaking STOPPED AT STALINGRAD, the author asks new questions and often presents highly original answers. Even if a few other Nelson experts will disagree with some conclusions, all will be stimulated to dig deeper themselves as a response to this brilliant and long-overdue book. The author doesn't disparage the works of other Nelson scholars and writers. On the contrary, he acknowledges openly that his book is an attempt to repay the intellectual debt he owes them. He's gracious and not at all dogmatic even when pointing out where another scholar has apparently erred. The writing is terrific. It is reflective, engaging, informative and fluent. I read each chapter (effectively separate but related, cutting-edge essays) in single sitting. The book is also very attractive, with fine maps and illustrations. If you want to read something new and original about naval warfare's greatest admiral, FOR GOD AND GLORY cannot be (NO! MUST NOT BE) overlooked. It is a lovely book and a great step forward in terms of what we know about Lord Nelson as a warrior.
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Summary: Strange review below. GREAT BOOK to buy.
Review: The reviewer below says he doesn't want to be an iconoclast, but then says nothing much except that he doesn't agree with the author's interpretations or like the modern phrases and terms the author uses. I disagree with him, and note that all other reviewers do too. This is a rather unique book in that it actually has interpretations, not just the same old narrative. And it tries to explain Nelson in ways that modern warriors, who aren't used to old and archaic naval terminology, will understand. I found this book's arguments very strong, and although I cannot say I agree with everything, I found nothing advanced that was not based on very careful research. I think this is a must-have book on a naval genius.
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Summary: Warning: this is not a regular biography. But still get it.!
Review: This book caught me unawares. I bought it thinking it was a biography. It is not; at least not strictly. It is a series of intensely focused essays on aspects of Horatio Lord Nelson's naval career and the ways in which he mastered his profession so completely. Okay, now the warning is out of the way I can say that the book is extremely innovative and very solid and rewarding. It clearly aims to serve a useful purpose for CURRENT military and naval officers. They'll learn a huge amount about esprit de corps, morale, leadership, team-building, cultural tolerance -- all from Nelson's remarkable life. An unusual book, yes. A very valuable book too.
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Summary: Excellent and interesting book full of originality. BRAVO!
Review: This book is a very very good analysis of Lord Nelson's unique way of war. The research is impressive and the author has a very novel but effective approach to one of history's most written about people. It says things I never knew, and that is probably what sets this book apart from most others. It is highly original and takes readers into area's of Lord Nelson's military life that we have never been into before. I liked the good use of antique black and white engravings, and the maps are first-rate. This might not sound important, but when you read about naval battles you really do need good maps. This book is also beautifully written. I found it clear, engaging and very fascinating.
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Summary: A thriller on Nelson's way of war
Review: This book is a well-written account of Nelson's wars and his principles which he handled his military assignments by. Hayward's analysis of wars imparts readers both thrills and a fair evaluation of the great admiral's merits and demerits. In addition to describing Nelson's war strategies,the book also gives concise explanations of historical events like the French revolution, America's independence and of how these events shaped Nelson's fate. The book underlines Nelson's strong belief in God that sympathized him with other religious nations like the Ottomans although they were muslims, not christians like himself. In his book, Hayward builds well on this critical trait of Nelson to explain his relentless fights with the French at that time. Even if the book contains some repititions, I feel that it is a good one to read on Nelson's leadership and sea-war strategies as well as on history.
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Summary: The best biography about nelson
Review: This book is an informative and objective account of Admiral Nelson's career. Hayward praises Admiral Nelson for his humane treatment of subordinate officers and sailors. Hayward also believes that Nelson was innovative in battle because he looked for the waekest section in the enemy's battle line and gave subordinates the freedon to take personal advantage of tactical situations. Nelson, according to Heyward, was considerate to allies such as the Ottomans and the Russians in conducting allied operations in the Mediterranean. But Heyward was strongly critical of the way Nelson handled land warfare in that Nelson was too ready to attack land targets right away rather than respecting the slower seige attacks of the British army. I would reccomned this book who wants an objective book about Nelson's career that doesn't concentrate on the Admiral's personal life.
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Summary: An Instant Classic!! SIMPLY THE BEST RECENT BOOK ON NELSON
Review: This book is an instant classic! Nelson books appear almost every year, as do Napoleon books, but few of them say anything new. This book is the most original book on the world's most famous admiral to appear since, gosh, maybe the second world war. Who has ever before analysed such themes as the impact of spirituality or religion on Nelson's war-making? Who has ever asked whether Nelson actually fought well when ashore? Who has asked whether Nelson made an effective coalition partner or leader? Who has, in recent decades anyway, asked whether Nelson is still RELEVANT to today's navies? Joel Hayward has answered these and many other unique questions, and has written his book with such mastery of English that his eloquence and elegance make the book a genuine pleasure to read. I know nothing about the author but I intend to see what else he has written and I'll buy it. He is a powerfully original thinker and has written the best and most analytical military book I have read aside from the masterly John Keegan himself. This book has my highest recommendation, and then some!!
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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: This is a great book if you want to read about Nelson as a man and a warrior but not about his love life (except when and how it impacts on his fighting and commanding). This is a book about Nelson's "way of war", written by a military academic with obvious expertise in analysing all facets of combat, including morale, fear, maneuver, coalition building, leadership, human resource management, fighting ashore, tactics, strategy, and so on. This may well be the best book on Nelson at war written in decades. It is certainly the most innovative and thought-generating. Great read by a top-notch scholar who makes even dry subjects gripping.
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Summary: Yes, this is as good as the reviews maintain.
Review: This is a sparklingly fresh approach to Lord Nelson's personality and its impact on his "war-fighting" (I used to call this combat, but maybe I'm old-fashioned). The author deserves credit for taking a risk with this approach, which throws away the steadying guide of chronology in favour of a thematic, essay-like format. It works.
I found a couple of very minute and unimportant factual slip-ups, but otherwise the book is precise and accurate, and innovative.
It surprises me that one of my fellow Kiwis, geographically distant from key museums and archives, wrote this. But I'm very proud that this fine and well researched study flowed from the pen of one of my countrymen. One of the reviewers below compared Joe Hayward to John Keegan. How wonderful to have a Keegan-like historian here.
I was especially impressed by the chapters on manoeuvre warfare (which was all new to me), and on coalition warfare and land warfare. Hayward's analysis of Nelson's abilities in these areas is new and unique to him. It's not even derived from the scholarship of other Nelson writers, but appears to come from the author's own background as a senior strategy lecturer here in New Zealand.
I'm a former school teacher and, perhaps because of that, am conscious of grammar and clarity. Yet I admit that the writing in this book is quite marvellous.
Finally, I commend the author on his helpful and super-detailed index, which made it easy to find even the most obscure points of discussion when showing friends the book. Indexes are important, as I wish more writers would learn.
This book is a credit to the author and an important contribution to knowledge.
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Summary: An original work full of innovative ideas
Review: This is a very novel book full of surprising insights and remarkable interpretations, many of them flying in the face of the established views. Yet the author, not even a Brit, never strays from the sources of inserts his own values. The Nelson who emerges is still very much our paradigmatic hero, but he is also a far more believable, three-dimensional human who made far more mistakes in battle, and was far more lucky, than traditional biographers have always said. I think the interpretations are very persuasive and that this is easily the best book on Nelson of the recent crop.
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