The Salient

[George Armstrong Custer]

Spotted this in Waterstone's today, but only had the briefest of moments to leaf through it. Initial impressions were favourable. I haven't seen any reviews of it in the press, and none on Amazon as yet, and their synopsis is not exactly in-depth:

Distinguished biographer and historian of modern Europe Alan Palmer tells the story of the war in Flanders as a conflict that has left a deep social and political mark on the history of Europe. Denying Germany possession of the historic town of Ypres and access to the Channel coast was crucial to Britain's victory in 1918. But though Flanders' battlefields are the closest on the continent to English shores, this was always much more than a narrowly British conflict. Passchendaele, the Menin Road, Hill 60 and the Messines Ridge remain names etched in folk memory. Militarily and tactically the four-year long campaign was innovative and a grim testing-ground with constantly changing ideas of strategy and disputes between politicians and generals. Alan Palmer details all its aspects in an illuminating history of the place as much as the fighting man's experience.

I wonder if anyone here has read it and can comment on it? Priced at £20, Waterstone's were offering it at £4 off.

ciao,

GAC

[AlanCurragh]

George - I've just finished "The Salient" - it was an enjoyable, if insubstantial read. Some interesting stuff about Ypres pre and post war, but the coverage of the war itself is rather superficial. The chapter on 3rd Ypres, for instance, is only 12 pages long, so is very short of detail. Very unlikely to tell you much you don't already know, or can easily find out elsewhere.

Perhaps one to get from the library then....

Cheers

Alan

[keithfazzani]

I am half way through and so far I agree with Alan. I had expected a detailed exposition of the Salient but found lots of padding about other parts of the front which is available in many books and not enough detail on the Salient. A decent read but as Alan said best from the Library - certainly not a reference book.

[George Armstrong Custer]

Many thanks, Gentlemen! I think I will go with your judgement and pass on this one - maybe taking a look, as suggested, when it show up in the library!

ciao,

GAC