Reviews for Death or Glory: The Legacy of the Crimean War

The average rating for Death or Glory: The Legacy of the Crimean War based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-07-25 00:00:00 Paul Silano This was an informative and interesting book. I really knew almost nothing about the Crimean War, and this book taught me a lot. It includes many first hand accounts and stories from soldiers from both sides, both officers and troops, and from nurses and journalists involved. Definitely a good read.

Review # 2 was written on 2012-01-28 00:00:00 Lorraine Crockett For a decent primer on the why-how-what-when of the Crimean War, this is a good book to have on the shelf. One of the most puzzling wars ever fought is explained thoroughly, even down to the games and sports the soldiers preferred...when they weren't trying to halve the opposition with cannon. However, it seems to be written as a thesis project, because out-of-the-blue there will be references to the American Civil War. While I understand the title of the book includes the word "legacy", it doesn't seem to really provide a path to that legacy. Thus, the constant references to the Civil War, that had not yet been fought, is rather a pain. In one instance, there is an exceptionally long paragraph that suddenly ends with one sentence about the Yanks and Confederates. Weird. In any case, I suggest you do NOT eat before or while reading this book. The gore is well explained, as the various sides do their best to kill each other in a war that solved absolutely nothing. It did, however, bring about an understanding of military medicine as more men died of disease in the Crimean War than of gunshots and sabres. The Charge of the Light Brigade is also here, with an explanation as to why the fools did what they did. And yet the stupidity of the military leadership in the Crimea was still there sixty years later in WWI. We never learn. Book Season = Winter (so you can feel the horrific conditions these men felt)