Hotspur - Sir Henry Percy and the Myth of Chivalry

Hotspur - Sir Henry Percy and the Myth of Chivalry written by John Sadler and

published by Pen & Sword Books - £25.00 - Hardback - Pages 256

On 21 July 1403 Sir Henry Percy – better known as Hotspur – led a rebel army out at

Shrewsbury to face the forces of King Henry IV. The battle was both bloody and decisive.

Hotspur was shot down by an arrow and killed. Posthumously he was declared a traitor

and his lands were forfeited to the crown. This was an ignominious end to the brilliant

career of one of the most famous medieval noblemen, a remarkable soldier, diplomat

and courtier who played a leading role in the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. How did

he earn his extraordinary reputation, and why did Shakespeare portray him as a

fearsomely brave but flawed hero who, despite a traitor’s death, remained the mirror of

chivalry? These are questions John Sadler seeks to answer in the first full biography of

this legendary figure to be published for over twenty years.

Hotspur’s exploits as a soldier in France during the Hundred Years War, against the Scots in the Scottish borders and at the battles of Otterburn, Homildon Hill and Shrewsbury have overshadowed his diplomatic role as a loyal royal servant in missions to Prussia, Cyprus, Ireland and Aquitaine. And, as the heir to one of the foremost noble families of northern England, he was an important player not only in the affairs of the North but of the kingdom as a whole. So, as John Sadler reveals in this highly readable study, Hotspur was a much more varied and interesting character than his narrow reputation for headstrong attack and rebellion suggests.

This book follows the life of Henry Percy, we learn a history of his family growing up in Yorkshire and how he became a major figure on the Anglo-Scottish border. It’s an interesting story in that we learn a lot about politics and the interactions between families and those in power at the time. It was amazing to find how fickle people with their loyalties were, as it seems many chopped and changed their allegiances. 

This book was also a good insight into the motivation of Henry Percy, how he progressed as a soldier, leader and schemer. His final campaign against Henry IV came very near to being a  success. Overall, the book is very informative and I have learnt a lot, this book would be a great read for those involved in that particular period of time.

A History of Herbalism

A History of Herbalism written by Emma Kay and published by Pen & Sword Books

 - £20 - Hardback - Pages 224

Food historian Emma Kay tells the story of our centuries-old relationship with herbs. From herbalists of old to contemporary cooking, this book reveals the magical and medicinal properties of your favourite plants in colourful, compelling detail.

At one time, every village in Britain had a herbalist. A History of Herbalism investigates the lives of women and men who used herbs to administer treatment and knew the benefit of each. Meet Dr Richard Shephard of Preston, who cultivated angelica on his estate in the eighteenth century for the sick and injured; or Nicholas Culpeper, a botanist who catalogued the pharmaceutical benefits of herbs for early literary society.

But herbs were not only medicinal. Countless cultures and beliefs as far back as prehistoric times incorporated herbs into their practices: paganism, witchcraft, religion and even astrology. Take a walk through a medieval ‘physick’ garden, or Early Britain, and learn the ancient rituals to fend off evil powers, protect or bewitch or even attract a lover.

The wake of modern medicine saw a shift away from herbal treatments, with rituals and spells shrouded with superstition as the years wore on. The author reveals how herbs became more culinary rather than medicinal including accounts of recent trends for herbal remedies as lockdown and the pandemic leads us to focus more on our health and wellbeing.

This is one interesting book, A History of Herbalism and I would like to thank Pen & Sword Books for allowing me to read and review this book. I have to admit that I have always been fascinated by the natural world and its abilities to help us in any sort of medical or health situation. The book is split into three sections in that the first section looks at the history of herbalism and the way it has been perceived by the population. It then goes on to look at herbs and medicinal herbs and their benefit to magic and medicine. Then finally the book has a wide range of recipes that are specific to vegetables, meats, fish and desserts. This is one of those books that you read once but then read again a number of times or look up specifics. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

Alistair MacLean's War

Alistair MacLean’s War - How the War Shaped his Bestsellers written by Mark Simmons

and published by Pen & Sword Books - £20.00 - Hardback - Pages 208

It is no coincidence that many of Alistair MacLean's most successful novels were sea stories. In 1941, he was called up after volunteering for the Royal Navy and served as Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman, and Leading Torpedo Operator. For the majority of his service, he was on HMS Royalist, a modified Dido-class light cruiser, seeing action in the Arctic, and operations against the German battleship Tirpitz . The ship then deployed to the Mediterranean taking part in Operation Dragoon the invasion of the South of France and later in operations against German occupied Greek Islands in the Aegean. After which MacLean and Royalist were deployed to the Indian Ocean and operations against the Japanese in Malaya, Burma, and Sumatra.

His wartime experiences coupled with exceptional literary skill resulted in the runaway success of his first novel HMS Ulysses (1955) followed by The Guns of Navarone (1957) and South by Java Head (1958). These three blockbusters cemented his position as one of the most successful and highly paid authors of the era.

While not a whole life biography, Mark Simmon’s book provides a fascinating insight into Maclean’s war service and subsequent works, which deserve enduring popularity.

I have to admit my father was a big fan of Alistair MacLean’s various books, asking him once as a teenager why he read his books, he said he enjoyed reading thrillers and really enjoyed MacLean’s books as they were about war and thriller type books. So since then, I have read a few of MacLean’s books too when wanting something easy to read, and I’m pretty sure I’ve read The Guns of Navarone and a few others after that. Like my father, I enjoyed these books too, so it was excellent to be given the chance to read and review this book.

The book, split into 21 chapters and takes a good look at MacLeans’s life mainly his life as a Naval serviceman, as we get to discover his work life, the ships he was on and some of the missions he was a part of, and you can see where he got a good few of his ideas would then go on to use in his novels. For any fans of Alistair MacLean, I’m sure they would really enjoy this book as it’s a good easy read much like the books he wrote himself.

The Dark History of Sugar

A Dark History of Sugar written by Neil Buttery and published by Pen & Sword

Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 256

A Dark History of Sugar delves into our evolutionary history to explain why sugar is so loved, yet is the root cause of so many bad things.

Europe’s colonial past and Britain’s Empire were founded and fuelled on sugar, as was the United States, the greatest superpower on the planet – and they all relied upon slave labour to catalyse it.

A Dark History of Sugar focusses upon the role of the slave trade in sugar production and looks beyond it to how the exploitation of the workers didn’t end with emancipation. It reveals the sickly truth behind the detrimental impact of sugar’s meteoric popularity on the environment and our health. Advertising companies peddle their sugar-laden wares to children with fun cartoon characters, but the reality is not so sweet.

A Dark History of Sugar delves into our long relationship with this sweetest and most ancient of commodities. The book examines the impact of the sugar trade on the economies of Britain and the rest of the world, as well as its influence on health and cultural and social trends over the centuries.

Renowned food historian Neil Buttery takes a look at some of the lesser-known elements of the history of sugar, delving into the murky and mysterious aspects of its phenomenal rise from the first cultivation of the sugar cane plant in Papua New Guinean in 8,000 BCE to becoming an integral part of the cultural fabric of life in Britain and the rest of the West – at whatever cost. The dark history of sugar is one of exploitation: of slaves and workers, of the environment and of the consumer. Wars have been fought over it and it is responsible for what is potentially to be the planet’s greatest health crisis.

And yet we cannot get enough of it, for sugar and sweetness has cast its spell over us all; it is comfort and we reminisce fondly about the sweets, cakes, puddings and fizzy drinks of our childhoods with dewy-eyed nostalgia. To be sweet means to be good, to be innocent; in this book Neil Buttery argues that sugar is nothing of the sort. Indeed, it is guilty of some of the worst crimes against humanity and the planet.

The Dark History of Sugar was never going to be a light delightful read really, as we all know it has a dark past with a lot of its roots in slavery and a manipulation of poor communities, there are also those that would argue that sugar was a drug and is responsible for many deaths around the world. But the book is very good in that it doesn't just look at slavery being the only downside to sugar, there has been much research gone on and comes out in this book is a comprehensive book that looks at the time before slavery in the Caribbean and the US.

The book also looks at the science and the revelations of companies that could see the high addictiveness of sugar and used that to enormous effect in who they appealed to, how they would appeal to consumers and what levels of the sugar was needed to keep people in a way hooked. A really well-written book that was made to be informative and easy to read. A book well worth taking the time to read.

The British Bonapartes

The British Bonapartes written by Edward Hilary Davis and published by

Pen & Sword Books - £22.00 - Hardback - Pages 200

A hitherto unexamined history of the wider Bonaparte family, presented in a new way and

shedding fresh light on their eventful lives in Britain. From duels on Wimbledon Common and

attempted suicides in Hyde Park, to public brawls and arrests in Shropshire and the sexual

adventures of a princess who rescued Freud from the Nazis and brought him to Britain, this

book exposes the curious events surrounding the family’s exploits in England, Scotland and

Ireland. Originally an island family themselves, the Bonapartes have had a surprisingly good

relationship with the British Isles. In just two generations, the Bonapartes went from being

Britain’s worst enemy to one of Queen Victoria’s closest of friends. Far from another mere

history of Napoleon Bonaparte, this book is divided into different branches of the Bonaparte

family, detailing – in an anecdotal and amusing way – their rather scandalous lives in Britain.

For example, few will know that Napoleon III was once a volunteer constable in London and arrested a drunk woman; or that Princess Marie Bonaparte sponsored Prince Philip’s education as well as conducted her own research into the clitoris in her quest to achieve an orgasm; or that Napoleon IV fought for the British army and was killed by the Zulus; or that one Bonaparte was even made a High Sheriff in a British town. Today, the head of the family is London-based and works in finance. The Bonapartes are known to most as the enemies of Britain, but the truth is quite the opposite, and far more entertaining.

This was an entertaining look at the wider family of the British Bonapartes, and although I went into the book expecting something prim and well-to-do, the book was actually quite an entertaining read. Some of the little stories were shall we say a little surprising but overall the book was quite humorous, appealing and informative. I always find it amazing to find out the various activities, events and sometimes scandals that go on in some families. I enjoyed this book very much and would happily recommend it.

Fighting with the Long Range Desert Group

Fighting with the Long Range Desert Group written by Brendan O’Carroll and

published by Pen & Sword Books - £20 - Hardback - Pages 272

Formed in 1940 the Long Range Desert Group was the first Allied Special Forces unit established to operate behind German and Italian lines in North Africa. Its officers and men were volunteers recruited from British and Commonwealth units. Merlyn Craw was serving with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force when he joined the LRDG in 1941. He took part in numerous missions in the desert. The navigational driving and fighting skills of the LRDG were legendary and they were frequently responsible for transporting Stirling’s SAS detachments on raids.

Merlyn’s luck ran out when he was captured on the Barce raid in September 1942, but he escaped twice, the second time making it back to Allied lines. Sent home on leave, he returned to Italy with the New Zealand Army. After a ‘disagreement’ he went AWOL and rejoined the LRDG with no questions asked, serving until the end of the war.

Drawing on interviews with Merlyn and other former LRDG veterans, the author has created a vivid picture of this exceptional and highly decorated fighting man. Readers cannot fail to be impressed by the courage and ruthless determination of Merlyn Craw MM and his comrades.

This book follows along with additions from other fellow soldiers, Merlyn Craw who served with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and joined the Long Range Desert Group. The author Brendan O’Carroll, draws upon on the diaries and records of Merlyn Craw and his fellow soldiers as they participate in a number of missions behind enemy lines. 

We also see in a couple of chapters where Craw is captured on one raid and becomes a prisoner of war in Italy but manages to escape before eventually making it back to friendly lines. The book is split into 13 chapters and gives an excellent insight into working as part of the LRDG in the everyday roles and their combat missions. The book is complemented throughout with a good number of photographs which do add to the insight and lives of these guys going on their special missions. I would say that most readers would enjoy this book and if you are interested in this part of the war you’ll definitely enjoy it.

Carmen Pomies

Carmen Pomies - Football Legend & Heroine written by Chris Rowe and

published by Pen & Sword Books - £25.00 - Hardback - Pages 240

Carmen Pomiès (1900-1982) is a significant figure in the history of women’s football in the interwar years. Carmen was in the first generation of women’s sport in France, first in athletics, winning medals throwing the javelin in international competitions, and playing football for Fémina Sports and France from 1920. Her life in sport is intertwined with key personalities such as Alice Milliat and Violette Morris.

Carmen also played a huge part in the story of women’s football in England: she played many times for and against the famous Dick, Kerr Ladies of Preston, including their 1922 football tour of the United States. Carmen became almost an honorary Englishwoman, making lifelong friends of important footballers such as Florrie Redford, Lily Parr and Lizzy Ashcroft. During these years, Carmen was not only a player but also an important influence in promoting the game and fighting for equality. Carmen also had fascinating siblings: her brother Georges was a film star and famous modern dancer who died tragically young, her older sister Hélène was a left-wing author and translator.

From 1940 Carmen was secretary to a famous film star, Renée Saint-Cyr, and was active in the French Resistance. In 1946, she settled in Rochester NY before moving to New York to work for the United Nations. From 1956, her life is shrouded in mystery because of gaps in the evidence. She died in France in 1982. So her life is about much more than just football.

Carmen Pomies was a figure I must admit to never hearing of previous to reading this interesting book. A woman of real character and who was you argue a forerunner for women in being able to achieve and doing what they wanted. I have to say at this point that the number of and standard of sporting books particularly football both women and men is very high and incredibly interesting, as a football, I fan I am loving all about these new sporting characters I have little or no knowledge of. They really show there was a time when sporting people were leaders and strived to achieve goals for others to follow.

It turns out that Carmen Pomies, a young woman from France was it seems a very good, high achieving athlete of note taking part in field events notably the javelin and athletics, and then, later on, she moved on to football playing regularly for Femina Sports and internationally as she was particularly well known in England too. We learn that during the outbreak of the Second World War she was having to live under German occupation but she then got involved with the French Resistance to support the French cause. What a fascinating woman and a very well written book, it’s a book that leaves you wanting to meet her and ask her lots of questions yourself.