Three In One

SOME 20 years ago I received, as an incentive, I believe, for renewing my membership of the Pike & Shot Society, a modestly sized booklet of Renaissance military texts.

Inside were extracts from three publications: a diary of the French 1684 siege of the city of Luxembourg, the London Gazette of July 1705, and letters from a junior officer in Marlborough's army (whether any of these date from the Renaissance is a moot point).

The fact it has taken me two decades to get round to reading the booklet suggests, correctly, that the subject matters were not of great interest to me.

Nevertheless, having at last opened it and dived in, I am glad I did, and I finished it, which is more than I can say for some books.

Handsome cover - fairly interesting contents