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Original Essays | April 30, 2013

Rachel Roellke Coddington: IMG The Top Five Reasons You Should Love Monsters

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By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions

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By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions Cover

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting — a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

Review:

"A vivid and hugely enjoyable pageant of extraordinary tales . . . irresistible." The Economist

Review:

"A virtual encyclopedia on the subject of sword fighting." San Francisco Chronicle

Review:

"A fascinating story told with literary verve." Library Journal (starred review)

Review:

"Like swordplay itself, By the Sword is elegant, accurate, romantic, and full of brio — the definitive study, hugely readable, of man's most deadly art." Simon Winchester

Review:

"Cohen loves the punctilious dressage of fencing...and is particularly drawn to instances where this vanished world has given us a cultural legacy.... His narrative style, too, with its outspoken opinions and talk of fair play, embodies the "heroic archaism" that so evidently delights him." New Yorker

Review:

"There are copious playful asides as footnotes filling the reader in on wonderful facts and anecdotes. For those with even a casual interest in fencing, Cohen's work will be a delightful read; he brings the daunting breadth of the history of the sword within easy reach of the curious." Publishers Weekly

Review:

"A literate, learned, and, beg pardon, razor-sharp history of fencing and kindred martial arts, by an English Olympian and saber master." Kirkus Reviews

Synopsis:

Napoleon fenced. So did Shakespeare, Karl Marx, Grace Kelly, and President Truman, who would cross swords with his daughter, Margaret, when she came home from school. Lincoln was a canny dueler. Igantius Loyala challenged a man to a duel for denying Christ’s divinity (and won). Less successful, but no less enthusiastic, was Mussolini, who would tell his wife he was “off to get spaghetti,” their code to avoid alarming the children. By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting—a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

 

With a new Preface by the author

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About the Author

Richard Cohen is the former publishing director of Hutchinson and Hodder & Stoughton and the founder of Richard Cohen Books. Five times U.K. national saber champion, he was selected for the British Olympic team in 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984. He lives in New York City.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780812969665
Author:
Cohen, Richard
Publisher:
Modern Library
Location:
New York
Subject:
Military - Weapons
Subject:
History
Subject:
Fencing
Subject:
General-General
Copyright:
2003
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Series:
Modern Library Paperbacks
Series Volume:
108-117
Publication Date:
20030831
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
40 ILLUSTRATIONS
Pages:
560
Dimensions:
7.9 x 5.1 x 1.1 in 0.9 lb
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Related Subjects

History and Social Science » Military » Ancient Weapons
History and Social Science » Military » General
History and Social Science » Military » Weapons » General
Sports and Outdoors » Martial Arts » General
Sports and Outdoors » Sports and Fitness » Martial Arts » General
Sports and Outdoors » Sports and Fitness » Miscellaneous Sports

By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions Used Trade Paper
0 stars - 0 reviews
$9.95 In Stock
Product details 560 pages Modern Library - English 9780812969665 Reviews:
"Review" by , "A vivid and hugely enjoyable pageant of extraordinary tales . . . irresistible."
"Review" by , "A virtual encyclopedia on the subject of sword fighting."
"Review" by , "A fascinating story told with literary verve."
"Review" by , "Like swordplay itself, By the Sword is elegant, accurate, romantic, and full of brio — the definitive study, hugely readable, of man's most deadly art."
"Review" by , "Cohen loves the punctilious dressage of fencing...and is particularly drawn to instances where this vanished world has given us a cultural legacy.... His narrative style, too, with its outspoken opinions and talk of fair play, embodies the "heroic archaism" that so evidently delights him."
"Review" by , "There are copious playful asides as footnotes filling the reader in on wonderful facts and anecdotes. For those with even a casual interest in fencing, Cohen's work will be a delightful read; he brings the daunting breadth of the history of the sword within easy reach of the curious."
"Review" by , "A literate, learned, and, beg pardon, razor-sharp history of fencing and kindred martial arts, by an English Olympian and saber master."
"Synopsis" by , Napoleon fenced. So did Shakespeare, Karl Marx, Grace Kelly, and President Truman, who would cross swords with his daughter, Margaret, when she came home from school. Lincoln was a canny dueler. Igantius Loyala challenged a man to a duel for denying Christ’s divinity (and won). Less successful, but no less enthusiastic, was Mussolini, who would tell his wife he was “off to get spaghetti,” their code to avoid alarming the children. By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting—a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

 

With a new Preface by the author
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