Is Delbrucks \"History of the art of war\" worth it?

[Darth_Roach]

I am thinking of purchasing the first two volumes at the moment, and would like to know if they are worth buying - although the $45 cost seems to be rather low.

[Dan Howard]

It's definitely worthy reading. Not sure whether it is worth space on the bookshelf at home. I've never had cause to refer to it during a writing project.

[Sean Manning]

Delbruck is definitely worth reading, especially his analysis of Caesar's wars and his recognition that Greek ideas about uncountable Persian armies did not necessarily have anything to do with reality. He does tend to state things more strongly than the evidence allows.

[Darth_Roach]

It's definitely worthy reading. Not sure whether it is worth space on the bookshelf at home. I've never had cause to refer to it during a writing project.

Well, since it's not to be found in any library in Latvia I know of, I'd be more than happy to use some of my shelf space for it.

@Sean So... He's good as long as I take him with a grain of salt?

[Sean Manning]

@Sean So... He's good as long as I take him with a grain of salt?

Yes. We have learned a bit in the past 90 years, and he borrowed a lot of ideas from his friends in the Prussian army, but he has some interesting ideas. The parts on ancient warfare have not aged badly but he does have some fixed ideas.