Fifty Weapons that Changed the Course of History

This book reviews the role of military technology in human history through an examination of fifty weapons that had a significant impact on the art of warfare, as well as wider social and political implications. Levy, an author and journalist who specializes in science and history (A Bee in a Cathedral), describes military devices and implements in encyclopedic-style entries in which he discusses their origin, technical aspects, and their importance in the battlefield. Each entry is placed in a social, political, tactical, or technical category that outlines the ways the course of history was affected by the use of weapon, and is supplemented with historical illustrations, photographs, and sometimes with diagrams representing the anatomy of weapons and their key features. The choice of topics reflects the personal preferences of the author and his inconsistent interpretation of the term "weapon." Readers may be surprised by the inclusion of smallpox, as a "deliberate form of biological warfare" used by Spaniards against the Aztec, and by the absence of carronade, Naval mines, and torpedoes. The book is well-suited to satisfy the curiosity of history buffs interested in weaponry. (Sept.)