Camillo Agrippa's widely influential "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was a turning point in the history of fencing. The author - an engineer by trade and not a professional master of arms - was able to radically re-imagine teaching the art of fencing. Agrippa's treatise is the fundamental text of Western swordsmanship. Just as earlier swordsmanship can be better understood from Agrippa's critiques, so too was his book the starting point for the rapier era. Every other treatise of the early-modern period had to deal explicitly or implicitly with Agrippa's startling transformation of the art and science of self-defense with the sword. Likewise, all of the fundamental ideas that are still used today - distance, time, line, blade opposition, counterattacks and countertime - are expressed in this paradigm-shifting treatise. This is a work that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history, practice or teaching of fencing. His treatise was also a microcosm of sixteenth-century thought. It examines the art, reduces it to its very principles, and reconstructs it according to a way of thinking that incorporated new concepts of art, science and philosophy. Contained within this handy volume are concrete examples of a new questioning of received wisdom and a turn toward empirical proofs, hallmarks of the Enlightenment. The treatise also presents evidence for a redefinition of elite masculinity in the wake of the military revolution of the sixteenth century. At the same time, is offers suggestive clues to the place of the hermetic tradition in the early-modern intellectual life and its implications for the origins of modern science. Camillo Agrippa's "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was first published in Rome in 1553 by the papal printer Antonio Blado. The original treatise was illustrated with 67 engravings that belong to the peak of Renaissance design. They are reproduced here in full. "Mondschein has at last made available to English-speaking readers one of the most important texts in the history of European martial arts. Agrippa marks a turning point in the intellectual history of these arts.... Mondschein's introduction to his work helps the reader understand Agrippa - and the martial practices themselves - as pivotal agents in the evolving cultural and intellectual systems of the sixteenth century. Above all, Mondschein's translation is refreshingly clean and idiomatic, rendering the systematic clarity of the Italian original into equally clear modern English - evidence of the author's familiarity with modern fencing and understanding of the physical realities that his author is trying to express. Mondschein's contextualization of his topic points the way for future scholarly exploration, and his translation will doubtless be valued by both students of cultural history and practitioners of modern sword arts." - Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng, Paul S. Morgan Curator -Higgins Armory Museum, Adj. Assoc. Prof. of Humanities, Worcester Polytechnic Institute First English translation. Hardcover, 234 pages, 67 illustrations, introduction, bibliography, glossary, appendix, index."

The Journal of Medieval Military History continues to consolidate its now assured position as the leading academic vehicle for scholarly publication in the field of medieval warfare. Medieval Warfare This volume focuses on two of the most vibrant areas of research in the field: Crusader studies and the warfare of the Late Middle Ages, embracing a diversity of approaches. Chapters look at the battle of Tell Bashir (1108) in thecontext of Saljuq politics; the defenses of 'Altit castle, one of the Templars' strongest fortifications, from an archaeological perspective; the involvement of the Military Orders in secular conflicts, particularly in Europe; and how royal women affected and were affected by the wars of Castile and the Crown of Aragon in the fourteenth century. Fencing competitions are used to explore masculinity and status in Strasbourg from the late Middle Ages into the early modern period, and key aspects of the actual conduct of warfare in the fifteenth century come under detailed scrutiny: the role of cavalry in turning the Hundred Years War in favour of the French, and the logistical and procurement difficulties and methods involved in fielding a Florentine army in 1498. The volume is completed with a translation and discussion of Guillaume Guiart's rich description of a French royal army on the march and in camp atthe start of the fourteenth century. Contributors: Fabrizio Ansani, Drew Bolinger, Oliver Dupuis, Ehud Galili, Michael Harbinson, Donald J. Kagay, Michael Livingston, Ken Mondschein, Helen J. Nicholson, Avrahem Ronen,Andrew L.J. Villalon

This new, enhanced leather-bound edition includes all the completed novels of beloved author Jane Austen. Jane Austen's stories of clever women, elusive love, and social mores have struck a chord with millions of fans who consider her work compelling, heartwarming, and essential. Adapted time and again for screen and stage, these enduring classics remain as enjoyable as ever, and are the perfect addition to every home library. This collector's edition includes all six of Austen's completed novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion. New readers will be enchanted once they open the genuine leather cover, see the specially designed endpapers, and read these brilliant stories, while readers familiar with Austen's genius will enjoy the introduction from an acclaimed Austen scholar that provides background and context for the works they've always loved.

The success of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels and HBO's Game of Thrones series underscores the perennial popularity of medieval history-or rather ""medievalism,"" the idea of the Middle Ages. Medievalist movies, books and video games are lucrative property in the multi-billion-dollar entertainment industry, and Renaissance fairs, reenactment groups and historical martial arts clubs have become prominent in pop culture. Yet actual medieval history-especially medieval military history-remains a niche subject of scholarship. This book, written by an historian and medieval martial arts expert, explains how Martin's fantasy world reflects real history.

"The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness." "So long as ignorance and poverty exist on earth, books of the nature of Les Miserables cannot fail to be of use," says Victor Hugo in the preface of his famous novel. Certainly, Les Miserables is French history recounted through the personal stories of its main characters. The tale offers philosophical insight on the good deeds that can happen even amidst ignorance and poverty. This handsome leather-bound volume is a beautiful addition to any classic literature library with specially designed endpapers, gilded edges, and a ribbon bookmark so you will never lose your place.

A beautiful leather-bound collectible volume of Jack London's stories. From hard-edged adventures in the Klondike territory to harrowing experiences on the South Seas, Jack London's three most popular novels form the basis of this collection. Popular short stories round out this beautiful leather-bound volume that will be a treasured addition to any home library. You'll enjoy hours of reading infused with the romance, hopes, and frustrations of one of the world's most widely read authors.

No library's complete without the classics! This new, enhanced leather-bound edition collects the legendary fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. They are the stories we've known since we were children. Rapunzel. Hansel and Gretel. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. But the works originally collected by the Brothers Grimm in the early 1800s are not necessarily the versions we heard before bedtime. They're darker and often don't end very happily--but they're often far more interesting. This elegant edition of Grimm's Complete Fairy Tales includes all our cherished favorites--Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Cap, and many more--in their original versions. With specially designed end papers, a genuine leather cover, and other enhancements, it's the perfect gift for anyone looking to build a complete home library. Many of these tales begin with the familiar refrain of "once upon a time"--but they end with something unexpected and fascinating!

Classic tales of fairies and princesses, ducklings and dancing shoes from the master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen. All the best-loved fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, including "The Ugly Duckling," "Thumbelina," "The Red Shoes," "The Princess on the Pea," and "The Emperor's New Clothes," fill the pages of this beautiful leather-bound collector's edition. Also included is "The Tallow Candle"-one of the earliest stories written by Andersen, just discovered recently! A great book of bedtime stories or for rainy day reading, as there are both short and long anecdotes included. The attached bookmark ribbon ensures you'll never lose your place as you wander through the imagination of one of the most popular children's writers of all time. Curl up with this collection of classics and lose yourself in childhood memories.

Understanding the past takes more forms than historiography. Since 2005, professional and amateur scholars have come together at the annual International Medieval Congress in Western Michigan University to discuss the role re-construction, re-enactment and re-creation can play in 'breathing life into these dry bones' to deepen our knowledge of the past. Under the sponsorship of the Higgins Armory Museum and the Oakeshott Institute, presenters have looked at subjects ranging from ore smelting to equitation to the use of recreation and reenactment in the classroom. A special focus of these sessions has always been the critical examination of European fencing books, or Fechtbucher - not only for the sake of reconstructing the arts found therein, but also for what these sources can tell us about intellectual, cultural and social history. Thanks in part to editors' Mondschein and Cramer's work, the study of fencing books has rapidly become a recognized field of academic study. This volume brings together eight papers examining the study and reconstruction of medieval and early modern fight-books and related subjects. The subjects covered range from manuscript studies to philology, from Aristotelian physics to martial musicality, from medieval textuality to women and warfare. It will be of interest not only to professional historians, musicologists, literary scholars and art historians, but also to the vast army of impassioned and enthusiastic practitioners who endeavor, as a labour of love, to make the past come to life.

Camillo Agrippa's widely influential "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was a turning point in the history of fencing. The author - an engineer by trade and not a professional master of arms - was able to radically re-imagine teaching the art of fencing. Agrippa's treatise is the fundamental text of Western swordsmanship. Just as earlier swordsmanship can be better understood from Agrippa's critiques, so too was his book the starting point for the rapier era. Every other treatise of the early-modern period had to deal explicitly or implicitly with Agrippa's startling transformation of the art and science of self-defense with the sword. Likewise, all of the fundamental ideas that are still used today - distance, time, line, blade opposition, counterattacks and countertime - are expressed in this paradigm-shifting treatise. This is a work that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history, practice or teaching of fencing. His treatise was also a microcosm of sixteenth-century thought. It examines the art, reduces it to its very principles, and reconstructs it according to a way of thinking that incorporated new concepts of art, science and philosophy. Contained within this handy volume are concrete examples of a new questioning of received wisdom and a turn toward empirical proofs, hallmarks of the Enlightenment. The treatise also presents evidence for a redefinition of elite masculinity in the wake of the military revolution of the sixteenth century. At the same time, is offers suggestive clues to the place of the hermetic tradition in the early-modern intellectual life and its implications for the origins of modern science. Camillo Agrippa's "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was first published in Rome in 1553 by the papal printer Antonio Blado. The original treatise was illustrated with 67 engravings that belong to the peak of Renaissance design. They are reproduced here in full. "Mondschein has at last made available to English-speaking readers one of the most important texts in the history of European martial arts. Agrippa marks a turning point in the intellectual history of these arts.... Mondschein's introduction to his work helps the reader understand Agrippa - and the martial practices themselves - as pivotal agents in the evolving cultural and intellectual systems of the sixteenth century. Above all, Mondschein's translation is refreshingly clean and idiomatic, rendering the systematic clarity of the Italian original into equally clear modern English - evidence of the author's familiarity with modern fencing and understanding of the physical realities that his author is trying to express. Mondschein's contextualization of his topic points the way for future scholarly exploration, and his translation will doubtless be valued by both students of cultural history and practitioners of modern sword arts." - Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng, Paul S. Morgan Curator -Higgins Armory Museum, Adj. Assoc. Prof. of Humanities, Worcester Polytechnic Institute First English translation. Paperback, 234 pages, 67 illustrations, introduction, bibliography, glossary, appendix, index."