Armor Author:Sean Morrison This is the history not only of armor but of the men who made it and those who wore it - from the earliest simplest battle protection (or padded clothing) to the ultimate in tournament armor when, "by the time the knight had been screwed and bolted and pinned and hooked into this outfit, he could scarcely move. He was hardly needed anyway. ... more »The tilting suit almost fought the joust by itself." It is also the history of war, for, as weapons and armor changed, so did the characteristics of battles and wars. Indeed, the armor that a man wore influenced his behavior and his thinking, and Sean Morrison has given here insights into the external factors that molded eras and nations.
Mr. Morrisons's wry wit flashes throughout the pages, bringing armor out of the dusty corners of museums into a lively, polished panorama of some of the most fascinating craftsmanship and artwork of the civilized world.
In addition to writing authentically and engagingly about men and their armor, Mr. Morrison is a gifted artist whose detailed illustrations are an invaluable complement to the text.
Here is history on many levels: the history of words (the origin of such words as bullet-proof, for instance) the history of man and his wars and his armor - right up to the modern tank. A delight to read, this is history at its most fascinating.« less