This classic work on the French Revolution and Napoleonic era has been thoroughly updated to reflect the most recent scholarship on a magnificently complex epoch. Appropriate for upper-level French Revolution and Napoleonic era courses; this text's primary purpose is to give students the generally accepted "story" of the era and to furnish them with the basic knowledge to put in context the more sophisticated works listed in the bibliography.
#330090 in Books 2016-12-26 11.00 x .43 x 8.50l; #File Name: 154130313X172 pages
Review
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Rickenbacker Just Back from France!By W. G. ToddI read this years ago while Rickenbacker still lived. This race car driver turned fighter pilot wrote this when he was still a young man just back from the first air war in 1919. In reading it again as an adult I was surprised to find that he was quite honest and self efacing. When he made a mistake he was forthcoming about it. In many incidents contained in this book it is obvious that luck played an enormous part in survival of pilots in those days; as the training and equipment by today's standards was to put it bluntly; inadequate. I imagine that this book is still a good one for fighter jocks of today because there are still lessons here that apply to today's combat environment. It is always easier to learn from someone else's experiences than to repeat them yourself. If you want to learn what it was like to fight in the air in the First World War this is your book. It is on a par with James McCudden's book "Flying Fury;" and that is high praise indeed.Since reading this book I have read Rickenbacker's autobiography and was not nearly as impressed as I was with this book. By the 1960's Rickenbacker had mellowed and his words were carefully chosen and not nearly as spontaneous as in this book. After all; by then he had been a CEO of Eastern Airlines; and seemed more guarded about his reputation.The Kindle price of this fine book works for me!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Rickenbacker gives a no-nonsense account of the real facts of air combat in the early days.By Dave in MissouriOne of the great classics about aerial combat in the Great War.Most of the high scoring aces didn't live to write a history of fighter operations in the First World War; so first hand information is sparse.This is a must-read for those interested in what it was like.Many flying techniques are described in terms no longer used or understood these days; but since the book was written in 1919 that excusable.Rickenbacker was America's top ace of the war and survived to lead a charmed life for the rest of his days.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A good book about WWI aviationBy Alexander N.I've read biographies and Rickenbacker's autobiography and this book still stands out; showing the development of his leadership qualities during the short time he was actually in action in France during WWI. It was his first attempt writing a book and it's remarkable in its clear; concise account. A very good addition to your aviation bookshelf.
