Author: Richard Holmes
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication Date: 2002
Pages: 466
Format: Paperback
Genre: History/Non-Fiction
Source: Xmas Gift
Redcoat is the brilliant story of the common British soldier from 1700 to 1900, based on the letters and diaries of the men who served and the women who followed them. Delving into the history of the period – charting events including Wolfe's victory and death at Quebec, Wellington's Peninsular War, Waterloo, the retreat from Kabul and the Sikh wars – celebrated military historian Richard Holmes provides a comprehensive portrait of a fallible but extraordinarily successful fighting force. (Goodreads Synopsis)
Redcoat was a really hard book for me to rate because I found it both interesting and dull at the same time. It was deeply interesting to learn more about the British army in the period, and Holmes is clearly both knowledgeable and passionate about the subject; however, at times the prose really dragged, bogged down by dull facts and figures, and in those moments I started skim-reading, eager to get to the next section. Therefore, I would not recommend this title for the casual reader who enjoys a story-like element to their non-fiction, but it would be of great use to someone researching the period and/or the military as it is chock full of fascinating details. 3.5 stars
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