A review by caddysnack
Carnage and Culture: Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power by Victor Davis Hanson

1.0

Beyond any problems with Hanson's thesis (any all encompassing historical thesis is guilty of cherry picking), this book is too poorly written to slog through! I made it through the first three of the nine battles and barely, at that. There is very little narrative logic, either in the chapter organization or even in individual sentences. The battles are not discussed linearly, but are often introduced from the middle (or near end) of the battle and then at some point later in the chapter the actual context and leading events are given (and even then, in a very unclear manner). It is very confusing. The subsequent discussion of how each battle represents this superior Western military culture and power is likewise poorly delivered and lacks cohesion. I wanted to enjoy this book more than I did, but alas it is not worth the time it takes to read and comprehend.