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review Archive
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![<p>What happens when you face an opponent who read my last post and is standing in front of you in Straight Parrying or, to a much lesser extent, Iron Gate? What do you do?</p>
<p>Meyer is not particularly clear on this point but, as he says, he gives a range of examples from which the reader is supposed to deduce the principles at work, many of which will be familiar from the section on the longsword or from other schools of rapier play. He says in general that “ you should not go out more than a hand’s breadth to […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/category-fencing1-115x115.jpg "Meyer’s Rapier: Attacking the Straight Parry")
Meyer’s Rapier: Attacking the Straight Parry
Posted on 10 June, 2011 | No CommentsWhat happens when you face an opponent who read my last post and is standing in front of you in Straight Parrying or, to a much lesser extent, Iron Gate? What do you do?
Meyer is not particularly clear on this point but, as he says, he gives a range of examples from which the reader is supposed to deduce the principles at work, many of which will be familiar from the section on the longsword or from other schools of rapier play. He says in general that “ you should not go out more than a hand’s breadth to […]
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![<p><strong>Title</strong>: The Trial of the Templars<br />
<strong>Author</strong>: Malcolm Barber<br />
<strong>Paperback</strong>: 408 pages<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong>: Cambridge University Press, 1978 (Second edition 2006)<br />
<strong>Language</strong>: English</p>
<p>Although the Trial of the Templars is now more than thirty years old, it is still the best study of the period written in English. This is a period, a long with the Crusade against the Cathars, which is well known and studied in French but for which very little English material of any quality exists.</p>
<p>In this book, Barber has presented documentary and other first hand evidence of the arrest, trial and […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/19709-115x115.jpg "Review: The Trial of the Templars")
Review: The Trial of the Templars
Posted on 25 November, 2010 | No CommentsTitle: The Trial of the Templars
Author: Malcolm Barber
Paperback: 408 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1978 (Second edition 2006)
Language: EnglishAlthough the Trial of the Templars is now more than thirty years old, it is still the best study of the period written in English. This is a period, a long with the Crusade against the Cathars, which is well known and studied in French but for which very little English material of any quality exists.
In this book, Barber has presented documentary and other first hand evidence of the arrest, trial and […]
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![<p><strong>Title</strong>: The Aegean Bronze Age<br />
<strong>Author</strong>: Oliver Dickinson<br />
<strong>Paperback</strong>: 364 pages<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong>: Cambridge University Press (1994)<br />
<strong>Language</strong>: English</p>
<p>This is a much-needed summary of current evidence and scholarship on an amazing period of eastern Mediterranean history from around 3000 – 1000 BC. Although it is now fifteen years old, it outlines the recent revolution in ideas about the period and show how the (still depressingly scant) archaeological evidence has put nail after nail in the coffin of Arthur Evans and the historians of his age. Dickinson brings to life a vibrant civilisation which traded widely […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/aegean_bronze_age-115x115.jpg "Review: The Aegean Bronze Age")
Review: The Aegean Bronze Age
Posted on 22 October, 2010 | 2 CommentsTitle: The Aegean Bronze Age
Author: Oliver Dickinson
Paperback: 364 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (1994)
Language: EnglishThis is a much-needed summary of current evidence and scholarship on an amazing period of eastern Mediterranean history from around 3000 – 1000 BC. Although it is now fifteen years old, it outlines the recent revolution in ideas about the period and show how the (still depressingly scant) archaeological evidence has put nail after nail in the coffin of Arthur Evans and the historians of his age. Dickinson brings to life a vibrant civilisation which traded widely […]
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![<p>Why is Tora Tora Tora such a good film and Pearl Harbour a steaming pile of turd? Surely Michael Bay is merely a symptom and not a cause.</p>
<p>I recently watched both movies again … well, watched one and raged at the other for 40 minutes before turning it off. It’s not so much the two film’s difference in treatment of the same event (and, in fact, many of the same characters and incidents) as the difference in tone and approach to story telling which intrigues me.</p>
<p>A friend of mine lays the blame for the difference between the two films […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/category-arts-115x115.jpg "Hollywood Sucks Ass")
Hollywood Sucks Ass
Posted on 24 September, 2010 | 3 CommentsWhy is Tora Tora Tora such a good film and Pearl Harbour a steaming pile of turd? Surely Michael Bay is merely a symptom and not a cause.
I recently watched both movies again … well, watched one and raged at the other for 40 minutes before turning it off. It’s not so much the two film’s difference in treatment of the same event (and, in fact, many of the same characters and incidents) as the difference in tone and approach to story telling which intrigues me.
A friend of mine lays the blame for the difference between the two films […]
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![<p><strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>Title</strong>: The Hound of the Baskervilles<br />
<strong>Author</strong>: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle<br />
<strong>Hardcover</strong>: 240 pages<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong>: Penguin Classics (2010)<br />
<strong>Language</strong>: The finest English</p>
<p>A great novel or the Greatest Novel?</p>
<p>So far this year, I’ve read the book again, listened to an audio dramatisation and watched a couple of versions on video. This book hits all my buttons. It’s got a murder, hints of the supernatural, the relentless march of scientific logic and is possibly the best Scooby Doo mystery ever.</p>
<p>Here is a quick list of the aspects of it which tickle my fancy. Below […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/houn-53-115x115.jpg "The Hound of the Baskervilles")
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Posted on 20 August, 2010 | No CommentsTitle: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Penguin Classics (2010)
Language: The finest EnglishA great novel or the Greatest Novel?
So far this year, I’ve read the book again, listened to an audio dramatisation and watched a couple of versions on video. This book hits all my buttons. It’s got a murder, hints of the supernatural, the relentless march of scientific logic and is possibly the best Scooby Doo mystery ever.
Here is a quick list of the aspects of it which tickle my fancy. Below […]
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The Abbey Festival 2010
Posted on 16 July, 2010 | No CommentsThe Abbey Festival (10-11 July 2010) was huge! Rumour has it that 18,000 people went through the gates before 3pm on Saturday. The spectacles and demonstrations that I saw were fabulous. There was falconry, archery, jousting, seminar talks, a couple of very interesting weapons demonstrations, stalls (selling medieval hot dogs? hmmm…) and lots of practical hands-on activities in the encampments. All of this was brilliant fun. -
![<p><br />
Each year, History Alive (June 12-13, 2010) gathers re-enactor groups from around Brisbane to one place at one time to show off. The groups involved span pretty close to the entire timeline of human history from the Near East of about 2000 BC to the very recent past. As well as being loud, colourful and a great day out, it gives a very clear snapshot of the state of living history groups in Queensland.</p>
<p>The first people I encountered on the day was Contact Front, the Vietnam re-enactment group, walking through around the site in skirmish line in silence and […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/p6120106-115x115.jpg "History Alive 2010")
History Alive 2010
Posted on 18 June, 2010 | 7 Comments
Each year, History Alive (June 12-13, 2010) gathers re-enactor groups from around Brisbane to one place at one time to show off. The groups involved span pretty close to the entire timeline of human history from the Near East of about 2000 BC to the very recent past. As well as being loud, colourful and a great day out, it gives a very clear snapshot of the state of living history groups in Queensland.The first people I encountered on the day was Contact Front, the Vietnam re-enactment group, walking through around the site in skirmish line in silence and […]
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![<p><strong>Title: </strong>Zombie Myths of Australian Military History<br />
<strong>Author</strong>: Craig Stockings (editor)<br />
<strong>Paperback</strong>: 288 pages<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong>: University of New South Wales Press (2010)<br />
<strong>Language</strong>: English</p>
<p>A fascinating look at the difference between received ideas and facts. It covers ten major historical myths across 200 years from the original settlement of the country by Europeans to our recent involvements in Southeast Asia and East Timor. It strives to show the reasons or circumstances which created and have sustained each zombie myth until it gained a life of it own and needs no more prompting. In many cases, the […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/zombie_myths-115x115.jpg "Review: Australian Zombie Myths")
Review: Australian Zombie Myths
Posted on 11 June, 2010 | 3 CommentsTitle: Zombie Myths of Australian Military History
Author: Craig Stockings (editor)
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: University of New South Wales Press (2010)
Language: EnglishA fascinating look at the difference between received ideas and facts. It covers ten major historical myths across 200 years from the original settlement of the country by Europeans to our recent involvements in Southeast Asia and East Timor. It strives to show the reasons or circumstances which created and have sustained each zombie myth until it gained a life of it own and needs no more prompting. In many cases, the […]
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![<p><strong>Title</strong>: The World of the Troubadours: Medieval Occitan Society, c.1100-c.1300<br />
<strong>Author</strong>: Linda M Paterson<br />
<strong>Paperback</strong>: 384 pages<br />
<strong>Publisher</strong>: Cambridge University Press, 1995<br />
<strong>Language</strong>: English</p>
<p>This is a book of lists which concentrates on the topics of:</p>
<ul>
<li>the nature of feudalism and vasslage in Languedoc and Provence</li>
<li>medieval medicine and surgery and their Arabic influences</li>
<li>the place and role of women in society which contrasts sharply to the north of France</li>
<li>religion and heresy, especially the reasonably well-known Albigensian Crusade and the Gregorian Reforms</li>
</ul>
<p>Scholarship in English on the south of France in the high medieval period […]</p>](http://sleech.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/book_troubadours-115x115.jpg "The World of the Troubadours")
The World of the Troubadours
Posted on 14 May, 2010 | 1 CommentTitle: The World of the Troubadours: Medieval Occitan Society, c.1100-c.1300
Author: Linda M Paterson
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1995
Language: EnglishThis is a book of lists which concentrates on the topics of:
- the nature of feudalism and vasslage in Languedoc and Provence
- medieval medicine and surgery and their Arabic influences
- the place and role of women in society which contrasts sharply to the north of France
- religion and heresy, especially the reasonably well-known Albigensian Crusade and the Gregorian Reforms
Scholarship in English on the south of France in the high medieval period […]
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For Your Listening Pleasure
Posted on 27 December, 2009 | No CommentsI just realised that it’s Sunday and I’m two days late in posting. The schedule may be meaningless and self-imposed but it quietens the stabby-stabby thoughts. And to get it out of the way: Christmas was great. Kathi and I spend it alone and reconnecting with each other. It’s been a very valuable time for both of us.
Now to television and the best sci-fi show you’ll never see: Defying Gravity. This show is just plain awesome, not least for being targetted at adults rather than teens, but also for not being a Star Trek clone. This last point is […]