A Soldier's Life: A Visual History of Soldiers Through the Ages

by Andrew Robertshaw

Takes a look at the lives of more than thirty-five individual soldiers through the ages, detailing each soldier in uniform, the weapons he used, the equipment he carried, and the food that he ate. Reprint.

Genres: History, American History

48 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent visual guide to how soldiers have fought through the ages. Of particular interest is a description of rations and items carried by individuals - military issue and personnel. I cab tell you that when you are in the military you tend to try to stock up on things (beef jerky/nuts for snacks) because you are never sure when you will be able to get what you need.

[Kbord · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what it is--a short photograph book with pictures of soldiers in Rome and in discrete wars from 900 to WW2--this is a pretty good book. It's like a DK book but not by DK. Its sole focus is what a run-of-the-mill soldier looked like, how he was equipped, what he ate, and how he fought. WWI and WWII are more extensively covered. Some wars show several classes of soldiers.

As a visual reference, this is a good starting point. There's a little history and there are a couple of explanations for special marks on uniforms. Each soldier has a name and a short story about how or why he joined the army.

My favorite thing I saw was a step-by-step sidebar of how full metal armor is put on. I also enjoyed seeing uniforms from many nations, especially WWI.

[keereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

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