An evening with Iain MacGregor

For centuries, battles have determined the fate of nations, toppled empires and reshaped civilisations. In BATTLE, award-winning historian Iain MacGregor charts the key encounters that have shaped the evolution of warfare – from the clash of hoplite spears at Marathon and the storm of longbows at Agincourt, to the firestorms of Stalingrad and the drone warfare of modern Ukraine. Famous commanders from Julius Caesar to Napoleon are seen afresh as MacGregor examines the units they led, the weapons they used and the tactics that brought them victory, illuminating both the genius and the folly that turned battlefields into crucibles of history. Alive with vivid detail, BATTLE is an exhilarating ride through centuries of conflict and innovation. MacGregor provides both an authoritative study and a gripping narrative of how war has been fought – and how it has shaped the world in which we live today.