Osprey Tuetoberg forest book

[carvel2]

In manchester today looking for tufts with flowers and came across this in waterstones

Question is.....is it worth buying? Need to know for xmas

[BigMike]

Don't know about the book mate, but i got my flowers from an ebay shop. I'd never used ebay or Paypal before that so i signed up for both, ordered my think at 9am and it was with me for the next day! really impressed! I think the guy ran a proper ebay shop rather that being someone clearing out his loft, so i'll find the details and PM it you if you want.

[zedeyejoe]

Well any book about the Teutoburg battle would have a lot of speculation. Generally I find the Osprey series poorly written but that is down to the writer, not the publisher. Get a good writer who knows their subject and you will have a good book.

Want to know about the battle - as opposed to Roman uniforms - then Wiki would probably do you,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_ ... urg_Forest

[Invisible officer]

The best I can say about the author in, connection with the Teutoburg forrest action, is that he lives in Germany and can read German books.

He had contact with the Kalkriese experts and others but is no archaeologist himself. Like many others of the newer Osprey books it's no book that an expert would buy but a nice start. The maps looks nice at first glimpse but are not as good on close inspection.

The pics, hmmm. Page 6 is typical for the way they choose,2 pics, one of the Hermann Denkmal and of a bust of the great historian Mommsen. Both 19th century so . But cheap for the editor.

If you are able to read German better get the Kalkriese documentation or the Mommsen book.

[carvel2]

Mein Deutsch ist kaput ...enschuldigen sie bitte!
A nice start is quite a recomendation from you invisible
It goes on the xmas list.
(tufts with flowers in hand )

[Invisible officer]

Correct

If you search a good English book try Tony Clunn, The Quest for the lost Roman legions. Discovering the Varus Battlefield He did a lot for the Kalkriese findings.

Or:
Joachim Harnecker, Arminius, Varus and the battlefield at Kalkriese. An introduction to the archaeological investigations and their results (ca. 15 €)

But Clunn would be better reading.

In 2009 I had to write a lot of reviews about new German Varus battle books. Most had been Written for selling in that "9" year. Well, I got them for free. But some had been good.

[paulsmodellingworkshop]

I have this book, picked it up a couple of months ago. I agree with Invisibles review - 'a good start' -- but as with most Osprey books, a little 'lightweight'. The artwork is up to the usual good standard but why do they insist on not marrying up the photo's with the text? The layout is a bit messy.

However, for £7.19 including postage from The Book Depository via Amazon, I would say it was a good deal.

[grant]

I have this book, picked it up a couple of months ago. I agree with Invisibles review - 'a good start' -- but as with most Osprey books, a little 'lightweight'. The artwork is up to the usual good standard but why do they insist on not marrying up the photo's with the text? The layout is a bit messy.

However, for £7.19 including postage from The Book Depository via Amazon, I would say it was a good deal.

Yeah Osprey's good when the price is right. Full on retail? Nope. Too basic, and not done well enough to warrant. I can buy a real book for the retail prices!

[Correus]

Another interesting book is 'Rome's Greatest Defeat: Massacre in the Teutoburg Forest' by Adrian Murdoch. The cover art sucks though...

[Cubster]

Isn't it odd, the expression 'don't judge a book by its cover'? Because why else would publishers put pretty covers on the books?