THE SAMURAI ENCYCLOPEDIA

Tracing the epic 5,000-year story of warfare from the earliest battles to the War on Terror, The Military History Book explores and explains the causes and consequences of each, offering a new angle on military history. Individual entries analyse the key social and political driving forces, the arms and armaments, and the technologies and tactics of war over the last 7,000 years – from the tactics of early infantry and siegecraft to the rise of naval combat steel, steam, and shellfire, and from trench warfare and aerial dogfights to chemical weapons and cyber warfare.

Paul Martin, a world-renowned scholar of Japanese swords, takes us on a journey of discovery of samurai culture through an examination of valuable weapons and armor belonging to thirty of Japan's most celebrated warriors.

Get a close-up look at scores of magnificent blades, fittings and armor which belonged to thirty of the most famous warriors and leaders in Japanese history including:

A wooden sword commissioned and owned by Miyamoto Musashi — Japan's greatest swordsman; an exact replica of the sword he wielded at the legendary duel on Ganryu-jima Island
The tachi blade worn by Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the powerful unifier of Japan—which was later presented to the Meiji Emperor
The katchu (armor) belonging to Minamoto no Yoshitsune, hero of the Genpei Wars and later gifted as a votive offering to the Kasuga Shrine in Nara
The naginata (halberd) said to be the favored weapon of Tomoe Gozen, Japan's famous female Samurai, that was immortalized in the classic book Tale of the Heike

This piece of writing by famed samurai Musashi (1584-1645) is the single-most influential work on samurai swordsmanship, offering insights into samurai history, the Zen Buddhist state of "no-mind" that enables warriors to triumph and the philosophical meaning of Bushido—"the way of the warrior."
Bennett's translation is the first to be based on a careful reconstruction of the original text by Japan's foremost Musashi scholar.

Get up close to more than 400 of the most important tanks and armoured vehicles ever built.

In 1916, the British built a machine that was impervious to enemy fire, and could dominate the battlefield, crushing obstacles and barbed wire in its path. The first tank, or "Mother" as it was known, had arrived. In The Tank Book you can view it in detail, along with other iconic models, including the German Panzer, the legendary Tiger, the Vickers Medium Mark II, the Centurion, and the Hellcat - the fastest armoured fighting vehicle ever.

This comprehensive volume takes you through the most exciting story in recent military history with the development of heavy artillery, anti-tank weaponry, and the men - such as Sir William Tritton and Mikail Koshkin - who designed these awe-inspiring beasts. It shows each key model in stunning detail, highlighting elements such as their armour and weaponry, and much more besides.

Uncover the engineering behind more than 800 aircraft models, from military jets to commercial planes. This visual history book captures the fascinating story of aeroplanes and aviation, and how this groundbreaking discovery has influenced the 21st Century.

Inside the pages of this aircraft book, you'll discover:

- The history of military and commercial aircraft from all over the world, decade by decade, to the present day in stunning visual detail
- Comprehensive catalogues highlighting the most important aircraft of each period along with their specifications and unique features
- Showcases particularly celebrated aircraft - such as the Supermarine Spitfire and Concorde - in beautifully photographed "virtual tour" features
- Tells the stories of the engineers and manufacturers that created marques like Boeing and Airbus