Journal of Microscopy, Volume 233, Part 1, January 2009

by Hugh D.H. Soar

The Complete Story of a Legendary Weapon"Spendidly enthusiastic. . . . Soar's book is indispensable."— Bernard Cornwell"A fascinating study of a forgotten weapon. . . . For centuries the longbow dominated battle, affecting the fates of nations" — Wall Street Journal"Bowyers, bowhunters, target archers and students of archery history should all find cause for celebration with Hugh Soar's concise but authoritative text." — Traditional BowhunterOn a clear July morning in 1346, a small force approached the walls of Caen for battle. The attackers rode to the field on horseback, banners and pennants fluttering in the light breeze. Behind them marched bowmen in tightly ranked units. At the sound of a crisp battle horn, they halted. A twinge of apprehension rippled through the thousands of Norman defenders as they looked down at the opposing army, for precision archery formation had long since disappeared as a military concept in medieval France. Here was not the expected rabble of unrated bucolics cowed by the might of France; confronting them was a quietly determined group of trained soldiers armed not with the familiar arbalest but with a new and strange weapon of great length. The defenders of Caen were about to meet the English war bow and its deadly battle shaft. For the next 100 years, this weapon, the "crooked stick," would command continental battlefields, etching its fearsome reputation at Crécy, Poitiers, Agincourt, and Verneuil, while establishing England as an international power for the first time.Although the longbow is best known for its deployment during the Hundred Years' War, its origins lie with ancient Saxon seafighters and Welsh craftsmen, while today the bow is a vibrant part of the traditional archery scene. In The Crooked A History of the Longbow , historian Hugh D. H. Soar pulls together all of these strings, presenting the engaging story of this most charismatic standoff weapon. After a careful consideration of Neolithic bows and arrows, the author describes the bow's use in the medieval hunt and its associated customs. The longbow made its deepest mark in warfare, however, and the author follows the weapon's development and tactical deployment from the hand-bow of William the Conqueror's campaigns to the continental set-piece battles between England and France. Although soldiers reluctantly gave up the longbow for firearms, its recreational use became immensely popular, particularly during the Regency and Victorian periods. In the twentieth century it appeared as if the longbow would disappear into the fog of legend, but a new interest in traditional craft and expertise gained hold, and the pleasure of using this ancient instrument is now firmly part of archery around the world.Through a remarkable command of manuscript and printed sources and a judicious use of material evidence, including his own important collection of rare longbows, Hugh Soar establishes the deep connections of this bow to England, Scotland, and Wales. Figures in the past like William Wallace, Edward III, and Henry V appear alongside detailed descriptions of bows, strings, arrows, and arrowheads, while the rise of institutions and craftsmen devoted to the longbow are presented to show how knowledge of this weapon was carried forward across the centuries. Today, those in the sport of archery and military historians will find that The Crooked Stick will enhance their own interests in a weapon of legendary status.In addition to the illustrated text, the book contains appendices detailing the history and design of bracers, tabs and tips, quivers, and arrowheads associated with the longbow.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Medieval History, War

Hardcover

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is why academics shouldn't write books without an editor.

There's a plethora of useful and unique information and historical specimens presented, and while the work is loosely organized by time period; within each time period the narrative tends to jump and refer to events before and after the one currently being discussed. This becomes especially jarring when the event being recounted is purely fictional and then something like, "let us return to reality" gets interjected into the chapter and we come back to actual fact. This is not to say that there isn't a purpose in recounting fictional events to show how people thought, or provide information on the topic, but I felt like they could have been handled better and I would like to know what each ballad's or story's basis in actual fact was first.

Other than that criticism I did enjoy the work, but I felt like I wanted to know more about the origins of archery. But perhaps since so few examples remain before the last few centuries, we'll never know exactly.

-1 Star for perpetuating the berserkers were crazy people meme

[Karen]

interesting, yet dry

[Jenn Forte · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting, more or less, a thorough history of the English longbow which was primarily used for battle in the Medieval era. I did receive that, including anecdotes and research on battles during that period in history, but this book included history from before the longbow became the war weapon of its time and also included the time after. The author thoughtfully included photos and drawings of bows and people, many of which are from his own collection (!!! I want to see this collection sometime!) and talked about the history of this weapon in a way that I found myself thoroughly entertained!

Normally, when I read a historical text I expect the writing to be dry, straightforward enough, but rather technical. I realize that in part, my acceptance of the technical aspects of this book made it more enjoyable to read. After all, I was reading it to learn of some of the techniques! However, the writing was not at all dry and I even found myself chuckling in some places in the book!

I heartily recommend this book for people who enjoy reading about military history, for archery enthusiasts, and for SCAdians and like-minded historical reproduction fans. The book had quite a lot to offer for all of these groups. I also happen to think that the book delved into cultural norms over the history of the English longbow's use aptly, so for those people who are interested in such things, they might want to take a peek too.

Great book! It kept me entertained until the end!

[Mike Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit at the outset of this review that I'm somewhat reluctant to say anything bad about this book; the author writes with such passion, love, and joy for his subject, and it is easy to get sucked in by that passion. That's a wonderful thing, and it makes the book very pleasurable. The author meets his subject with a dry wit and a boundless enthusiasm, and I found myself rooting for this little book.

Sadly, at the end of the day, it left me wanting for more. Because for all the enthusiasm with which the author approaches his subject (the longbow and it's place in English history), there were so many questions whose answers the author dances with, but never fully tackles. Why did the musket replace the longbow in English arsenals? What kind of penetrating power did the longbow have against steel-plated targets? To what extent was the longbow effective in various weather conditions? He flirts with all of those questions, without ever really answering any of them satisfactorily. And then he's off down another amusing tangent about Robin Hood lore or Tudor-era archery regulations, and then it's on to the next subject without ever having fully finished the previous one. (To be fair, some of these questions he addresses in his other book "Secrets of the English War Bow")

And yet any book that is this charming, and this entertaining, I can't stay frustrated with for long. So I will choose to stand by my four star recommendation, warts and all.

[David Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot conceive of a more interesting topic for a book than the history of the longbow. The book turned to be all that I hoped it would be. Yes, it's a bit rambling and with lots of asides, but that's part of the charm. The voice of the author is remarkably like Gandalf (I don't think that's a deliberate act, it's just the way he is). Starting with a bit of bow prehistory and archaeology, there are lots of interesting details about longbows as used for hunting and war in medieval Europe, and how the weapon transitioned to modern recreational use.

[Lee Tyner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very thoroughly researched. However, it goes into excessive detail on things that it didn't need to such as the royal family, anthropological interpretations, etc.. I can indeed see where some would give it a 5 star rating for what appears to be technically accurate. However, if you're looking for an enjoyable read on the history of the bow, this may not be the book. It reads more like an almanac.