Preview
  • By the Sword

  • A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions
  • By: Richard Cohen
  • Narrated by: Richard Cohen
  • Length: 19 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (19 ratings)

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By the Sword

By: Richard Cohen
Narrated by: Richard Cohen
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Publisher's summary

Napoleon fenced. So did Shakespeare, Karl Marx, Grace Kelly, and President Truman, who as a schoolboy would practice fencing with Bess - his future wife - when the two of them returned home from school. Lincoln was a canny dueler. Ignatius Loyola challenged a man to a duel for denying Christ's divinity (and won). Less successful, but no less enthusiastic, was Mussolini, who would tell his wife he was "off to get spaghetti," their code to avoid alarming the children.

By the Sword is an epic history of sword fighting - a science, an art, and, for many, a religion that began at the dawn of civilization in ancient Egypt and has been an obsession for mankind ever since. With wit and insight, Richard Cohen gives us an engrossing history of the world via the sword.

©2002, 2008 Narrative Tension, Inc. (P)2020 Tantor
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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What listeners say about By the Sword

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Thoroughly Enjoyable

A wonderful history of dueling and the use of sword through the ages. I was thoroughly entertained.

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Fantastic

Deeply moving, a great mix of breadth and depth, a clear love and passion in the subject from the author mixed with humility and humor, I'm recommending this to every sword lover I know, so most of my lesbian friends and some other people too

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An excellent history

Many fascinating insights with deep historical context. The author's deep personal knowledge of the sport and relationships with top competitors really adds to the narrative. I enjoyed this book quite a bit.

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This book makes me want to duel.

The history and stories in this book have made me look at competition sword fighting in a new light. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the sword and its use as a dueling weapon. This book has also gave me a better understanding of fencing and its long history as both a sport and a way to settle disputes of honor.

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