1356

I have recently finished reading Bernard Cornwell's latest book, 1356.  The setting is, once again, France during the Hundred Years War - in particular, the Battle of Poitiers.  It is ten years since the third book in the Grail Quest trilogy was published, the trilogy which was also set in France during the Hundred Years War and which featured Thomas of Hookton.  Thomas rides again in 1356.

Mr Cornwell is something of an expert when it comes to British military history, especially concerning the 14th and 15th centuries and the Napoleonic wars.  Indeed, his research is so thorough that we are given what appear to be accurate descriptions of the battles concerned, in this case Poitiers.  I was never exactly enamoured of history at school but I'm sure if my history teachers could have got their subject across in the manner of Bernard Cornwell I would have been anxious not to miss a minute of a lesson.

Coincidentally, the Beeb are to air a series of programmes about the Hundred Years War starting next Monday.  This will be on a fairly obscure channel - and will clash with the latest series of Lewis - so I shall record the programmes.  I shall be interested to see how they cover such battles as Crécy, Poitiers and Agincourt.  The presenter, Janina Raminez, is to visit the battlefields.  I hope she finds more at Crécy than we did - or is able to explain what we did see.

And playing in the background is a James Last CD - Classic Touch - which features a range of classical pieces by Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart and the rest of the boys in the band.