Edward, Prince of Wales and Aquitaine

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Gives you what you need - Rated
This book has been accused of being too 'simplistic' and narrative based, because it doesn't dwell on details of military strategy etc. I think this is because Barber is concerned with keeping the reader interested at all times. This he certainly achieves, making for a very easy read. After reading David Green's book 'The Black Prince' however, I saw that Barber wasn't as great as I had at first thought.
Basically, if you're not a historian (or crazy about military details) then you will find nothing wrong with this book and simply enjoy reading it. The other thing it does well is teach a huge amount very quickly and easily - so if you're a student this is the one to read first!
4 stars because it's not the best, but it doesn't get a great deal better.

A very readable historical biography, one of my favourites - Rated
Barber's book is a highly readable historical biography of a much romanticised figure. Edward "The Black Prince" (as he subsequently became known) was the son of Edward III of England and a hero of the Hundred Years War. Much of the book, however, is devoted to the more personal details of the Prince, such as the increasing responsiblities he was given as a child, and that as an infant he kept pet hares. It is this intimacy which brings the book to life, and which also makes it an accessible introduction to both the Hundred Years War and the the ruling elite of the time.

Barber quotes enough sources to give his assertions credibility without getting bogged down in arguing finer points. In this, the book is ideal for someone like myself with a serious interest in medieval history without an academic background in it. However, in remaining readable to the lay person the book has probably left itself open to criticism from pedantics. Some military historians, for example, may be sceptical of the detail in which the battles are described. Readers of fantasy fiction, though, would be a lot more dissapointed than that- this is still a serious history book.