I just received Book of the Sword by Sir Richard Francis Burton, aka the most interesting man in the world. First published in 1884, Burton draws on a wealth of linguistic, archaeological, and literary sources to trace the millennia-old history of the sword. He takes us from its earliest days as a charred, sharpened stick to the height of craftsmanship in the modern era.

I’m not too far into it, but so far it’s really good. I can’t speak for the accuracy of the subject matter of a 140 year old book about the history of weaponry, but it’s written in an eloquent prose fitting a 19th century renaissance man which I’ve always found enjoyable.

I can tell that Burton’s writing style is a bit unique. His writing is very erudite, opinionated, and often pedantic in the extreme. The main reason I wanted this book is because I find the author and his life incredibly fascinating, and I want to collect more of his work.