The Polish Saber

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

Excellent book on a hard to find topic.

Extremely well thought out approach to a historical presentation of a martial art. Marsden presents his case from his chosen sources which lends a respectable credence to the system he presents in the book. Few others have presented interpretations, adaptations, and/or translations of historical martial arts with such skill and thoughtfulness. Special kudos to him for including not only utilizing his own tribe in creating this work, but a myriad of the HEMA community.

Very nice book. I plan on learning a lot out of this. Looks good in my Hema collection of literature.

A step by step explanation of the use of the Polish Saber on foot in the 17th Century. "Hyper" attention to detail.

Mr. Marsden has in the contents of this book helped to revive a style of fencing that had been all but lost to time . This is a fantastic source for those interested in Polish sabre fencing. The material is presented in a clear and easy to follow manner with lovely high quality full color images. A wonderful reference for both beginning or advanced practitioners.

If you are interested in the weapon and the period, this is the book for you. It gives a good overview of the Polish Commonwealth, the lifestyle of the nobles and the context of saber dueling. The actual techniques are speculative, but the author is up front about this. It's also a great looking book.

Very clear and concise drills, techniques and exercises coupled with historical examples and comparisons. As he reconstructs the Polish sabre methodology, you get comparable examples from other cultures as well.

A gift for my boyfriend who has an interest in HEMA. The book looks well put together with a mixture of text and pictures.

This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date book on the art of fighting with Polish saber. The photos are in color and are of very high quality. Not just a few colored photos either. They are in every page.

This book is an excellent addition to anyone's hema library or anyone interested in history. The historical vignettes really compliment the technical material presented, and the technical material is well presented and easy to digest. Very cool overall.

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

I have known Richard Marsden for some time. He is a dedicated HEMA martial artist. His book on the Polish saber is first rate and a good starting point for anyone who wants to learn about this weapon.

Fantástico. Libro muy trabajado y una delicia para el lector. Muchas imágenes.

This book is excellent. It is well write and incredibly researched. The picture quality and descriptions are better than I expected, and I had high expectations.

Bought it and it is an amazing source for learning/practicing Polish Saber.

Not just fantastic in content, but quality as well. Top notch research, great conclusions, and great sources. I definitely reccomend this book for anyone who is interested not just in Polish Saber, but in single edged weapons in general!

An Instant HEMA classic! This book personifies the scholarship an application of lost arts and bridges the gap from our warrior past all the way to our post modern social media fights.

Have watched the development of this work over several years. Richard Marsden has mentored it's development and received the support of a well of HEMA expertise in attempting to flesh out the character and influences of a style of fencing poorly documented in it's particulars. The only thing missing is a consideration of Turkic/Ottoman sword style. Excellent historical ambiance and illustrations to assist in assimilation of fundamentals.

As expected

Outstanding book! Well written, great pictures! Good for the novice and experienced alike.

A very enjoyable and great read! For Fencers, Re-enactors and just plain Historical enthusiasts that have always been fascinated in the subject, this piece of literature is for you. Mr. Marsden is a pioneer in this popularly growing area of study and this text sets a strong and positive foundation of this subject of historical inquiry quite well. Straightforward yet more than detailed enough to vividly immerse the reader into the fascinating world of the traditional Saber Duel in the VIth-VIIth cent. Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in so far as Mr. Marsden's painstaking research has revealed. Personally look forward to more texts on the subject from Mr. Marsden but in the mean time, his other works (also highly recommended) will have to fill in that space of anticipation :)

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

An excellent work describing this distinctive cultural Saber style using the extensively researched, albeit limited, cultural documentation but intelligently supported by contemporary works. I especially liked placing it in the context of the period Polish history. Very well done; a book that is approachable by both the student new to historical swordsmanship, as well as an excellent resource for the experienced historical fencer. The high quality production value of the book itself sets a new standard.

This a really great book I highly recommend it to any one interested Sabre and it's history.

There is little published material out there and Marsden does a great job putting it together and connecting the dots.

Originally posted at HEMAnews.com: Richard Marsden, former President-Tyrant of the HEMA Alliance, founder of the Phoenix Society of Historical Swordsmanship, etc., has a problem. Historical European Martial Arts is a hobby where we work to resurrect dead martial arts from the recorded systems. Many such systems have substantial details recorded, from the interrelated works of the Liechtenauer tradition over several centuries to the detailed textbooks of Italian rapier. Many HEMA-ists prefer to work from the most substantial sources, with the most information, but others prefer to work from more limited sources, preferring the harder challenge of interpreting unique systems with fewer details in the explanation. I.33, I’m looking at you here. Marsden has gone a step beyond merely working on a highly obscure manuscript, and tackled a historical martial art for which there is no treatise, namely Polish saber fencing during the 17th Century. It’s understandable why he’d want to. Without regurgitating the whole history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th Century, they were Interesting Times. Invasions, civil wars, and a near-constant background level of lesser violence. The szabla came to full popularity, and the Polish style of saber-fencing was recognized as distinct. The szabla was the weapon of the Szlachta nobles, whose Sarmatism fashion not only acknowledged mythologized origins, but reflected the East-meets-West nature of Poland at the time.I’ve always considered the Historical in HEMA to be defined as something similar to “this martial art not just existed in history, but is well enough documented that we have sufficient detail of the system to reconstruct it.” Others have previously attempted similar feats to Marsden, creating their own arts to fit historical but scantly-recorded martial arts such as Viking Combat. I’m not sure I could call it strictly HEMA. By Chidester’s typology, it’s a Type III – evidenced but not really detailed. On the other hand, the line between reconstruction and speculation is blurry. I’ve worked with the Basingstoke Bartitsu Irregulars (re)constructing boxing, ju-jitsu, cane etc. sub-systems for Bartitsu – where we don’t have substantial information on the full details of what the Bartitsu Club trained c.1900, but we have detailed manuals from similar times, and often with direct linkage to the club. Obviously, we feel these can justifiably be used to go beyond Barton-Wright’s own recorded techniques to flesh out a fuller system. How much speculation is too much to be HEMA? Marsden has certainly had to speculate, in the absence of any surviving manual. His sources, though, seem fairly comprehensive, to my inexpert eye; there may well be sources out there that has yet to be touched by historians though (or at least English-language history) – perhaps in half a dozen years, some Polish equivalent of the Lost Second Book of Giganti will surface from an archive. Marsden first lays out the background of Polish 17th century saber and its historical and cultural context. Then he systematically lays out his evidence – here his academic background is clear. I’d read many of them before, both contemporary accounts like Jan Chryzostom Pasek’s memoirs and indirect but suggestive sources such as Starzewski’s 19th century writings on 17th century saber, and Meyer’s 16th century dussack chapter. The “closest” source may be from Henning’s 1658 work on “Cut-Fencing”, which is not only temporally correct but addresses the Polish style of saber fighting from the point of view of a German prospective opponent, albeit briefly. It’s good to see the relevant sections reproduced in full for convenient reference. With the foundations justifying his interpretation laid out, approximately 120 of the book’s 240-odd pages are then devoted to interpretation. I’m not really fluent in saber, but it all seems sound enough. Certainly Marsden’s vision is interestingly distinct from the 19th century military styles I’ve seen elsewhere. The explanations are excellent; they’re clear and well-structured, with superb full-colour photography illustrating them. There’s also a refreshing honesty as Marsden confesses the speculative interpretation of many of the techniques and their support. He also gives a separate section for dussack techniques which may be applicable. The interpretation section is comprehensive enough to equip the reader to become a well-rounded szabla fencer, without wasting space giving repetitive exercises or variations of combination cuts. Finally, the book is completed by appendices on equipment for practice, glossaries, acknowledgements, a bibliography and guide to further resources, and, helpfully for monolingual readers, a guide to pronouncing Polish terms. This is HEMA with a slightly different sense of Historical to that which I’m used to insisting on. It’s moved beyond the recreation of one source system to establishing a system implied or at least supported by many sources. Marsden has gone from coloring inside the lines to drawing new line-work to fill gaps of a sketch. As mentioned, I’m generally hostile to too much guesswork in my HEMA. I accuse it of leading to half-arsed theories about how cross-guards protect the hand against punching shields rather than the opponent’s blade, the specialized role of claymores for breaking pike shafts or any number of glorious reenactor-isms, which don’t really hold up to common sense let alone have evidence to support them. This is different. Marsden supports his suppositions with sources and cites his conjectures with comparison. He has produced something which certainly goes beyond HEMA in the strictest sense, but perhaps it’s a transcendence rather than a transgression. In trying to provide a martial art that can be practiced, Marsden has produced a work of scholarship. "The survival or otherwise of historical source-material is undeniably a matter of history itself. The record left us by the past is fragmentary, and the process of selection has not always been arbitrary. But historians have always known this, and have always thought it important to situate the surviving fragments in a broader context created by other remaining fragments, thus gaining some sense of the whole even where significant parts of it are missing. […] The fragmentary nature of the traces left to us by the past is thus no reason for supposing that historians’ imagination is entirely unfettered when it comes to reconstructing it." Richard J Evans, In Defence of History (1997) pp.88-9.

I was impressed how this book was capable of covering a wide assortment of information in a timely manner. Not only did it cover basics,intermediate techniques with pictures and gear choices for beginners self studying it went over the history and background showing extensive amounts of sources for advanced fencers and scholars to research on their own and read the manuals themselves or if their lucky find someone nearby who studies this on some level/form. It was a great read I really mean that. Its hard to appeal to fencers,history buffs and manual nerds at the same time but I think this got the job done.Maybe if we are lucky it will make these people cross pollinate and venture off into historical context or read manuals in wiktenaur and to spar more!

If single handed saber use interests you in the least, get this book! SO many drills and insights as to how and why they were used. This is the go to source for Polish Saber, just buy it and get started!

An outstanding resource by one of the foremost authorities on the subject. Very high quality book with beautiful photos and clear and easy to understand text. This will give you what you need to either improve your skill and knowledge or get started in Polish saber.

I was very impressed the by the technical thoroughness of this book. Books of similar quality tend to focus on anecdotes (such as "By the Sword" by Richard Cohen), or theory, but Marsden takes time to focus on the physical mechanics of the saber, as well as providing details for solid drill-work. A great addition to the library, I have no doubt I will see it regularly at my fencing club.

Wow, Great book, by far the most complete guide on Polish style saber fencing in the English language. Beautiful and exciting book with high quality photos and a great presentation on the history and the mechanics of the Polish saber and the noblemen who used them! Another great aspect of the book is the introduction to the types of warriors, history, language and the social and military culture of the Old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Well done! Sabla dlon!

so i read Polish saber by Richard Marsden, cover to cover its a fascinating look at history and the use of the polish sabre. well written and engrossing it even gets you started on learning to use the polish sabre yourself. I highly recommend it.

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

this book is a nice melting of every available historical resource for reconstructing Polish Sabre and practical concepts of sword fighting with a usable interpretation. lots of useful illustrations both modern and historical

This is an excellent book on the study of Polish Saber, fusing what is known with reference from other contemporary sources and historical accounts. Definitely worth getting for anyone studying the saber as a weapon, especially as it made its way into Europe.

Fantastic text, a lot of really great information, both on the historical context and techniques themselves. Richard Marsden really knows how to bring history to life!

THE book on Polish Saber! I was very excited to bring this home and dive into it.

Having learned from the man who wrote it, I can say that the material covered in this book is thorough, well researched, and stands up to practical application.

Very good book. Goes in depth of Polish,Italian,and German takes on Polish sabre. I highly recommend it for someone wanting to study sabre.

Long anticipated and glad it's finally here!

Excellent!

This is a well made and expertly put together resource for anyone trying to learn the art of Polish Sabre fighting. I am new to HEMA and found the book super simple to use. It provides a brief scholarly history of Sabre fighting in Poland and Polish customs and trends. The Sabre instruction has step-by-step written instructions reinforced by step-by-step picture examples which is excellent for any newbie (like me) or experienced fighter in HEMA.

I love sabre, it's such a graceful weapon and this book seems to do it justice. There's a history of the weapon, it's use in duelling and the time and place in which it was used - it's very interesting and well written. As a guide to its use, the instructions and illustrations are clear and I should be able to easily translate into the physical practice of the weapon. I don't readily spend £50 on any book but as it's selling at up to $160 on US HEMA websites, I figured it would be an investment.

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it

What a splendid book this is. It comprises a potted history of the Polish/Lithuanian Commonwealth and the place of the hussars in that milieu as background to the main thrust (pun intended) of the book, which is to derive a feasible method for the use of the Polish sabre from the extremely limited source material. Mr Marsden achieves this through examining texts dealing with similar coaeval weapons from other countries and the, as previously mentioned. limited Polish sources. In my opinion he succeeds admirably in this intention providing a highly usable set of techniques that are applicable to sabre and even mediaeval arming sword fencing. The book is also lavishly illustrated throughout. Highly recommended.

A very high quality publication. The book has drawn together research, translations and input from an international team of historical fencing experts, resulting in a comprehensive approach to the subject. Richard Marsden, the author, has done exceptionally well to keep this project on track and to pull everything together into an eminently readable volume, doubtless to become the standard textbook for Polish sabre enthusiasts in the coming years.

This is a fantastic book: beautiful images, fantastic research and a pleasure to read! It's a must have for every saber enthusiastic around the world.

Awesome book! A must for sabre enthusiasts!

This is essentially speculative HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts). Whereas most HEMA styles were developed (and are still being developed) from extant manuals, this one pieces together seventeenth-century Polish fencing from brief contemporary references and foreign styles (all quoted in translation), later descriptions, and empirical trials. Marsden is well aware of the epistemological problems with this reconstruction, and never proceeds as if he had access to The Absolute Truth of Polish sabre fencing. His system is phrased explicitly as interpretation, and he acknowledges where there are gaps and guesses. The result is a hugely informative, extremely well illustrated (see photo), and seemingly quite useful sword manual. Many of the techniques will be familiar to anyone who’s studied single sword (e.g. Silver’s broadsword in my case), but the additional sabre attacks and defences are very interesting. My only complaint about POLISH SABER is the layout/printing. Its design is garish and frequently the text is poorly laid-out. And my binding was broken by the time it arrived: the title page fell out immediately, and more pages are loose. None of this alters Marsden’s excellent content, but it does undermine the reading a little. Overall, a unique and high quality HEMA publication.

Marsden and his fellows made a pretty good book about their thoaghts about the polish saber, wrote a lot of the historical circumstances of the polish lithuanian commonwealth, but the actual saber part is a bit disapointing. they describe thiere way to their interpritation like Meyers Dussak or italian fencing manuals.. if you like history, nice but expenive book. if you want to learn the crosscutting art of the polish saber, spare your money and go into dussack manuals and watch polish sources. i expecterd a lot, although i really dont like marsden. good boo, but again, waaaay to expensive.

The book does not hold a strong hold on the topic.

Awesome book , History and technique of Polish Szabla.

Ein wirklich sehr lehrreiches und übersichtliches Buch über Säbel Kampf in Polen des 16 Jahrhunderts es wird nicht nur auf den Polnischen Säbel sondern auch über Polen an sich im 16-17 Jahrhundert Politisch sowie auch geografisch eine bedingungslose kaufempfelung für jeden der Hema oder Säbel interessiert ist.

Amazon only shows the front and back cover of this rather impressive piece of both weapon history and use. The Bibliography on pages 232 and 233 demonstrates both the extent of the research, and the challenge. There are not many sources for any kind of saber, much less the rather distinctive Polish saber. This partly reflects the current, still early state of rediscover y of the ”fechtbuch ” - historic sources on the use of hand weapons, particularly for the duel. The oldest sources seem to capture the most attention – the result being the intense interest in I33 and the longsword of Fiore. Despite the long lineage of the saber, to Western audiences it tends to invoke the image of Napoleonic cavalry. This brings up the other challenge faced by the author – a relative scarcity of sources on the weapons of Central Europe, and a lack of knowledge of the theater. I was aware Poland was a major European power off and on for nearly two centuries, but until reading this work, I did not know the Thirty Years War largely missed the country. Fortunately, Mr. Marsden was quite willing to provide the necessary context. The extensive large format color photographs and illustrations make this work somewhat unique so far, in a book of instruction on the use of a historical fencing weapon. There have been many “coffee table” books, perhaps of similar size but not as long, depicting swords and other hand weapons, and some references on their use. However, this is an example, and probably a new example, of a “coffee table book” which can be used to learn a martial art. This book was a project, and a quick review of the five page illustrated “Acknowledgements” section shows that while the author was key, this was a team project, necessitated by the somewhat exotic subject matter, and the relative lack of English sources. Instead of relying on long quotes, there are a total of three chapters devoted to original sources: Polish, Italian and German. Reading a translation of an original essay or memoir from 17th Century Poland was more directly informative than reading an elaborate explanation. (Including the Messer from the German sources might be a “stretch”, since the relatively short, thick blade handles much differently, from personal experience.) The book excels in developing the context of the form of the Polish saber in both form and use. The irony here is profound, given the author currently being the President of the HEMA Alliance, and so many of its readers likely to be members of that organization, or similar groups. These practitioners go out of their way to differentiate themselves from those who attempt to create an immersive sub-culture – going so far as to ensure their club logo is featured prominently on kit, for reasons I suspect go beyond advertising. It was as if they were concerned re-creating court intrigue might somehow distract from “the art” they are so devoted to bring back to life. Slightly more than half of the work is under “Interpretation”, and this is where the format is probably ground breaking. In the vast majority of instructional books on swordsmanship, the readers must squint at a small grainy black and white image housed in a soon-to-crumble “perfect” binding. My version is hefty, hardcover and full color, which helps many, myself included, more quickly assimilate the image. If I want to look at the grip being used, I don’t need to wonder what a close up might have looked like, I can see it in the full figure photograph. The importance of the work transcends the specific subject matter – more books like this are needed for more weapons forms.

Richard Marsden's organization in this book is exceptionally well suited to facilitating the evaluation and refinement of his interpretation of the primary sources on the use of the Polish saber in the 17th century. Included are significant selections from English translations of utilized primary texts and breakdowns of techniques, each technique referencing the relevant primary source with an excerpt; the total effect of Mr. Marsden's work here is a thorough and rational foundation, assembled in light of practical experience and academic insight, which may serve as a valuable platform from which to launch into the next explorations of how the eastern wielders of the saber employed this weapon to build such fearsome reputations. Though I generally find Richard Marsden's work to be useful, I am especially impressed by his pragmatic and exacting approach to this discipline and his contributions to its rediscovery. If you are interested in learning the fundamentals of historical saber techniques, this is one of the texts I would strongly recommend.

A truly excellent resource that is understandable! It put me in mind of the many lessons my grandfather's taught me back in the 50's & 60's (they were as they put it some of the "last-honest-to-Gawd-sit-on-an-oatburner-cavalrymen". To me, that is high praise for this book, though admittedly there is none of the "spit tobacco in your opponent's eyes" techniques (LOL) but the skill set on saber usage this book teaches is tremendous.

Beautifully illustrated with full color photos and clear diagrams. As a fencing enthusiast I believe this is an excellent work on the Polish saber. Olympic saber fencing is boring by comparison. This is a very dynamic, exhilarating form of fencing.

A thoroughly excellent read, with excellent images and a incredibly clear view into the academic process involved in recreating the art of the Polish Saber. Clearly documented segments on the affiliated history, discussing the actual details of what makes up a Polish saber and how the weapon evolved, then detailing the different sources used to reconstruct the art itself. Moving from that into the actual discussion of the use of the saber itself, then detailing how this development can be brought into the modern HEMA setting. Read it once just for the pleasure of seeing how it was brought together, I'm expecting to be reading through this a number of times and gleaning more from it on each reading.

A very well put together book on polish saber, in fact it is the book if you have any interest in the subject. The book itself is very well made hardback and the photos are very clear. They layout is also well put together and easy to read and understand. One thing I will point out about, Amazon keeps saying the book is low or out of stock which seems like BS as it is a print to order book. The good news is that even if it says it is out of stock you can order it and get it in a few days.

This book strikes a great balance between anecdotes, explanation of sources and related material, and detailed depictions and explanations of techniques. Being new to historical European martial arts but having done sport fencing in the past, I found the book engaging and very useful. It didn't hurt that I'm fascinated by the history of this period and region as well. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history, swords, or HEMA, whether they are just getting started or a long time enthusiast. It's very well organized and even with the wealth of information and background, is a very quick and enjoyable read.

This book is well written and divided into well thought out sections. The history and primary sources are introduced in the first half of the book, and the second half is interpretation of the sources and the actual techniques. This section is very easy to understand and the photos in book do a great job of illustrating body positions. This is the best historical martial arts book I own.

Full Disclosure: I know the author. The book is well written and has lots of good historical references and photos of their interpretations of the moments for Polish saber. It is written in an easy to understand manner, and covers this rather obscure fighting style with great thoroughness.

nice presentatión, sice, lets see what we can read in it