The World's Great Guns

by Frederick Wilkinson

Book Overview

Book by Frederick Wilkinson This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 060039364X
• Release Date: January 1977
• Publisher: Hamlyn
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 3.25 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The World's Great Guns, a classic of the firearms genre

If you're interested in firearms, from ancient to modern, I highly recommend this book. Originally published in 1977 and reprinted in 1978, it is becoming hard to come by these days; but well worth the effort if you can find one. Wonderfully informative and packed with beautiful photographs and illustrations, Frederick Wilkinson presents the history of firearms from the invention of black powder right through to the modern machine gun. All the classic weapons are captured here with pictures showing exquisite examples from some of the finest collections in existence. His love of the subject is evident in every chapter. The book is compelling, entertaining and memorable from cover to cover. I must have read it dozens of times over the years and I'm always going back to it for reference or just to read the stories again. Wilkinson describes the various problems and limitations of the early weapons. As the book unfolds, he introduces the individuals whose innovations and ideas gradually changed firearms from impractical hand cannons to the ubiquitous and deadly tools they are today.