[.ca] A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder (ISBN 0801859549)

From Amazon.com:
Warriors have used incendiary weapons from the earliest times. In this comprehensive study, English chemist and historian J.R. Partington traces their origins to Assyrian bas-reliefs from the 9th century, B.C., and even finds hints of them in the Old Testament (see Proverbs 26:18, for instance). Firearms technology took a great leap forward with the advent of so-called Greek fire, used by the Byzantine fleet to defend Constantinople against Arab attackers in the 7th century, and then later versus the Crusaders. One of history's first secret weapons, Greek fire is poorly understood today. Contemporary accounts describe nozzles spouting a fiery liquid that would burn even on the surface of the sea. Experts have tried to determine the exact nature of the substance--the recipe has been lost--but without reaching any definitive conclusions. Partington offers his own theories about one of the great mysteries of premodern warfare. He also describes the advent of gunpowder, exploring the legend of supposed inventor Black Berthold (a mythic figure, says Parrington) and examining the development of firearms in Europe, the Middle East, and China. First published in 1960, A History of Greek Fire and Gunpowder is a classic work on the development of military technology. A number of illustrations embellish the text, written in workmanlike prose that is at once scholarly and accessible to serious readers. --John J. Miller

A mixed bag:
\oAt the beginning, I must point out that the book I read was the 1960 hardbound edition, and some of what I have to say might not apply to later editions.\c This large book is filled with interesting information on the origins of incendiaries and gunpowder, from ancient Assyria, up to around 1500 A.D. The first chapter looks at incendiaries, and includes a marvelous investigation into the ingredients of Greek Fire. After that, the book turns to the origins of gunpowder in the West, and the evolution of its use in warfare. The next two chapters are quite fascinating, focusing on firearms and pyrotechnics in Muslim lands and China. The final chapter is a quick look at saltpeter. I must admit to having found this book to being quite a mixed bag. F.E. Morgan's (1960) introduction bemoans the development of military technology, and seems quite out of place in this book. As for the text itself, the author wrote this book for a scholarly audience, and it shows it. That is to say, it is written in a dry, even turgid manner that is bound to put the casual reader to sleep. The articles themselves contain information that ranges from the absolutely fascinating to the dull, overly drawn out look at obscure points. That said, though, this book is a wonderful resource, that contains a goldmine of information for anyone interested in Greek Fire or the early use of gunpowder. I give this book a somewhat guarded recommendation.