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Cloak-and-dagger work was as much a part of the ancient world as the modern. While gadgets may change, the principles do not: espionage in antiquity was just as dangerous, its stakes just as high. Without Sinon, a double agent for the Greeks, Troy would never have fallen. Frank Russell studies spies in the ancient Greek world and presents fascinating information on the nature of the Great Game, its players, its pawns, and their methods. Information Gathering in Classical Greece opens with chapters on tactical, strategic, and covert agents. Methods of communication are explored, from fire-signals to dead-letter drops. Frank Russell categorizes and defines the collectors and sources of information according to their era, methods, and spheres of operation, and he also provides evidence from ancient authors on interrogation and the handling and weighing of information. Counterintelligence is also explored, together with disinformation through "leaks" and agents. The author concludes this fascinating study with observations on the role that intelligence-gathering has in the kind of democratic society for which Greece has always been famous. This valuable and absorbing volume is accessible to any student of intelligence or ancient history. All passages have been translated, and context is provided for historical figures who might not be widely known. Notes are extensive and offer further avenues of study for the technical or specialist reader.

A definitive study of strategy, river warfare, and Union triumph in the Mississippi Valley.

Island No. 10: Struggle for the Mississippi Valley is a deeply researched, narrative-driven history of the Civil War New Madrid–Island No. 10 campaign in 1862—an episode overshadowed by Fort Donelson and Shiloh yet vital to Union mastery of the Mississippi River. The authors argue that the campaign was far more consequential than its marginalization in traditional Civil War histories suggests, demonstrating that the fall of Island No. 10 consolidated Union control of the upper Mississippi, accelerated the collapse of Confederate fortunes in the West, and highlighted the transformative power of joint Army–Navy operations. 

The book’s strengths lie in its rich use of diaries, letters, official military records, and contemporary press accounts, weaving together strategy, engineering, naval innovation, politics, and the lived experience of soldiers. Vivid descriptions of fortification design, the ironclad flotilla, the dramatic night battery runs, and the grueling canal‑cutting operation offer readers a ground‑level and command‑level view of the campaign. Larry J. Daniel, an acclaimed Civil War historian and award‑winning author of Cannoneers in Gray and Soldiering in the Army of Tennessee, together with Lynn N. Bock, a historian, attorney, and longtime steward of New Madrid’s local history, bring scholarly authority and regional expertise to the subject. 

This book will captivate readers interested in Civil War military history, riverine warfare, engineering feats, and the Western theater. It is especially valuable for scholars, buffs seeking a fresh perspective on neglected campaigns, students of joint operations, and anyone exploring how geography, logistics, and technology shaped the course of the war.