Excellent read, I knew little about Blenheim or the Duke of Marlborough save that he was Winston Churchill's ancestor, but this book is well-written and informative. In 1706, a joint English-Austrian-Dutch army led by John Churchill and Eugene of Savoy decisively defeated a much stronger Franco-Bavarian army near a little village in Bavaria called Blenheim. The defeat ended Louis XVI's dreams of a French-dominated Europe. The book covers the background and lead-up to the battle, looking into the character of the main protagonists, particularly the brilliantly talented Churchill, who was made Duke of Marlborough by a grateful nation, and built Blenheim, the palace where his most notable descendant was born. The author however is careful to also record the experience of the ordinary soldiers by including diary accounts and letters. A wonderfully written book to be relished by all lovers of combat in past eras. ( )

Spencer does an amazing job in explaining both the background of the War of the Spanish succession as well as the events leading up to this battle. After reading this book, I was inspired to visit the museum about the battle located here in Bavaria. ( )