Just when you thought there would be no "more"...

[L. Braden]

Confirmed by the publisher: "British Sword Fighting 1600-1945" is the final edition of the series. The author/compiler has now taken on 19th-century British firearms, in "Man-Stopper Mania", with intro by Matt Easton.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?k...+kinsley&type=

[Ian Hutchison]

Confirmed by the publisher: "British Sword Fighting 1600-1945" is the final edition of the series. The author/compiler has now taken on 19th-century British firearms, in "Man-Stopper Mania", with intro by Matt Easton.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?k...+kinsley&type=

I'm afraid not, just an update for those searching the web on this question.

I have purchased the latest edition of Kinsley's works:

2018 British Sword Fighting 1600-1945
2019 Bloody Blades of the British Empire.

Having paid $35 for each, I am a disappointed to find that they are nearly identical.

2018 BSF 1600-1945 has one extra chapter (lances/bayonets).
2019 BBotBE (the newer book!) is missing that chapter, but has a foreword by Matt Easton .
Both are 740 pages.

His work has gone through so many name changes with so little description of what each contains, I almost suspect it is intentional to encourage repeat purchases (I now have essentially 3 copies of the same book as I already owned Sword Fighters of the British Empire.)

[Will Mathieson]

I agree with Ian most are about the same content. What would be beneficial is context, where did these excerpts come from and dates. There are no titles to any illustrations though these illustrations do have them when found in period magazines. This leaves you guessing as to when and who are pictured in them. More of cut and paste clippings books that would greatly benefit with a bibliography. The author uses a pen name.
PM sent

[Will Mathieson]

I believe some of the content is from the Army and Navy Illustrated and similar works.

[Ian Hutchison]

By way of example:

I agree with Ian most are about the same content. What would be beneficial is context, where did these excerpts come from and dates. There are no titles to any illustrations though these illustrations do have them when found in period magazines. This leaves you guessing as to when and who are pictured in them. More of cut and paste clippings books that would greatly benefit with a bibliography. The author uses a pen name.
PM sent

I agree, I also wish there was a stronger bibliography. You will notice that the foreword by Matt Easton in "Bloody Blades of the British Empire" is strangely familiar to that in “Swordsmen of the British Empire”. That is because it is taken directly from the earlier work, and in fact still references that title!

[L. Braden]

An informant, who is not a member of this forum, has requested that I respond to the previous posts.
BBBE, which was first issued two years ago and reissued last year in an expanded edition, was not intended "to encourage repeat purchases", but was issued in response to readers who wanted a larger print edition and only the combat narratives, not the commentaries, which request was mentioned in the description of the 1st edition, but not the 2nd, for whatever reason. The foreword by ME, which was added to the 2nd edition, is NOT taken verbatim from SBE, but is entirely new and different, and first appeared in a short supplemental volume of the series. In SBG Sword Forum, pgandy effectively responded to those who have nothing good to say about these books, but only complaints.
Every excerpt in the books gives the source and date; so what good is a bibliography? An index would help, if it is thorough, but would require an unreasonable price for the books unless most if not all of the illustrations were removed, which might be a good thing except to those who like illustrations.

[L. Braden]

P.S. The distributor has changed the author URL to:

http://www.lulu.com/search?contributor=D.+A.+Kinsley

[Will Mathieson]

I believe Kinsley is Bradens pen name, bets are on. I think constructive criticism is warranted when 1/3 of the book Swordsmen of the British Empire is illustrations which lack any title or reference.
Note what I am saying refers to older books and not the current ones and may not apply to the new ones?
I would have liked to know what I'm looking at so I can makes sense of what illustrations apply to what text.
I think the illustrations could accompany the text rather than be one in a mass filling the last third of the book. Being able to join illustration and relevant text is crucial to the understanding.
I have not seen any current editions to know if these criticisms have been addressed. I already have 4 books but do not wish to have more that have the same content.
Possibly some sections of the most recent book can be reproduced here to see what is now available?

[L. Braden]

In the recent editions, the illustrations for each section precede the relevant section and are not clumped together at the end. Also, the number of them have been substantially reduced to make room for more new text without unreasonably increasing the prices of the books.
To my knowledge, you are the only one who has complained about unlabeled illustrations, the reason for which I explained a long time ago.
BSF1600-1945 contains many more pages of new material than is found in SBE, but I in no way endorse your buying it.
You are way off your mark if you think that K is B's pseudonym!

[Will Mathieson]

New material is always good news. As for unlabelled illustrations I believe 1/3 of a book that you can't identify the actions/soldiers and the dates could be easily remedied without added cost. I look forward to reading your new book, who knows that possibly one of my swords owned by a particular officer is mentioned?
If K isn't B than is B, K's pseudonym? Maybe I'm not getting the connection but you are the only one with intimate knowledge of these books and the one who answers the questions.
Not that it matters just thought it would be of interest.

[L. Braden]

I have intimate knowledge of these books only because I know someone (my informant) who knows the publisher, but the identity of the author is anybody's guess - some even alleging that it's none other than Matt Easton! Anyway, Best Wishes to you, Will.

[Will Mathieson]

It's anyone's guess if Matt will come forward and solve the mystery?

[L. Braden]

According to the publisher, he doesn't know any more than you and me.