Weapons have always been admired, as much for their deadly utility as for their aesthetic appeal.

The Illustrated History of Weaponry: From Flint Axes to Automatic Weapons, by Chuck Wills is a comprehensive look at the often deadly, sometimes surprising, always fascinating tools of battle. More than 600 photographs of an eclectic mix of weapons were specially commissioned from the 8,000-piece collection of the Berman Museum of World History. Spanning the globe and more than 3,500 years, they include a royal Persian scimitar owned by both Abbas I and Catherine the Great, a sword presented to Napoleon, the traveling pistols of Confederate president Jefferson Davis, and Heinrich Himmler’s rifle. A variety of rare weapons of espionage and combination curiosa rounds out the selection.

The Illustrated History of Weaponry offers historical perspective of the people, places, and times important to the development of weaponry, with special feature spreads that illuminate such topics as The Hundred Years War, The Crusades, Naval Weapons, The Civil War, and Trench Warfare. The rare and wonderful pieces collected here and their commentary offer something for the history buff, cultural anthropologist, and weapons enthusiast alike.

About the Author

Chuck Wills is a writer, editor, and consultant specializing in history, especially military history. His work in this area includes books on the Battle of Little Bighorn, Pearl Harbor, and the Tet Offensive, as well as several volumes of an illustrated history of the American Civil War. He also writes on technology, music, and popular culture. His most recent books include Grateful Dead: The Illustrated Trip (2003), which he co-authored, and Destination America (2005), a history of immigration to the United StatesÑa companion volume to the PBS series. He lives in New York City.