Does exactly what it says on the tin. The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography is a compendium of the three thousand most important military figures of (mostly Western) history. For each entry it lists principal battles and wars, and for most it gives a biographical summary (concentrating, unsurprisingly enough, on their military careers) and brief single-paragraph assessment.

While it's certainly an American volume--insisting upon stressing, for instance, the idea of George Washington as an unappreciated strategic genius--it does a good job of refraining from the trap that many works by American military historians fall into, of overemphasising the contribution American military leaders have made to our 2500 or so years of Western military history.

An invaluable reference. ( )

A must have for the student of military history. ( )

Need to know Prince Eugene's primary battles quickly? Look it up here for a quick, concise entry. ( )