4972. The Gallant Six Hundred A Tragedy of Obsessions, by John Harris (read 30 Oct 2012) This is a 1974 book by an English author which was better than I expected. It tells of the Crimean War up to Oct 25, 1854, the day of the Charge of the Light Brigade. The account of the Charge is excitingly covered well, and one bleeds for the brave men and horses which were stupidly led to make the fearsome charge. Of the 673 men in the Charge, only 195 returned, and 500 horses were also lost. The effects and events after the Charge are not as well covered, and I would have at least liked to have known when Tennyson's poem (which I memorized over 65 years ago) appeared. This is a good book and reads rapidly. ( )

A good corrective to The Reason Why. Makes clear the limited effect the Lucan/Cardigan feud had on actual battle. Tends to rehabilitate Lucan.