Methods and Practice of Elizabethan Swordplay Hardcover – June 11, 1990

If you are interested in a first look at Elizabethan swordplay, this isn't a bad place to start. They have gone through the basics reasonably well, and tried to explain how to use them. Choreographers and fencers who wish to be shown what do do, rather than doing the research themselves, will find it an excellent resource.But accept it for what it is - a basic explanation of Di Grassi, Saviolo, and Silver, not an advancement of the art. I came to Turner and Soper after many years of trying to work out these moves from the original manuals, and found a frustrating blend of careful analysis of the painfully obvious, further confusion of the already muddled, and utter silence on all my real questions. Serious researchers will be disappointed.For a first place to begin, it's probably easier and quicker than trying to read the originals. A choreographer interested in pre-digested knowledge will find this book an excellent source.

The book is just an academic paper no real elaboration on sword play.If your looking for pictures and techniques this isnt the book!

My sense of this book was that it was written with the Shakespearean actor in mind, providing some historic context and relevance into the sword systems you might want to bring to the stage. Oh, how times have changed. Historic fencing has since developed a passionate following where HEMA and other scholars dive into old masters' fencing systems and manuals without a broader context. This book deserves a second look through that perspective. Historic context and the evolution of fencing systems are better understood with a work like this at your side.