Some excerpts from reviews of War and Combat 1150-1270: The Evidence from Old French Literature:
‘C’est une étude entièrement originale et de grande classe qui devrait trouver sa place dans la bibliothèque de tous ceux, particuliers ou institutions, qui s’intéressent à la civilisation occidentale des XIIe et XIIIe s.’
David Nicolle, Cahiers de Civilisation Médiévale, 48 (2005), 283-85
‘An ambitious project that should attract the attention of a wide range of specialists. […] Hanley has avoided the pitfalls of many interdisciplinary works and produced a volume of sound scholarship.’
Sara James, Year’s Work in Modern Language Studies, 65 (2005), 51
‘A wonderful pedagogic tool […] Hanley supports her point of view with such a wealth of historical and scholarly material, and such judiciously chosen citations, that the reader’s reaction is often, “Why, of course …,” rather than admiration for a bold perception. I nonetheless found myself admiring many of her insights […] this is a very useful, very complete, and trustworthy account of the topic, admirably inclusive and challenging, and a source that I will be referring to for years to come. I will also be assigning it immediately to the students I teach this year, both beginning undergraduates and seasoned veterans, and that is the final test of quality.’
William Burgwinkle, Speculum, 80 (2005), 881-83
‘[…] a most useful addition to the study of what is increasingly recognized as a major element of medieval life and literature.’
Peter Noble, French Studies, 59 (2005), 224-25
‘[…] brings a satisfying expertise to bear upon an activity of fundamental importance to medieval life […] can profitably be used in conjunction with recent work on perceptions of warfare by John Gillingham and Matthew Strickland.’
Malcolm Barber, H-France Review, vol. 5 (January 2005), no. 12,
http://h-france.net/vol5reviews/barber.html
‘[…] well organized and treats a neglected and important aspect of these Old French writings.’
Emanuel Mickel, Olifant, 23 (2004), 115-18
‘Hanley’s clear and concise survey provides a sufficient background for those that are new to the subject and her extensive references are a splendid aid to further reading. […] this is an enjoyable, clearly written work that conveys the importance of medieval literature in historical discussion. […] War and Combat is thus an excellent guide for anyone interested in this period.’
Nicki Scott, French History, 18 (2004), 498
‘As a historian of chivalry and warfare I gained a great deal from her literary analysis […] solid, readable and based on up-to-date scholarship […] Hanley’s book is well written, well organized, and based on extensive reading […] I have no doubts that War and Combat will find itself into many scholarly libraries, and will serve many readers as a guide to complexities of the medieval literature of war.’
Steven Muhlberger, De Re Militari book reviews, March 2004, http://www.deremilitari.org/REVIEWS/Hanley_WarCombat.htm