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A fine military history of the beginning and end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. While the work gives other elements of the history of this period, it principally focuses on military matters to include the leaders of the military action. The prose is crisp and easy to understand. There are interesting and sometimes helpful graphics included (though as a Paperwhite Kindle user, graphics are often less impactful for me). The authors are willing to challenge conventional thinking and certainly make an effort to scratch beneath the surface to see how things really played out. It is reasonably short and moves pretty quickly through the narrated events. It sometimes provide context in terms of related outside events (like developments in 19th century China, for instance), though such context is clearly outside the main focus of the writers and a reader should consult other sources for any real information related to these. Overall, the work is an excellent starting place for a person trying to understand the events covered, but it is not exhaustive and completely comprehensive. Not to worry, there is a lengthy recommended reading list for next steps if that's your goal. A good read for what it targets.