James Jeffrey Roche: 2 books

Today, the term "filibuster" refers to a tactic used by loquacious lawmakers who seek to prevent a vote by delivering marathon-length speeches. But in the past, the term had a different meaning -- it referred to freelance mercenaries who traveled to foreign countries with the aim of sparking a war or revolution. James Jeffrey Roche presents a fascinating history of the practice in By-Ways of War.

The rise and fall of the American Filibusters belong to the history of the Nineteenth Century. From time to time their deeds have been recounted by actors in the stirring scenes, by contemporary observers, and, incidentally, by travellers in Spanish America who lingered for a moment over the romantic...