Hi Brian,
Very well said! As I have always said, every book published must be held in certain regard, and even though errors will often, if not always, be found, the authors should always be respected for thier courage in publishing. The Rawson book serves well for what it is, and as noted, especially as a benchmark for further research, as seen in subsequent publications such as Pant and Haider.
What you have observed on Robert Elgood's work is also very well said, and what makes his work so essential to serious researchers. Not only is the detail in his work thoroughly referenced and profusely footnoted, he often progressively includes his thoughts and investigative comments, which well illustrates the continuous development of his research. For those of us seriously empassioned with the weapons of India, it is as if we are in a sense working with him on these studies, rather than hearing a lecture on them. This is the absolute excellence of Elgood's writing.
All the best,
Jim
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