Napoleonic-era accounts of life aboard Royal Navy warships: "Readers of Patrick O'Brian and C. S. Forester will enjoy this collection" ( Library Journal ).At the dawn of the nineteenth century, the British Navy was the mightiest instrument of war the world had ever known. The Royal Navy patrolled the seas from India to the Caribbean, connecting an empire with footholds in every corner of the earth. Such a massive Navy requ...

A guide to the British Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Age for fans of the Aubrey–Maturin series: "A gem of a book" ( Minneapolis Star Tribune).What is a sand-grouse, and where does it live? What are the medical properties of lignum vitae, and how did Stephen Maturin use it to repair his viola? Who is Admiral Lord Keith, and why is his wife so friendly with Captain Jack Aubrey?More than any other contemporary author, Patrick O'Brian knew the ...

This companion for fans of the Napoleonic sea sagas offers maps of the novels' streets, seas, and coasts, and much more.The tall-masted sailing ships of the early nineteenth century were the technological miracles of their day, allowing their crews to traverse the seas with greater speed than had ever been possible before. Novelist Patrick O'Brian captured the thrill of that era with his characters Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, who visited exotic locales in the ...

Trafalgar: the full story of one of the most famous naval engagements in history During the Napoleonic War, the British Royal Navy faced French and Spanish fleets off the South-Western coast of Spain in one of the most recognised naval engagements in history. In the latest instalment of the Great Battles series, John B. Hattendorf orients readers to the battle of Trafalgar. In Trafalgar, Hattendorf places equal emphasis on all sides of the conflict and it...

Although Theodore Roosevelt has been the subject of numerous books, there has not been a single volume that traces Roosevelt's interaction with the U.S. Navy from his work as a naval historian in the 1880s through his leadership of the Navy as president in the early twentieth century. The editors of this volume fill in this gap in the historical literature. Each essay in this collection by leading historians of American naval history will cover one aspect of Roosevelt's relationship with t...

Maritime strategy and naval power in the Mediterranean touches on migration, the environment, technology, economic power, international politics and law, as well as calculations of naval strength and diplomatic manoeuvre. These broad and fundamental themes are explored in this volume.

Mahan on Naval Strategy, available in paperback for the first time, provides a selection of key writings from one of the greatest naval theorists of all time. An original contributor to the study of strategic thinking, Alfred Thayer Mahan presented concepts and theories in The Influence of Seapower and his other writings that provide guidance in developing strategies to deal with the maritime challenges of the twenty-first century. With this unique collection of key artic...

"Poignant and wise, sympathetic to the everyday struggles these characters face." --Carmela Ciuraru, The Los Angeles Times.Here is a story collection about love, death, humor, and the glue called family. In one narrative, a man wakes up one morning to find the odor of dead fish won't go away, but no one else can smell it. In another, a couple's visit with friends to watch the Academy Awards has the protagonist envying his friends' lawn and lifestyle. In these and eleven other stori...

A gripping biography of Admiral Nelson, Napoleonic War hero and one of Britain's greatest naval tacticians.In the Battle of Trafalgar, Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson sent the signal from his flagship HMS Victory, "England expects that every man will do his duty." His defeat of the French that day in 1805 was a decisive turning point in the Napoleonic Wars, establishing British control of the seas. His death in that heroic battle gave those words immortal signi...

A revealing and insightful look at one of the modern world's most acclaimed historical novelistsPatrick O'Brian was well into his seventies when the world fell in love with his greatest creation: the maritime adventures of Royal Navy Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. But despite his fame, little detail was available about the life of the reclusive author, whose mysterious past King uncovers in this groundbreaking biography.King traces O...

Thrown out of the navy for a crime he did not commit, Jack Aubrey has lost everything he held most dear.In command of his beloved Surprise, but in a civilian capacity, Jack Aubrey must navigate a world apart from anything he has previously known, his friend Stephen Maturin at his side. Together they embark on a voyage which, if successful, might just restore Aubrey to the rank, and the raison d'etre, whose loss he so much regrets.Fate is fickle and few peop...

Loving someone, in a time of war and divided loyalties, can be the greatest risk of all.Ordered home by despatch vessel, Captain Jack Aubrey and ship’s surgeon Stephen Maturin have been tasked with bringing the news of the latest victory in the war with America back to the government in Britain. But Maturin is a marked man for the havoc he has wrought upon the French intelligence network in the New World, and the attentions of two privateers who pursue their ship soon become menaci...