Maritime history Books

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Book SynopsisFrom the international bestselling author of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON and THE LOST CITY OF Z, a mesmerising story of shipwreck, mutiny and murder, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThis visually stunning publication highlights the importance of an ocean that covers very nearly a third of the surface of the globe, and which has dramatically shaped the world and people around it.

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Book Synopsis''An exceptional book. Sailing Alone belongs on the very small shelf of the true classics of the sea'' Peter Nichols, author of Sea Change and A Voyage for Madmen''Colourful and inventive'' The TimesSailing on a boat by yourself out at sea and out of sight of land can be exhilarating or terrifying, compelling or tedious - sometimes it can be all of these things just in one morning. It is an adventure at odds with our normal, sociable lives, carried out floating on a medium wholly inimical to our existence. But the deep ocean is also a remarkable place on which to think.Richard King''s enormously engaging and curious new book is about the debt we owe to solo sailors: women and men, young and old, who have set out alone. Spending weeks and months alone, slowly, quietly and close to the ocean surface is to create the world''s largest laboratory: an endlessly changing, capricious and startling place in which to observe oneself,

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Book SynopsisA rollicking account of pirates' codes, the strict rules essential for survival at sea.

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR''As brilliant a history of the Vikings as one could possibly hope to read'' Tom HollandThe ''Viking Age'' is traditionally held to begin in June 793 when Scandinavian raiders attacked the monastery of Lindisfarne in Northumbria, and to end in September 1066, when King Harald Hardrada of Norway died leading the charge against the English line at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. This book, the most wide-ranging and comprehensive assessment of the current state of our knowledge, takes a refreshingly different view. It shows that the Viking expansion began generations before the Lindisfarne raid, and traces Scandinavian history back centuries further to see how these people came to be who they were.The narrative ranges across the whole of the Viking diaspora, from Vinland on the eastern American seaboard to Constantinople and Uzbekistan, with contacts as far away as China. Based on the latest archaeology, it explores the complex origins of the Viking phenomenon and traces the seismic shifts in Scandinavian society that resulted from an economy geared to maritime war. Some of its most striking discoveries include the central role of slavery in Viking life and trade, and the previously unsuspected pirate communities and family migrations that were part of the Viking ''armies'' - not least in England.Especially, Neil Price takes us inside the Norse mind and spirit-world, and across their borders of identity and gender, to reveal startlingly different Vikings to the barbarian marauders of stereotype. He cuts through centuries of received wisdom to try to see the Vikings as they saw themselves - descendants of the first human couple, the Children of Ash and Elm. Healso reminds us of the simultaneous familiarity and strangeness of the past, of how much we cannot know, alongside the discoveries that change the landscape of our understanding. This is an eye-opening and surprisingly moving book.Trade ReviewEverybody thinks they know the Vikings, but Neil Price's magical book casts them in an entirely new light ... Scholarly, colourful and often remarkably funny, this is history at its very best, a richly decorated window on to a very strange world. -- Dominic Sandbrook and Gerard De Groot * The Times Books of the Year *This history takes us deep into the lives - and deaths - of the Vikings ... What surprised me about The Children of Ash and Elm is the extent to which recent archaeological discovery is transforming our picture of the Vikings from the inside. Price, who has spent several decades in ancient cesspits and the remains of Norse workshops, is superbly qualified to understand the significance of what is being unearthed, analysed and dated, and conveys a sense of excitement about just how much is being learnt -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *a book that offers delight after delight ... lyrical, unnerving, specific, and passionately uncertain, all at once ... Throughout this book are glorious collections of Viking facts that are technically known yet still resist our best attempts at interpretation ... Price has a talent for evoking the Vikings' physical surroundings as they might have been - a gift for recreation that's probably natural for an archaeologist accustomed to eking significance from the smallest bit of disturbed dirt ... To convey such a deep sense of scholarly indeterminacy, all while dazzling the reader with cinematic detail-this is, truly, a feat. -- Rebecca Onion * Slate Magazine *This is a comprehensive, lyrically told and personal account of the Viking Age, the product of more than thirty years of experience as a leading archaeologist and researcher. Many books assess the "Viking achievement". The Children of Ash and Elm examines instead who the Vikings were, how they saw themselves and why they did what they did ... no other history of the Vikings is as vibrant or expands the scope of the Viking world to encompass not just landscapes, but mindscapes. -- Jane Kershaw * Times Literary Supplement *It is full of meticulous accounts of the specifics of early medieval Scandinavian daily life ... beautifully evocative, engaging and thought-provoking ... It is impossible not to admire the breadth and range of this book's discussion of Viking material culture. -- Eleanor Parker * History Today *Neil Price's The Children of Ash and Elm is an illuminating and insightful tour of the Viking era; his narrative is composed from his obvious expertise, and his utter passion. He loves this subject and he wants to invite the reader to share his enthusiasm ... Compelling, engaging, insightful and informative ... we couldn't hope for a more entertaining or enlightening guide - Neil Price has given us an exceptional book, and it is one to be treasured. -- Caroline Spalding * Yorkshire Times *Price is adept at bringing this cosmopolitan and brutal world to life, interweaving many complicated strands of history with his own experience in the field along with poetic meditations on a people and time long since passed. -- Rhian Sasseen * The Paris Review *fascinating -- Paul Muldoon * TLS Books of the Year *a very human history of the period, one that is by turns illuminating, surprising and even moving ... much of the beauty of Price work is in its qualitative, sometimes subjective nature, even while it remains a meticulously researched, rigorous piece of scholarship. -- Eleanor Barraclough * Literary Review *This book is the closest thing I have found to a time machine. It brilliantly clears the fog of the past from the Viking era. Extremely well written...if you are seeking an accessible, yet definitive and up-to-date book on the Vikings, this is the one you want. -- Terje Birkedal * The Norwegian American *a thrilling read ... His clear, engaging style introduces us to the Scandinavian communities of the eighth and ninth centuries, centered around the farmstead, before catapulting us overseas and outward into an expanding world where raiding and trading quickly boosted the wealth of individuals and the ambitions of the elites. ... The stereotype of the Viking that we know from history books and popular media is here dismantled and presented anew by Mr. Price in all its wonderful, terrifying complexity and ambiguity. -- Karin Altenberg * Wall Street Journal *The question that this dark, brilliantly written and absorbing book asks is: who were these people and where did this violence come from?...The powerful and unsettling message of this book is that they never went home. These strange, vicious people are our forebears. They never went home. -- Jay Elwes * Spectator *as Neil Price shows in his colourful, revelatory new book, we are almost always looking at the Vikings the wrong way around. Price is one of the world's foremost experts on the Vikings and holds the chair of archaeology at Uppsala University ... He may know more about medieval Scandinavia than anyone else alive, and he aims to show us these fascinating people as they saw themselves, not as they were perceived by those on the sharp end of their robbery ... Thousands of books have been published about the Vikings - this is one of the very best. -- Dan Jones * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the depths of Antarctic winter, hundreds of miles from land or rescue, a small fishing boat is swallowed by waves as high as houses. The captain is fatally slow to act, and then paralyzed by fear. The officers flee for their lives. Only the actions of Matt Lewis, a 23-year-old British marine biologist and one of the most inexperienced men aboard, will save the lives of the South African crew.Lewis is the last man off the sinking boat, and leads the escape onto three life rafts. There the battle for survival begins.Trade ReviewThis is brilliant . . Told with terrifying detail and heartfelt compassion -- Dermot O'LearyA story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell -- Bear GryllsA dramatic tale of survival in one of the most brutal situations on earth. Feels like reading the diary of a doomed man . . . so personal and chillingly real; totally takes you there in a way that is not always comfortable -- Steve BackshallReads like a sinister version of The Perfect Storm...Thrilling, compelling, unsettling, rewarding . . . This breakneck race of a book isn't just required reading for fans of waterborne peril; Harvard MBAs could also scour the pages as a case study in dysfunctional workplaces and woeful man management. It's like the Perfect Storm, but with gruesomely, even murderously, imperfect people * Sunday Times *A heart-thumping tale of tragedy and survival - minus the Hollywood ending * Daily Telegraph *A thrilling, horrifying and compelling portrait of human survival. Colossal terror unfolds on every page * The Bookseller, Books of the Year *For his compelling account of the hardships of fishing in remote Antarctic waters, and of what it means to abandon ship in a severe storm with inadequate equipment and a crew unprepared for survival. The book is objective but non-judgmental in its descriptiveness, so heightening the true sense of disaster. The style makes the book accessible to a wide public, but it is also essential reading for seafarers, fishermen and yachtsmen, as it concerns attitudes to safety and survival. A truly life-affirming and influential work. * The Mountbatten Maritime Award for best literary contribution - Certificate of Merit *

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Book Synopsis'Essential reading' Françoise Vergès, author of A Decolonial Feminism'Profound and compelling ... A book that I couldn't put down' Adam Hanieh, author of Crude CapitalismWhether it's pumping oil, mining resources or shipping commodities across oceans, the global economy runs on extraction. Promises of frictionless trade and lucrative speculation are the hallmarks of our era, but the backbone of globalisation is still low-cost labour and rapacious corporate control. Extractive capitalism is what made - and is still making - our unequal world. Professor Laleh Khalili reflects on the hidden stories behind late capitalism, from seafarers abandoned on debt-ridden container ships to the nefarious reach of consultancy firms and the cronyism that drives record-breaking profits. Piercing, wry and constantly revealing, Extractive Capitalism brings vividly to light the dark truths behind the world's most voracious industries.

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Book SynopsisThe Command of the Ocean describes with unprecedented authority and scholarship the rise of Britain to naval greatness, and the central place of the Navy and naval activity in the life of the nation and government. It describes not just battles, voyages and cruises but how the Navy was manned, how it was supplied with timber, hemp and iron, how its men (and sometimes women) were fed, and above all how it was financed and directed. It was during the century and a half covered by this book that the successful organizing of these last three - victualling, money and management - took the Navy to the heart of the British state. It is the great achievement of the book to show how completely integrated and mutually dependent Britain and the Navy then became.

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Book SynopsisThe first book to recount the remarkable story of the hunt for HMS Laurentic’s gold

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Book SynopsisTHE IRISH TIMES BESTSELLER'A comprehensive investigation of the staggering damage we have done to the world's oceans and its life forms' Observer'A vital, fascinating, deeply researched exploration of Earth's last wilderness... Shocking and starkly 'illuminating - a must-read' Gaia VinceThe ocean covers seventy per cent of the surface of our planet, and two thirds of this lie beyond national borders. Owned by all nations and no nation simultaneously, these waters are home to some of the richest and most biodiverse environments on the planet. But they are also home to exploitation on a scale that few of us can imagine. Here, industry and economic progress rule and lax enforcement and apathy are the status quo. Out of sight and often out of mind, a battle rages to control, profit from, protect, or obliterate the world's largest, wildest commons. Heffernan sets sail on a journey to uncover the truth behind deeply exploitative fishing practices, investigate the potentially devastating impact of deep-sea mining, and hold to task the Silicon-valley interventionists whose solutions to climate change are often wildly optimistic, radically irresponsible or both. The result is a forceful and deeply researched manifesto calling for the protection and preservation of this final frontier - the last vestiges of wilderness on Earth.

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Book SynopsisA compelling history of the greatest ships ever launched.The importance of the fighting ship is as considerable today as ever before. Battleships are built, counted, assessed and exercised with the same determination now as at the beginning of the twentieth century, and during the Napoleonic Wars.In this riveting book, leading historian Richard Hough examines fifteen of history’s most significant and interesting battleships, from Lord Howard Effingham’s Ark Royal, which held the Spanish Armada at bay, to the American New Jersey, which took part in three wars, and whose guns still remain ready for action. From the mighty German Bismarck of 1941, destroyed on its first operation voyage, Battleship ranges to Admiral Nelson’s legendary HMS Victory, still a flagship after more than 200 yearsHough weaves these examples into a pattern of progress ranging from the galleon to the immense super-dreadnought. In addition, he focuses in depth upon armaments, structural developments, and the tactics of war – all these play a crucial part in the epic history of the battleship. But above all Richard Hough’s story is a human one, a record of men and ships, of courage and endurance – a true taste of the sea.

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Book SynopsisAn examination of one of the most famous ships of all time, from a refreshingly different angle. Compiled from authentic period sources with nostalgic illustrations.Launched in May 1911, the triple-screw steamer Titanic was the pride of the White Star Line and at that time the largest passenger ship in the world. Built to carry passengers in comfort and luxury on the lucrative transatlantic route, her design, fittings and on-board facilites epitomised the spirit of the age in terms of elegance and style. Titanic: A Passenger''s Guide is a unique guide to all aspects of the ship, incorporating authentic period literature from sources including White Star Line themselves, Harland & Wolff shipyards, and important publications from the time.Trade ReviewThe Titanic Pocketbook: A Passenger’s Guide is a slim little book chock full of information about the great ship. Written as though it were in fact an informational book for someone considering sailing on board the Titanic ... it is an interesting slant on the ship and one this buff enjoyed. * Historical Novel Society *

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Book SynopsisIn Give Me Winter, Give Me Dogs, Arctic historian Kenn Harper takes readers alongside Knud Rasmussen's spearheading Fifth Thule Expedition. From 1921 to 1924, Rasmussen trekked across Canada's Arctic to study Inuit there and record their stories, and perhaps most importantly to him, to immerse himself in their culture and to know them. With the support of his colleagues and Inuit guides, Rasmussen recorded the cultural practices of various Inuit groups, from taboos and shamanism to the introduction of Christianity; traditional stories and practices, and adventures and misadventures that only an Arctic landscape can provide.Including historic photographs and illustrative maps, this book is a great resource for anyone interested in a momentous journey into Inuit culture.

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Book SynopsisA compendium of fascinating information about the great waters that cover two-thirds of our Earth and the men and women that sailed them.Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men - explorers, admirals and trawlermen - who have shaped our world. The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms 'steer clear of', 'hit the deck', 'don't rock the boat', 'to harbour a grudge' and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of 'bumpkin', a 'brace of shakes', 'born with a silver spoon', 'booby prize', 'to take on board', 'above board', 'bombed' (in the sense of being drunk), the 'blues', 'blind-side', 'blind drunk', 'the pot calling the kettle black', 'reach the bitter end', 'wasters', 'ahoy', 'all at sea', 'to keep aloof', 'piss-artist', 'taken aback', 'barbecue'' and 'bamboozle'. Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as 'bring one's arse to anchor' (sit down), 'belly timber' (food) and 'bog orange' (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.Table of ContentsIntroduction. An A-Z of Sea Slang. Sea Conditions and Weather: Wind and rain; Skies and sea; Under the weather. Life at Sea: The parts of a ship; Types of ship and boat; Ships of special significance; Who did what and who does what at sea?; Clothing at sea; Marine entertainments; Illness and injury at sea; Food at sea; Drink and the mariner; Punishment at sea; Slaves and slavery. Death at Sea: Sea battles, wars and landings; Maritime attacking tactics; Maritime weapons; Famous warships; Mutiny!; Tragedies at sea and on rivers; The Merchant Navy. Heroes, Heroines, Sea People and Navigation: Sea heroes; Other interesting sea people; Navigators, navigation, explorers and maps. Villains of the Seas: The world of pirates and buccaneers; Famous pirates and pirate commanders; Pirate haunts and targets; Something about treasure. Islands, Ports, Harbours and Capes: Islands; Ports, harbours, bays and capes. Animals of the Sea: Interesting things that live in the sea; Apex predators; Sea mammals of interest; Whaling; Birds of the seas; Fish; Molluscs and invertebrates; Other marine wonders. The Ocean Environment: Seas and oceans, races and records; Are we doomed?; Environmental issues; Sea structures; Sea fishing. References. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe European World 1500â1800 provides a concise and authoritative textbook for the centuries between the Renaissance and the French Revolution. It presents early modern Europe not as a mere transition phase, but a dynamic period worth studying in its own right.Written by an experienced team of specialists, and derived from a successful undergraduate course, it offers a student-friendly introduction to all major themes and processes of early modern history. This fully updated fourth edition is structured in six parts â Starting Points, Society and Economy, Religion, The Wider World, Culture, Politics â and includes two new chapters on the Environment and Food and Drink Cultures.Specially designed to assist learning, The European World 1500â1800 features: expert surveys of key topics written by an international group of historians suggestions for seminar discussion and further reading extracts from primary sources and generous illustrations, including maps a glossary of key terms and concepts a full index of persons, places and subjects and a companion website, offering colour images, direct access to primary materials, and interactive features which highlight key events and locations discussed in the volume. The European World 1500â1800 is essential reading for all students embarking on the discovery of the early modern period.For support with the early modern historiographical debates see the partnering volume Interpreting Early Modern Europe edited by C. Scott Dixon and Beat KÃmin.- https://www.routledge.com/Interpreting-Early-Modern-Europe/Dixon-Kumin/p/book/9781138799011. Trade Review'This is one of the only textbooks to portray the early modern period as a distinctive era in its own right and to fully explore its richness and diversity. The European World provides an authoritative survey of the period's characteristic developments, an overview of the latest scholarly perspectives and an original selection of easily accessible source fragments.'Bart Lambert, University of York, UK‘An informative, synthetic account of the major themes in early modern European history. The authors introduce readers to an array of "histories" (social, economic, religious, etc.) which they may not have encountered before and encourage further specialised reading . . . the illustrative examples are useful and pertinent.’Stephen Bowd, University of Edinburgh ‘This impressive textbook provides a firm basis for any further student research. Easy to read, it delivers in-depth considerations of the most important developments of the European early modern period.’Renate Dürr, University of Tübingen‘Didactically, it is all brilliantly executed, especially compared to some German textbooks and it is easy to read, without being simplistic.’Wolfgang Reinhard, Zeitschrift für Historische Forschung‘One of the best introductions to this period I have seen.'Retha Warnicke, Arizona State University'A student-friendly text, well written by excellent scholars who make the reader want to turn the page. The European World, 1500-1800, contains analytical chapters on a variety of both traditional and recent historical topics while excelling in comparative descriptions of life throughout Europe, between different centuries, and between Europe and the wider world.'Richard M. Golden, University of North TexasThis is a well-organized, thoughtful and thought-provoking survey of a seminal period in the history of Europe. It draws upon current scholarship to provide a useful overview the major themes of early modern European history. Its thematic approach is especially helpful in getting students to think about the past in new and fruitful ways.Christine Kooi, Louisiana State University. Table of ContentsPart I: Starting PointsI.1 IntroductionBeat Kümin I.2 Europe in 1500Humfrey ButtersPart II: Society and EconomyII.1 EnvironmentsJohn MorganII.2Gender and FamilyBernard CappII.3 Rural SocietySteve Hindle II.4 Urban SocietyPenny RobertsII.5 Marginals and DeviantsPenny RobertsII.6 Sickness and HealthClaudia SteinII.7 The Early Modern EconomySteve Hindle Part III: ReligionIII.1 Church and People at the Close of the Middle AgesBeat Kümin and Peter MarshallIII.1A The Long Reformation – an introductionBeat KüminIII.2 The Long Reformation – LutheranHenry J. CohnIII.3 The Long Reformation – ReformedPenny RobertsIII.4 The Long Reformation – CatholicAnne Gerritsen, Kevin Gould and Peter MarshallIII.5 Religious Culture in Early Modern EuropePeter MarshallIII.6 Jews and MuslimsHenry J. Cohn†Part IV: The Wider World IV.1 Beyond Europe c. 1500Anne Gerritsen and Anthony McFarlaneIV.2 European Relations with the Ottoman WorldJames BaldwinIV.3 Expanding HorizonsAnne Gerritsen and Anthony McFarlaneIV.4 Europe OverseasAnthony McFarlaneIV.5 The Global Exchange of GoodsAnne Gerritsen and Giorgio RielloIV.6 Europe and the World c. 1800Anne Gerritsen and Anthony McFarlanePart V: CultureV.1 RenaissanceHumfrey ButtersV.2 Arts and SocietyLuca MolàV.3 From Pen to PrintMark Knights and Angela McShane V.4 Food and Drink CulturesRebecca Earle and Beat KüminV.5 Popular Culture(s)Bernard CappV.6 Witchcraft and MagicPenny RobertsV.7 The Scientific RevolutionClaudia SteinV.8 EnlightenmentColin JonesPart VI: PoliticsA) SurveysVI.1 The Theory and Practice of Politics and GovernmentHumfrey ButtersVI.2 Dynastic Politics, Religious Conflict and Reason of State c.1500-1650Humfrey Butters and Henry J. CohnVI.3 European Politics from the Peace of Westphalia to the French Revolution c.1650-1800Colin Jones and Mark KnightsB) ThemesVI. 4 Courts and CentresStéphane van Damme and Janet Dickinson VI.5 Centre and PeripherySteve Hindle and Beat Kümin VI.6 The Impact of WarJonathan DaviesVI.7 Riot and RebellionBernard CappVI.8 RevolutionBernard Capp and Colin Jones

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Book SynopsisTHE #2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER As gripping as any thriller. History doesn't get any better than this' BILL BRYSON 'A brilliant read Game of Thrones but in the real world' ANTHONY HOROWITZTrade Review‘How a drunk teenager shipwrecked the monarchy … As colourful and racy narrative history goes, this absolutely gallops … Whips through a hundred years of complex history from the Norman Conquest to Henry II’ Daily Mail “Vividly conjures up this half-forgotten medieval tragedy and its consequences”Daily Mail, Books of the Year “An epic, gripping history of hubris, piety, treachery, happenstance, rebellion and slaughter.” Catholic Herald ‘Rooted in the medieval chronicles, but crafted like a Hollywood thriller. Spencer is one of the finest narrative historians around’Mail on Sunday ‘Charles Spencer is a gifted storyteller … Pivoted on one single, tragic winter evening. It is an event and a period of history that should be better known, and now it will be’The Times 'Spencer proves himself more than a match for the story. He guides the reader well through the dramatic twists and turns of these years, which first placed Henry on the throne, then seemed set to deny the succession of his progeny. Spencer has a particularly good eye for detail, enriching his account with vivid pen-portraits of the main players … Fast-paced and immensely enjoyable'Literary Review ‘Neglected by popular historians, [Henry I] … has found a master storyteller in Charles Spencer … rooted in excellent historical research … a lyrical, vivid and compelling portrait. He succeeds in bringing to life huge characters from nearly a millennium ago’Spectator ‘An exhilarating narrative full of incident and insight. Here is the story, marvellously told, of the post-Conquest kings – and one almost-queen – of England: unpredictable, violently dramatic, and never less than compelling’Helen Castor 'Told with verve and an exceptional eye for detail, this is the story of how a single catastrophe changed the course of British history forever. Dramatic, compelling and utterly addictive’Tracy Borman

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Book SynopsisJulian Sancton read History at Harvard, and is a senior features editor at Departures magazine, where he writes about culture and travel. His work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Esquire, The New Yorker, Wired, and Playboy, among other publications. He grew up in Paris and New York and has reported from every continent, including Antarctica, which he first visited while researching this book.Trade ReviewA "grade-A classic" that's feverishly compelling ... this story has everything * Sunday Times *Exquisitely researched and deeply engrossing * New York Times *Utterly enthralling -- Geoff Dyer * Guardian *An epic of survival. A mixture of chaos and great courage; part Monty Python sketch, part real-life heroics * Michael Palin *The next great contribution to polar literature. A wild tale, so well told and immersively researched * Hampton Sides, New York Times bestselling author of IN THE KINGDOM OF ICE *A brilliant, vivid piece of writing that should be read by all who care about heroism, courage, ingenuity and endurance... it is adventure to the max, and peopled by wonderful characters. As soon as you finish, you want to read it again -- Roger Alton * Daily Mail *The story of the Belgica has been told before, but never so brilliantly. Madhouse at the End of the Earth belongs at the heights of polar literature * The Times *Considering that much of Madhouse at the End of the Earth is about moribundity, Sancton does well to make each page exciting - "murder, suicide, starvation, insanity, icy death and all the acts of the devil" -- Roger Lewis * Telegraph ***** *A riveting true-life horror story ... an obscure but important history transformed by deep research and note-perfect storytelling into a classic thriller * Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of STEVE JOBS and LEONARDO DA VINCI *Artfully constructed, written with evenly-paced poise and with a kind of dread-filled assurance, it grips from first sentence to last * Lawrence Osborne, international bestselling author of THE FORGIVEN *One of the most enthralling-and harrowing-adventure stories in years... An unforgettable tale brilliantly told * Scott Anderson, bestselling author of LAWRENCE IN ARABIA *Has it all: Idealism, ingenuity, ambition, explosives, flimflammery, a colourful cast, a blank map, a three-month-long night, penguins (and medicinal penguin meat). A riveting tale, splendidly told * Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of THE WITCHES and CLEOPATRA *A mesmerizing, unputdownable read... an epic of Antarctic exploration * Nathaniel Philbrick, author of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA and VALIANT AMBITION *[A] riveting history... A rousing, suspenseful adventure tale * Kirkus Reviews *The savage beauty of the antarctic landscape grips. The writing is exacting, compelling and compassionate. * The Literary Review *The energy of the narrative never flags... Mr. Sancton has produced a thriller, and a welcome addition to the polar shelves -- Sara Wheeler * Wall Street Journal *A riveting account...well-researched and enthralling * Publishers Weekly *'A splendid, beautifully written book' -- Owen Matthews * The Spectator *This is an epic of exploration, a brilliantly vivid piece of writing told by a natural storyteller * Daily Mail *Julian Sancton's impressive research and incisive writing style ensures that this lockdown story grips like the pack ice * Yachting Monthly *

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Book SynopsisSet against the backdrop of the Age of Exploration, Black Flags, Blue Waters reveals the surprising history of American piracy’s “Golden Age” - spanning the late 1600s through the early 1700s - when lawless pirates plied the coastal waters of North America and beyond. “Deftly blending scholarship and drama” (Richard Zacks), best-selling author Eric Jay Dolin illustrates how American colonists at first supported these outrageous pirates in an early display of solidarity against the Crown, and then violently opposed them. Through engrossing episodes of roguish glamour and extreme brutality, Dolin depicts the star pirates of this period, among them the towering Blackbeard, the ill-fated Captain Kidd, and sadistic Edward Low, who delighted in torturing his prey. Upending popular misconceptions and cartoonish stereotypes, Black Flags, Blue Waters is a “tour de force history” (Michael Pierce, Midwestern Rewind) of the seafaring outlaws whose raids reflect the precarious nature of American colonial life.Trade Review"An entertaining romp across the oceans that shows how piracy is an inseparable element of our past.... Mr. Dolin has a keen eye for detail and the telling episode. Readers will learn fascinating tidbits of language, habits and cultural assimilation." -- Rinker Buck, Wall Street Journal"Black Flags, Blue Waters is rumbustious enough for the adventure-hungry, but it also hews to the facts as they are known about the pirate lives and activities.... Dolin’s book is not only a fine entertainment, but it draws the pirate in a clear light." -- Peter Lewis, San Francisco Chronicle"A masterly and vivid account of the pirates who operated around America’s coasts in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Using an impressive array of sources, Eric Jay Dolin throws a fresh light on familiar stories, unearths some new and surprising facts, and skillfully sets the exploits of a notorious generation of pirates in their historical context." -- David Cordingly, author of Under the Black Flag"Elegantly written.... Black Flags, Blue Waters is distinctive and an excellent addition to this subdivision of maritime history." -- Louis Arthur Norton, Sea History"Gripping.... Dolin, who has previously written popular narratives about whaling, the fur trade and opium trafficking, finds another can’t-miss subject in the adventures of Kidd, Bonnet, Blackbeard and their ilk. Dolin makes it fresh by focusing on the interaction between pirates and the British colonies. His evidence is irrefutable: pirate cash and stolen goods were invaluable to colonial ports." -- Anne Bartlett, BookPage"If you’ve never read Dolin before, prepare to have a new favorite historian." -- Jeff Guinn, author of The Road to Jonestown"A compelling examination of the economics, geopolitics, and strong?sometimes mad?personalities that fueled the great age of New World piracy. Black Flags, Blue Waters illuminates a fascinating era of maritime history but also the dark actions of desperate men." -- Dean King, author of Skeletons on the Zahara"Eric Jay Dolin has written a tour de force history of this period in American history. Black Flags, Blue Waters brings to life the famous, the not-so-famous, and the infamous of the ranks of American pirates during the... Golden Age [of Piracy]." -- Michael Pierce, Midwestern Rewind"As he did with whales and lighthouses, Eric Jay Dolin gives us another sea-meets-shore epic wrapped in a swashbuckling narrative.... A fascinating adventure story filled with rogues, rascals, and ruthless renegades, this is stirring history that reads like a novel." -- Stephen Puleo, author of Dark Tide"In Black Flags, Blue Waters, Eric Jay Dolin presents the surprising and enthralling Age of Pirates that was more bloody than golden. In the process, he proves again that skillfully presented narrative nonfiction is even more gripping than swashbuckling mythology. If you’ve never read Dolin before, prepare to have a new favorite historian." -- Jeff Guinn, author of The Road to Jonestown

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics.I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both; and I believe they both get paid in the end; but the fools first.'Orphaned as a young teenager, Lowlander David Balfour's only relative is his guardian and uncle, Ebenezer. Ill-thought of and disliked by many, it's not long before Ebenezer betrays his nephew and David finds himself trapped aboard a ship.He soon strikes up a friendship with fugitive stranger and Scottish Highlander Alan Breck and becomes embroiled in the fierce Jacobite struggle against English rule. A tale of high-seas adventure, loyalty and fighting, the complex relationship between Alan and David stops Stevenson's novel from becoming just' a boys adventure novel.

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Book Synopsis'The writing is sublime, the research thorough, the eye for story superb' Sunday TelegraphWhen Amitav Ghosh began the research for his monumental cycle of novels the Ibis Trilogy, he was startled to find how the lives of the 19th century sailors and soldiers he wrote of were dictated not only by the currents of the Indian Ocean, but also by the precious commodity carried in enormous quantities on those currents: opium. Most surprising at all, however, was the discovery that his own identity and family history was swept up in the story.Smoke and Ashes is at once a travelogue, memoir and a history, drawing on decades of archival research. In it, Ghosh traces the transformative effect the opium trade had on Britain, India, and China, as well as the world at large. The trade was engineered by the British Empire, which exported Indian opium to sell to China and redress their great trade imbalance, and its revenues were essential to the Empire's financial survival. Yet tracing the profits further, Ghosh finds opium at the origins of some of the world's biggest corporations, of America's most powerful families and prestigious institutions (from the Astors and Coolidges to the Ivy League), and of contemporary globalism itself.Moving deftly between horticultural histories, the mythologies of capitalism, and the social and cultural repercussions of colonialism, in Smoke and Ashes Amitav Ghosh reveals the role that one small plant had in making our world, now teetering on the edge of catastrophe.Trade ReviewGhosh has reinvented himself as a superlative commodity historian. In his new role, he has surpassed many seasoned historians in his ability to synthesise a wealth of research with remarkable intellectual clarity and suggestive simplicity . . . There's a quietly subversive element to Smoke and Ashes for which Ghosh deserves to be commended * The Times *The book gave me a deeper chill than any of the TV series about the opioid crisis I had viewed before reading it . . . The writing is sublime, the research thorough, the eye for story superb, and there are splashes of personal back story that underscore the sincerity of the author's arguments * Sunday Telegraph *A riveting new history of opium, a lucrative and destructive flower . . . Amitav Ghosh's sweeping, forcefully written Smoke and Ashes covers centuries in the life of the plant * Washington Post *A sweeping, and personal, account of the immense effect the opium trade has had on world history and how it continues to impact our lives today. * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisA facsimile edition of a classic source for the history of piracy, as used by Robert Louis Stevenson in the writing of Treasure Island.Captain Charles Johnson's General History of Pirates was one of the best-selling books of 1724, when it was first published. It provides a sweeping account of what has come to be called the Golden Age of Piracy.It went through four editions in two years, and without doubt owed a substantial part of its success to a dramatic writing style that vividly captures the realities of pirates' savage existence. The book contains documentary evidence of events during the lives of its subjects. In the 270 years since its original publication, Johnson's work has come to be regarded as the classic study of one of the most popular subjects in maritime history.Table of ContentsIntroduction by David Cordingly Captain Johnson’s Introduction The life of Captain Avery The life of Captain Martel The life of Captain Teach The life of Major Bonnet The life of Captain England The life of Captain Vane The life of Captain Rackham The life of Mary Read The life of Anne Bonny The life of Captain Davis The life of Captain Roberts The life of Captain Anstis The life of Captain Worley The life of Captain Lowther The life of Captain Low The life of Captain Evans The life of Captain Phillips The life of Captain Spriggs The life of Captain Gow The life of Captain Kidd An account of the piracies and murders committed by Philip Roche, etc An abstract of the civil law and statute law now in force in relation to piracy Notes Glossary Bibliography

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Book SynopsisFew literary masterpieces cast quite as awesome a shadow as Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Captain Ahab's quest for the white whale is a timeless epic a thrilling tale of vengeance and obsession, and a searing parable about humanity lost in a universe of moral ambiguity.Inspired by true events, Moby Dick is a work of astonishing psychological depth. It is perhaps the greatest sea story ever told and one of the great classics of literature.Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee'

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Book SynopsisBringing the world of Titanic and her sisters back to life as never before through the captivating original artwork of talented artists

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Book SynopsisAn exciting new edition of Bella Bathurst's epic story of Robert Louis Stevenson's ancestors and the building of the Scottish coastal lighthouses against impossible odds.Whenever I smell salt water, I know that I am not far from one of the works of my ancestors,' wrote Robert Louis Stevenson in 1880. When the lights come out at sundown along the shores of Scotland, I am proud to think they burn more brightly for the genius of my father!'Robert Louis Stevenson was the most famous of the Stevensons, but not by any means the most productive. The Lighthouse Stevensons, all four generations of them, built every lighthouse round Scotland, were responsible for a slew of inventions in both construction and optics, and achieved feats of engineering in conditions that would be forbidding even today. The same driven energy which Robert Louis Stevenson put into writing, his ancestors put into lighting the darkness of the seas. The Lighthouse Stevensons is a story of high endeavour, beautifully tolTrade Review‘Deeply accomplished… this splendid book preserves the memory of great deeds performed in a heroic era’Frank McLynn, Sunday Times ‘Bella Bathurst has built a lamp herself: it illuminates the work of a literary hero, a family business, a habit of mind and a Scottish period… from the summit of this first terrific book she looks to become one of the best biographers of her generation’Andrew O’Hagan, The Times ‘An enthralling story, vivaciously recounted… These were epic and scarifying adventures, indicative of an age when the taming of nature was a philosophical given, its execution a religious passion’Alan Taylor, Observer ‘This is a grand book doing for lighthouses what Dava Sobel’s Longitude did for marine chronometers, and doing it, if comparisons are to be made, with considerably more panache’Nicholas Bagnall, Sunday Telegraph

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Book SynopsisThe Great Lighthouses of Ireland is a collection of striking images and fascinating stories about the lighthouses around Ireland’s coast and the extraordinary men and women who lived and worked in them – as seen on the RTÉ TV series of the same name.

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Book SynopsisA history of life on board HMS Victory, the world''s most famous warship.This addition to the best-selling Conway pocket-book range explores Admiral Nelson's fully preserved flagship HMS Victory, the most tangible symbol of the Royal Navy's greatest battle off Cape Trafalgar on October 21st 1805.Peter Goodwin, the leading historian of the sailing man-of-war, explains the workings of the only surviving line of battle' ship of the Napoleonic Wars. And, as Victory was engaged in battle for only two per cent of her active service, the book also provides a glimpse into life and work at sea during the other ninety-eight per cent of the time.Drawing from a selection of contemporary documents and records, Goodwin explains the day-to-day running of a three-decker Georgian warship: victualling, organisation, discipline, domestic arrangements and medical care. He answers questions such as: What types of wood were used in building Victory?'; What was her longest

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Book SynopsisTHE IRISH TIMES BESTSELLER'Powerful reportage...awash with wonderful obscurities' The Sunday Times'A comprehensive investigation of the staggering damage we have done to the world's oceans and its life forms' Observer'A vital, fascinating, deeply researched exploration of Earth's last wilderness... Shocking and starkly 'illuminating - a must-read' Gaia VinceThe ocean covers seventy per cent of the surface of our planet, and two thirds of this lie beyond national borders. Owned by all nations and no nation simultaneously, these waters are home to some of the richest and most biodiverse environments on the planet. But they are also home to exploitation on a scale that few of us can imagine. Here, industry and economic progress rule and lax enforcement and apathy are the status quo. Out of sight and often out of mind, a battle rages to control, profit from, protect, or obliterate the world's largest, wildest commons. Heffernan sets sail on a journey to uncover the truth behind deeply exp

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Book SynopsisThe true story of Sir John Franklin's fateful expedition in HMS Erebus and HMS Terror of the North-West Passage in 1845, and the eventual discovery of the ships'' wrecks in 2014 and 2016.In 1845, British explorer Sir John Franklin set out on a voyage to find the North-West Passage--the sea route linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The expedition was expected to complete its mission within three years and return home in triumph but the two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, and the 129 men aboard them disappeared in the Arctic. The last Europeans to see them alive were the crews of two whaling ships in Baffin Bay in July 1845, just before they entered the labyrinth of the Arctic Archipelago.The loss of this British hero and his crew, and the many rescue expeditions and searches that followed, captured the public imagination, but the mystery surrounding the expedition's fate only deepened as more clues were found. How did FranklTrade ReviewA must-read for any history buff. You're sure to be gripped by the tale of endurance, heroism and tragedy. * Lifeboat *This is an undemanding book that brings the story to life through paintings and photographs, as well as an accessible text. * Sailing Today *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 The North-West Passage 2 Sir John Franklin 3 HMS Erebus and HMS Terror 4 The Members of Sir John Franklin’s Erebus and Terror Expedition 5 Expedition Life 6 Searching for Franklin 7 McClintock Discovers the Fate of the Franklin Expedition 8 Disaster Revisited 9 Finding Erebus and Terror 10 Answers and Questions

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Book SynopsisThe incredible story of the “Robin Hood of the Seas,” who absconded with millions during the Golden Age of Piracy and who harbored an even greater secret.Henry Avery of Devon pillaged a fortune from a Mughal ship off the coast of India and then vanished into thin air—and into legend. More ballads, plays, biographies and books were written about Avery’s adventures than any other pirate. His contemporaries crowned him the pirate king for pulling off the richest heist in pirate history and escaping with his head intact (unlike Blackbeard and his infamous Flying Gang). Avery was now the most wanted criminal on earth. To the authorities, Avery was the enemy of all mankind. To the people he was a hero. Rumors swirled about his disappearance. The only certainty is that Henry Avery became a ghost. What happened to the notorious Avery has been pirate history’s most baffling cold case for centuries. Now, in a remote archive, a coded letter wr

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Book SynopsisAn insight into the man at the heart of the world’s most infamous maritime disasterTrade ReviewCliff Ismay has done a terrific job of telling Joseph Bruce Ismay's life story, and has thoroughly outlined the chairman's relationship with the White Star Line as well as his controversial survival of the Titanic disaster. In short, this is the Ismay biography we've all been waiting for. -- George BeheBeing the Great Granddaughter of Margaret (The Unsinkable Molly) Brown, I am no stranger to the many misconceptions that have been circulated about my ancestor. Cliff Ismay is also familiar with this regarding his famous ancestor, J. Bruce Ismay.This book is sure to educate and surprise you. Cliff will show you the Bruce Ismay to whom you have never been introduced. So, I encourage you to enjoy this very insightful look into the life of a man you only thought you knew. -- Helen BenzigerThe name J. Bruce Ismay summons strong feelings from many who have studied the Titanic story. Many see him as a villain while others see his efforts loading the lifeboats as a reason to view him differently. In Understanding J. Bruce Ismay, we are taken on a journey into Ismay’s life, giving insight to the man who became infamous during the early morning of April 15, 1912. Enjoy this different perspective of J. Bruce Ismay’s life. -- Bill Willard

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Longman''s History Today Book of the Year Award and the inaugural Westminster Medal for Military Literature More than a century had gone by since the Battle of Trafalgar. Generation after generation of British naval captains had been dreaming ever since of a ''new'' Trafalgar - a cataclysmic encounter which would decisively change a war''s outcome. At last, in the summer of 1916, they thought their moment had come...Andrew Gordon''s extraordinary, gripping book brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of the British navy in the years leading up to Jutland and gives a superb account of the battle itself and its bitterly acrimonious aftermath.

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Book SynopsisOn 8 March 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from China. The ships, some nearly five hundred feet long, were under the command of Emperor Zhu Di''s loyal eunuch admirals. Their mission was ''to proceed all the way to the end of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas'' and unite the world in Confucian harmony. Their journey would last for over two years and take them around the globe but by the time they returned home, China was beginning its long, self-imposed isolation from the world it had so recently embraced. And so the great ships were left to rot and the records of their journey were destroyed. And with them, the knowledge that the Chinese had circumnavigated the globe a century before Magellan, reached America seventy years before Columbus, and Australia three hundred and fifty years before Cook...The result of fifteen years research, 1421 is Gavin Menzies'' enthralling account of the voyage of the Chinese fleet, the reTrade ReviewMenzies has come up with something entirely new... it is a startling claim * Guardian *Exhaustively researched... an intriguing and highly persuasive thesis, told with passion and energy * Evening Standard *Popular history at its best * The Times *A book as engrossing as any adventure story * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThis book looks to fill the blue hole' in Global History by studying the role of the oceans themselves in the creation, development, reproduction and adaptation of knowledge across the Atlantic world. It shows how globalisation and the growth of maritime knowledge served to reinforce one another, and demonstrates how and why maritime history should be put firmly at the heart of global history. Exploring the dynamics of globalisation, knowledge-making and European expansion, Global Ocean of Knowledge takes a transnational approach and transgresses the traditional border between the early modern and modern periods. It focuses on three main periodisations, which correspond with major transformations in the globalisation of the Atlantic World, and analyses how and to what extent globalisation forces from above and from below influenced the development and exchange of knowledge. Davids distinguishes three forms of globalising forces from above'; imperial, commercial and religious, alTrade ReviewThis third volume focuses on the Atlantic world, detailing the factors driving globalization and the development, spread, and growth of knowledge and technology—but with a continuous focus on the effect of the maritime environment on how specific knowledge and technologies developed ... This work is a valuable addition to scholarship on the Atlantic world and globalization studies. * CHOICE *The study is based on a broad source [of] literature base and stands out positively from the work of numerous Anglo-Saxon historians ... Global Ocean of Knowledge is an excellent overview and reference work for all those interested in the history of ... the Atlantic world. * Zeitschrift fur Historische Forschung (Bloomsbury Translation) *Karel Davids has written a landmark book about globalization, maritime history, knowledge making, and the experience of Europeans at sea. * James E. McClellan III, Professor Emeritus, Stevens Institute of Technology, USA *‘I am impressed by the ambition, breadth of coverage and scholarly depth of the work, and welcome the specific aim of instilling a long overdue maritime element into the wider literature on globalization, global history and Atlantic history. Reading the introduction and conclusion before delving into the core six chapters, the historiographical contribution and argument of the book are well laid out and persuasive.’ * David J Starkey, Wilson Family Professor of Maritime History, University of Hull, UK *'[This is] an excellent manuscript by an outstanding scholar about the creation, development, reproduction and adaptation of knowledge across the Atlantic Ocean and how that affected its adjacent spaces. The subject of the book is outstandingly framed by a broad historiographical debate that brings together multiple strands of up-to-date research and excellent consideration of the development of those diverse debates over time. This positioning of the manuscript in such a broad historiographical context makes it attractive to students, specialists and a broad range of historians and educated readers’ * Catia Antunes, Professor of History of Global Economic Networks, Leiden University, The Netherlands *Bringing to bear his masterful understanding of ways knowledge about all aspects of the sea grew, Karel Davids shows how that understanding shaped and was shaped by the forces of globalisation in lands bordering the Atlantic, in the process revealing the complex interplay of varied mechanisms, personal and institutional, which helped people conquer the ocean and creating a book undoubtedly worth reading. * Richard W. Unger, Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, Canada *The striking advances in the capability to collect and share maritime knowledge during the 18th century are cogently and elegantly analysed by Karel Davids in this comprehensive and well-argued volume on the Atlantic world. Using a transnational and cross-disciplinary approach, he moves with agility across different national historiographies and approaches and delivers his important analysis with a lightness of touch and a clarity of exposition and argument which will grip readers’ attention. * Maria Fusaro, Professor of Social and Economic History, University of Exeter, UK *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Globalization, Maritime Knowledge and the Atlantic world PART I Globalizing Forces and the Growth of Maritime Knowledge in the Atlantic World, c.1660-1730 Introduction: Globalisation between c.1660 and 1730 2. Globalising Forces and the Growth of Maritime Knowledge 3. Growing Maritime Knowledge and Globalisation PART II Maritime knowledge and Globalisation in the Atlantic World, c. 1730-1800 Introduction: Globalisation Between c.1730 and 1800 4. Maritime Knowledge Aiding Globalisation 5. Globalising Forces and the Growth of Maritime Knowledge Machines, Infrastructures and the Circulation of Maritime Knowledge Part III The Reshaping of the Atlantic World and the Collectivisation of Maritime Knowledge, c. 1800-1860 Introduction: Globalisation Between c.1800 and 1860 6. Maritime Knowledge Aiding Globalisation 7. Globalising Forces and the Collectivisation of Maritime Knowledge Conclusion

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Book SynopsisDiving the Thistlegorm is a unique in-depth look at one of the world's best-loved shipwrecks, the World War II British Merchant Navy steamship, featuring award-winning underwater photography. In this highly visual guide, cutting edge photographic methods enable views of the famous wreck and its fascinating cargo which were previously impossible. Diving the Thistlegorm is the culmination of decades of experience, archaeological and photographic expertise, many hours underwater, months of computer processing time, and days spent researching and verifying the history of the ship and its cargo. For the first time, this book brings the rich and complex contents of the wreck together, identifying individual items and illustrating where they can be found. As the expert team behind the underwater photography, reconstructions and explanations take you through the Thistlegorm in incredible detail, you will discover not only what has been learned but also what mysteries are still to be solved.Trade Review'Goes further than any previous guidebook in detailing the current condition of the wreck and its incredible cargo of wartime artefacts, from rifles to railway engines... There's so much to admire here - the complementary use of traditional photography alongside the large scale models and orthophotos afford the reader a way of looking at a wreck that could barely be imagined a decade ago... I recommend this superb book to anyone with an interest on the subject.'- SCUBA magazine.; 'A brilliant in depth guide to the wreck and all it's facets, all illustrated by superb photos and graphics.'-Scubaverse.com; 'Other books have been written about the Thistlegorm, but as befits the wreck this one is probably the most visually arresting ever to go to print... a remarkable achievement, and clearly a labour of love by a group of professionals smitten by this wreck... stunning colour image after stunning colour image leaps out from every page'- BritishDiver.co.uk; 'A detailed, thorough book with excellent images both stills and 3D photogrammetry. It is a really good read'--Divelog Australia; 'The most comprehensive guide to one of the world's greatest shipwrecks'- Emad Khalil, Alexandria University (from the Foreword)Table of ContentsFOREWORD by Emad Khalil, Alexandria University. INTRODUCTION - About the wreck; Wreck under threat; About this guide. HISTORY - Construction and build; Journey and sinking; Rediscovery and contemporary details. GUIDE - Bow to Midships; Upper Deck Holds; Hold No. 1 - Upper Deck; Hold No. 2 - Upper Deck; Lower Deck Holds; Hold No. 1 - Lower Deck; Hold No. 2 - Lower Deck; Shared Entrance to Hold No. 2 and Hold No. 3; Remains of Hold No. 4; Hold No. 5; Stern; Surrounding Seabed; Marine Life. DOCUMENTING THE WRECK - Photographing the Thistlegorm; Photographing the Vehicles; Big Vistas; Photogrammetry; 360 Degree Video; Wrecks at Risk - Future Work. Glossary. About the Authors. Index.

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Book SynopsisIn the tradition of Dava Sobel''s Longitude' comes sailing expert David Barrie''s compelling and dramatic tale of invention and discovery an eloquent elegy to one of the most important navigational instruments ever created, and the daring mariners who used it to explore, conquer, and map the world.This is the dramatic story of an instrument that changed history. Built around David Barrie's own transatlantic passage using the very same navigational tools as Captain Cook, Sextant tells how one of the most vital navigational instruments was invented and used and why the golden age of celestial navigation has now come to an end. From Cook, Bligh and Vancouver to Bougainville, La Pérouse, Flinders and FitzRoy, Barrie recounts the fortunes of the explorers who risked their lives in charting the Pacific, as well as the intrepid adventures of Slocum, Shackleton and Worsley. A heady mix of history, science and adventure, this elegy to a lost technology is infused with the wonder of discovery Trade Review‘As lovingly and painstakingly constructed as the navigators’ one irreplaceable talisman, this exquisite book is a hymn to a now-vanishing feature of maritime life, a finely-chased reminder of just how much we all owe to that one small piece of apparatus, its verniers and lenses kept secure in a mahogany box, closed by a hasp of brass’ Simon Winchester ‘Barrie’s writing is exhilarating and suffused with a sense of adventure. A fascinating read’ Financial Times ‘What gives Sextant its special colour is Barrie’s own experience as a sailor … His book is an elegy for the days before GPS made simultaneous geniuses and idiots of us all … He invites anyone near the sea, and above all on a boat, to turn away from their screens and look around’ Daily Express ‘A bracing historical tale’ The Times ‘An excellent present for anyone even vaguely interested in thestars, or the history of exploration, or sailing small boats overbig oceans, or come to think of it anyone at all. And buy a copyfor yourself while you’re about it’ Marine Quarterly ‘A joy to read … one of the most interesting and enjoyable books I’ve read in years’ Flying Fish, magazine of the Ocean Cruising Club

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Book SynopsisPaul Kennedy''s classic naval history, now updated with a new introduction by the authorThis acclaimed book traces Britain''s rise and fall as a sea power from the Tudors to the present day. Challenging the traditional view that the British are natural ''sons of the waves'', he suggests instead that the country''s fortunes as a significant maritime force have always been bound up with its economic growth. In doing so, he contributes significantly to the centuries-long debate between ''continental'' and ''maritime'' schools of strategy over Britain''s policy in times of war. Setting British naval history within a framework of national, international, economic, political and strategic considerations, he offers a fresh approach to one of the central questions in British history. A new introduction extends his analysis into the twenty-first century and reflects on current American and Chinese ambitions for naval mastery.''Excellent and stimulating'' CorrTrade ReviewThe Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery is the best single-volume study of Britain and her naval past now available to us. -- Jon Sumida * Journal of Modern History *As soon as it appeared in 1976, Paul M. Kennedy's magisterial survey of the historical role and significance of British seapower was recognized by serious naval historians as a work of first importance ... This is by far the most important survey of British Naval history since Sir Herbert Richmond's Statesmen and Sea Power (1946), and in some ways it is more important ... the whole book displays an immense historiographical grasp of a calibre that broad surveys seldom attain. The author's unfailing powers of discernment are further revealed by a sparkling and apt quotation on practically every page. -- Daniel A. Baugh * International History Review *

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