Age of Sail

Revised 15 April, 2004

For God and Glory: Lord Nelson and His Way of War by Joel Hayward, Taking a highly original, thematic approach to the study of Horatio Lord Nelson, this book analyzes the admiral's unique war-fighting style. Doctrine, tactics, and operational art are part of the analysis, as are Nelson's command and leadership abilities and his attitudes and beliefs. But the book's focus is on how all these elements combined to form the man whose infectious ethos spread through his entire force. It shows that Nelson's creative genius, excitable and intense personality, dramatic visage, and fervor for all things martial not only inspired courage and loyalty but so dazzled and enflamed the hearts and minds of his men that he reached near cult status in his lifetime. As a professional military analyst who has devoted his career to researching, writing, and teaching about the tactics and operational art of warfare, the author draws on his own training and experience to view the admiral's war fighting from a vantage point not accessible to many of Nelson's leading biographers. Joel Hayward breaks free from the constraints of chronology to thematically explore in greater-than-usual depth and coherence the key aspects of Nelson's fighting style and to answer questions not previously raised about that style and its supporting ideas, including to what degree Nelson's style can be adopted by modern warriors. Nelson scholars and enthusiasts will consider the book to be a fine companion to the more traditional studies of the great admiral. The book will also appeal to students of warfare in general, especially those who focus on the Napoleonic period.--Naval Institute Press, 2003, , . H, List Price $32.95, Your price $26.35, Book Number B01178.

Jack Aubrey Commands: An Historical Companion to the Naval World of Patrick O'Brian by Brian Lavery, No fiction writer of modern times has captured the world of wooden walls, broadsides, and the press gang as successfully as Patrick O'Brian. The twenty books in the O'Brian canon featuring the lives and adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his confidant, naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, have been lauded across the world for their blend of classic storytelling, historical accuracy, and inspired characterizations. In this new work respected naval historian Brian Lavery explores the historical framework of the O'Brian novels by examining the facts behind the grand narrative and putting the key episodes in context while detailing naval life in the era of Nelson and Napoleon. With well over a hundred illustrations, the book presents contemporary plans, drawings, engravings, maps, and photographs of museum artifacts that have inspired age-of-sail novelists and moviemakers. Introducing the book is a foreword by Peter Weir, director of the upcoming film of O'Brian's novel Master and Commander. Avid age-of-sail fans will not want to miss this colorfully detailed complement to the O'Brian series. --USNIP, 2003, 30, 8x10. H, List Price $34.95, Your price $27.95, Book Number B01175.

Frigate Diana; The by David White, The eighteenth century equivalent of the cruiser, the frigate was used for a wide variety of roles from fleet reconnaissance to patrolling sea lanes. Built in 1793, Diana was a typical British frigate of the period, whose long and active career spanned virtually all of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. In 1815 she was sold to the Dutch navy, which she continued to serve until destroyed by an accidental fire in 1839. First published i 1987, this popular volume includes a new large-scale plan of the ship on the reverse of the extended fold-out jacket and over 100 perspective and three-dimensional drawing accompanied by in-depth descriptive keys and photos. Both accurate and impressively detailed, this volume is an essential reference of age of sail enthusiasts and modelers alike.--Naval Institute Press, , 24 photos, 300 line drawings, 10.5X9.5. H, List Price $39.95, Your price $31.95, Book Number B01190.

Nelson's Navy, The Ships, Men And Organization 1793-1815 by Brian Lavery, Foreword by Patrick O'Brian. A perfect reference companion for O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin books. Recommended by O'Brian at his National Archives lecture. Use it as "salt" for the O'Brian series, (and a unique coffee table book for office or den). Content includes contemporary drawings, new illustrations, photographs, and graphic explanations. Partial chapter list: Naval history of England's war with France, ship types, shipbuilding, officers, recruitment and seamen, seamanship, shipboard life, and battle tactics.--Naval Institute Press, , Many Illustr., Drawings, Photos, Appendices, Index, 10 X 12. P, List Price $37.50, Your price $30.00, Book Number B01147; H, List Price $56.95, Your price $45.55, Book Number B00105.

Sail and Steam Navy List; The by David Lyon, Rif Winfield, David Lyon's highly regarded Sailing Navy List detailed every Royal Navy warship of the age of sail by era, ship type and class. This book is the much-anticipated follow-up volume. It provides details of design and construction history, technical specifications, and fates for all warships of the important but poorly documented period between 1815 and 1889, which saw the introduction of steam power and the gradual replacement of sail. Extensively illustrated, the new work includes a representative collection of original plans from the little-seen collection at the British National Maritime Museum. In addition, appendixes cover captured, purchased and hired vessels, as well as Coast Guard and packet vessels for which the Royal Navy was responsible. Rif Winfield ably brought this volume to fruition after David Lyon's death in 2000 and their final collaboration is sure to be treasured by historians as well as modelers for its detailed data and diagrams.--NIP, , 200 line drawings, . H, List Price $95.00, Your price $80.75, Book Number B01266.