Command of the Ocean

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Command of the Ocean; The by N. A. M. Rodger, –A landmark work on the golden age of sail that illuminates the world of Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower. The 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. Based on the author's own research in a dozen languages over more than a decade, it describes not just battles, voyages, and cruises but also how the Navy was manned, supplied, fed, and, above all, how it was financed and directed.

N. A. M. Rodger provides convincing reassessments of such famous figures as Pepys, Hawke, Howe, and St. Vincent. The very particular and distinct qualities of Nelson and Collingwood are illuminatingly contrasted, and the world of officers and men who make up the originals of Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower is brilliantly brought to life. Rodger's comparative view of other navies-French, Dutch, Spanish, and American-allows him to make a fresh assessment of the qualities of the British. 24 pages of illustrations. N. A. M. Rodger is professor of naval history at Exeter University and a fellow of the British Academy. He is the author of The Wooden World and the highly acclaimed first volume of his naval history of Britain, The Safeguard of the Sea. 0-393-06050-0 W. W. Norton, 9.5X6.5 inches, pages 908. , List price 45.00, Your Price 31.50, B00192.

To appreciate the scholarship incorporated in this book, just review the table of contents.

Note the number of pages devoted to each era.

Each Appendix provides a useful and appreciated reference tool. The 86 page bibliography provides a continuing source of verification of the facts in Rodger's book and the 42 page index conveniently leads the researcher to the answers to his questions.