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Sons of the Waves Stephen Taylor

Sons of the Waves By Stephen Taylor

Sons of the Waves by Stephen Taylor


$41.99
Condition - Very Good
7 in stock

Summary

A brilliant telling of the history of the common seaman in the age of sail, and his role in Britain's trade, exploration, and warfare

Sons of the Waves Summary

Sons of the Waves: The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail by Stephen Taylor

A brilliant telling of the history of the common seaman in the age of sail, and his role in Britain's trade, exploration, and warfare

No other book resurrects the wooden world of Jack Tar in such captivating and voluminous detail.-Roger Ekirch, Wall Street Journal

[A] rollicking narrative . . . Superb-Ben Wilson, Times

British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, illiterate seamen. Now Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words.

In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs. Proud and spirited, learned in their own fashion, with robust opinions and the courage to challenge overweening authority, they stand out from their less adventurous compatriots.

Taylor demonstrates how the sailor was the engine of British prosperity and expansion up to the Industrial Revolution. From exploring the South Seas with Cook to establishing the East India Company as a global corporation, from the sea battles that made Britain a superpower to the crisis of the 1797 mutinies, these sons of the waves held the nation's destiny in their calloused hands.

Sons of the Waves Reviews

[A] rollicking narrative...[An] absorbing and original book...Superb-Ben Wilson, Times

There is much in Taylor's book. It is interesting to see how pragmatically humane the navy could be, particularly in peacetime.-David Mills, Sunday Times

[A]n accessible, humanistic portrait of a life characterised by hardship and comradeship.- History Revealed

Episodes [are] gripping to read and fascinating in their particulars-Ian Garrick Mason, Spectator

Taylor's research, skilful exposition, and elegant integration of text, archive and image has produced a compelling account of the men who made modern Britain, one that supplants all those that has gone before. Essential reading for sailors of the open ocean and the armchair.-Andrew Lambert, BBC History Magazine

If most of these men's names have seeped into oblivion like so much sea froth, Taylor has brought their experiences back to vivid and exhilarating life: he stitches together the brutality and wonder of their lives with intelligence, judgement and compassion.-Mathew Lyons, Literary Review

Sons of the Waves is the heir apparent to [John] Masefield's book as the best introduction for the general reader to the lives of eighteenth-century British seamen...Using the full range of available sources, Taylor has brought out the authentic, rarely heard, voice of Jack Tar.-John B. Hattendorf, Times Literary Supplement

A vivid and engaging 'history from below' which provides a rich and readable demonstration of the ways in which the skills and experiences of seafarers helped to shape our society-Nautilus Telegraph 'Book of the Month'

An excellent book, combining an original approach to the subject with original research. Jack Tar, the quintessential British hero, emerges from this collective biography as a self-confident fellow, part of the collective body that sustained national prosperity, security and power.-Andrew Lambert, author of Nelson

This enthusiastic account gives a vivid picture of life below decks in the era of the sailing navy. It is a classic of its kind, brimful with riotous episodes and gripping anecdotes anchored in detailed research.-Margarette Lincoln, author of Trading in War



The Royal Navy had some great leaders but what made their achievements possible was the thousands of unknown and unheard-from seamen who manned these vessels. This book starts the exploration of those fascinating lives.-Sir Robin Knox-Johnston



About Stephen Taylor

Stephen Taylor is a writer of maritime history, biography, and travel. He has worked as a foreign correspondent for The Times, The Observer and The Economist, and is the author of The Caliban Shore, Storm and Conquest, and Commander.

Additional information

GOR010716090
9780300245714
0300245718
Sons of the Waves: The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail by Stephen Taylor
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Yale University Press
20200414
416
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - Sons of the Waves