America and the Sea: A Maritime History (The American Maritime Library: Vol. XV) [Hardcover]

Benjamin W. Labaree (Author), Wm. M. Fowler Jr. (Author), Edward W. Sloan (Author), John B. Hattendorf (Author), Jeffrey J. Safford (Author), Andrew W. German (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1998

America and the Sea: A Maritime History is the most comprehensive maritime history of the United States available today. Spanning the centuries from Native American and Viking maritime activities before Columbus through today's maritime enterprise, the text provides a new history of the U.S. from the fundamental perspective of the sea that surrounds it and the rivers and lakes that link its vast interior to the seacoast. America and the Sea has been gracefully written by six prominent maritime-history scholars whose individual areas of research and teaching range from labor to technology, from the fisheries to the U.S. Navy. Their text incorporates considerations of art, literature and poetry along with discussions of the economic, political, diplomatic and technological foundations of American maritime history.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Compiled by six eminent marine historians in conjunction with Mystic Seaport (CT), this unique history of the United States from the waterfront aims to enhance understanding of the sea's influence on American life. Most historians ignore or are ignorant of the influence of the sea. These experts masterfully cover the complex subject of how the sea, lakes, and canals have been intimately involved in all of U.S. history. They tell a complex tale of early explorers, fishermen, merchant sailors, the navy, coastal trade, the steamboats, canals, industry, and commerce allied to the sea. This very detailed and beautifully written book can be understood by any adult with an interest in American history. Abundantly illustrated with photos, graphs, and full-color maps, this is essential for all libraries.?Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This hefty work, the collaborative effort of six leading maritime historians, covers seafaring Americans from colonial times to the late 1990s in a combination of narrative text, vignettes, quotations from primary sources, and extensive and well-chosen illustrations. Historiographically up to date, it notes the roles of women and minorities, the role of American maritime activity in developing American industry and vice versa, and much more, including the traditional repertoire of the romantic teller of sea stories. The authors' grasp of their subject and the book's relative paucity of academic jargon help convey the excitement of seafaring and its history, if not always its romance. Whether intended as such, the book amounts to the best textbook on American maritime history within memory. It has something of value for every kind of reader, from those who own half the books in its excellent bibliography to those whose interest in ships and the sea dates from their first viewing of a certain recent motion-picture maritime disaster. Roland Green

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 686 pages
• Publisher: Mystic Seaport Museum Publications; First Edition edition (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913372811
• ISBN-13: 978-0913372814
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 8.8 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #650,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent in breadth, depth, and presentation!, August 7, 1998

By 

Werner Schuele ([e-mail]) (Rhode Island, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: America and the Sea: A Maritime History (The American Maritime Library: Vol. XV) (Hardcover)

"America and the Sea" is a magnificent study of our maritime history. It is magnificent in breadth starting with Norse settlements in North America and continuing through the end of the 20th Century. It is magnificent in depth as it delves deeply into key areas of historical importance. With numerous vignettes, the authors are joined by others in capturing detailed views of people and events that make history come alive. It is magnificent in presentation as it uses colorful illustrations and pictures, many with captions that are history lessons in themselves.

Writen by several of our nation's pre-eminent maritime scholars, "America and the Sea" successfully blends together our naval history with the more traditional view of maritime history.

While handsome (and large) enough to be a coffee-table book, it would be a shame if that were its only use. "America and the Sea" should be read time and time again by all who have an interes! t in our nation's history.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maritime History at its best, January 7, 2008

By 

R. Voss "R. Voss" (Tyler, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: America and the Sea: A Maritime History (The American Maritime Library: Vol. XV) (Hardcover)

If you seriously want to learn about America's Maritime past in detail, this book is for you. If you want broad generalizations that offer a quick read, don't get this book. This book is huge, in size and depth of knowledge. I consider this one of the most treasured books in my library

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Would make a good textbook, but that's it., July 21, 2007

By 

B. Cross - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: America and the Sea: A Maritime History (The American Maritime Library: Vol. XV) (Hardcover)

As soon as I removed this book from the box and opened it I knew this was not what I was expecting and it did not take long for me to decide to return it. I think it would make a very good textbook for a college class on American maritime history, but as far as being a book I would have looked at time and time again for enjoyment, this was not one of them.