Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy [Hardcover]

Patrick O'Brian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 1995

A concise overview, richly illustrated, of the historical background to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin novels.

This book is a companion to Patrick O'Brian's sea novels, a straightforward exploration of what daily life in Nelson's navy was really like, for everyone from the captain down to the rawest recruit. What did they eat? What songs did they sing? What was the schedule of watches? How were the officers and crew paid, and what was the division of prize-money?

These questions and many more are answered in Patrick O'Brian's elegant narrative, which includes wonderful anecdotal material on the battles and commanders that established Britain's naval supremacy. Line drawings and charts help us to understand the construction and rigging of the great ships, the types and disposition of the guns, and how they were operated in battle. A number of contemporary drawings and cartoons illustrate aspects of naval life from the press gang to the scullery. Finally, a generous selection of full-color paintings render the majesty and the excitement of fleet actions in the age of fighting sail. Photographs, drawings, cartoons, charts, and full-color paintings

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Any Aubrey Maturin reader determined to learn the locations of the orlop and the mizenmast, the etiquette of epaulettes, or the range of a 32-pounder will delight in this invaluable reference companion to O'Brian's epic and series. An exploration of what daily life was like in Nelson's navy, for everyone from the captain on down to the rawest recruit. Line drawings and charts help us understand the construction and rigging of the great ships, the types and dispositions of the guns, and how they operated in battle. Contemporary drawings and cartoons illustrate aspects of naval life from the press gang to the scullery. Finally, a generous selection of full-color paintings renders the majesty and the excitement of fleet actions in the age of fighting sail.

From Library Journal

O'Brian, author of the Aubrey/Maturin sea novels (e.g., The Commodore, Norton, 1995), has compiled this 96-page collection of facts on Lord Nelson's navy. The author describes the ships, guns, crew's life, and songs of the sailors. Most of this information can be found elsewhere and none of it will be new to dedicated naval buffs. Readers of the novels of Dudley Pope, C.S. Forester, and O'Brian who are interested in the difference in armament between frigates and men-of-war or the daily rations of sailors in Nelson's time may find this of value. At $23, it would seem suitable for libraries with strong collections in naval history.?Stanley Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, N.Y.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (November 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393038580
• ISBN-13: 978-0393038583
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,268 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In addition to twenty volumes in the highly respected Aubrey/Maturin series, Patrick O'Brian's many books include "Testimonies," "The Golden Ocean," and "The Unknown Shore". O'Brian also wrote acclaimed biographies of Pablo Picasso and Sir Joseph Banks and translated many works from the French, among them the novels and memoirs of Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Lacouture's biographies of Charles de Gaulle. He passed away in January 2000 at the age of 85.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not too bad; could be a lot better, April 9, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy (Hardcover)

This book covers some of the ground of Brian Lavery's 'Nelson's Navy'. Lavery's book is much more comprehensive and much larger. O'Brian's book has some color plates, but it was really written to take advantage of his name. I'd buy Lavery's book first, or "The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor, or a Key to the Leading of Rigging and to Practical Seamanship" by Darcy Lever (a contemporary book).

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Crutch for us Landlubbers, March 31, 2000

By 

Prauge Traveler (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy (Hardcover)

I cannot claim to any nautical experience, however, I do claim to be one of Patrick O'Brian's all time fans. This book has helped me understand what the ____ some of the late 18th and early 19th century nautical terms and concepts mean. So, to keep this concise, if you love Patrick O'Brian's seafaring novels (start with Master and Commander if you are uninitiated to this amazing series), but are not a sailer yourself- then this is the book for you. It is fairly short, but interesting. You will be briefed on life in the navy, parts of the ships, names and functions of sails, combat, and many other topics that can confuse.

I also know that this book would serve as an excellent source for a H.S. to college level paper/presentation on life in Nelson's navy. The length and writting style make it highly readable. Also recomended are Dean King's lexicons on Patrick O'Brian's books ("A Sea of Words"). They include several sections on the history of the era, and are very interesting, as well as including an extensive dictionary of terms, old words, places and events.

If you already know a great deal about Nelson's Navy, then this might be a little too basic.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An appendix packaged as a book, May 19, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy (Hardcover)

While written in Mr. O'Brian's usual lucid style and accompanied by useful line drawings and full-color plates of paintings, the "book" is so thinly written that really only qualifies as an appendix to one of the Aubrey Maturin books. As an appendix packaged as a book, it offers only 91 pages of small paper size and large type. Perhaps it was meant to be a miniature "coffee table" item--to be bought as a present for others. Having now read nine of the Aubrey Maturin series and enjoyed them all, I have to say that this offering represents my only Patrick O'Brian experience in which I didn't get my money's worth.