The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History: Four-volume set [Hardcover]

John B. Hattendorf (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0195130758 | ISBN-13: 978-0195130751

Here is an encyclopedia of maritime history that, in scope and depth, rivals the expansiveness of the sea itself. The Encyclopedia covers the entire history of seafaring, from ancient Egyptian shipbuilders to Viking sea-raiders, from Nelson and the Napoleonic Wars to the voyages of Cheng Ho, from the European conquerors of the New World to the nuclear submarines and supertankers of today. Placing maritime affairs in their larger historical context, the Encyclopedia shows how seafaring has both reflected and influenced the major economic, cultural, military, and political developments in world history.

In four volumes and nearly 1,000 signed articles by an international group of historians and naval officers, the Encyclopedia offers a uniquely integrated approach, emphasizing the connections between maritime history and many related fields, including naval history, shipbuilding, navigation and scientific instrumentation, maritime art and literature, commerce and economics, exploration and maritime geography, oceanography and hydrology, and international maritime law. In so doing, the Encyclopedia provides, in a single reference work, a wealth of information that can otherwise be found only with the help of an extensive library.

Alphabetical organization, intelligible writing, plentiful illustrations, cross-references, bibliographies, a synoptic outline, and topical index all make The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History an inviting, easy-to-use reference for researchers and enthusiasts alike.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Much more than the usual naval battles, warships, and nautical terms, this impressive and wide-ranging A-Z encyclopedia seeks "to be a reference work for the entire field of maritime history." Editor Hattendorf (president of the American Society for Oceanic History) heads an inspiring list of over 400 primarily international contributors in an attempt to integrate maritime history into a global economic, cultural, military, and political context. The more than 900 entries are detailed and multidimensional. Few are less than 350 words; most are quite expansive, with multiple subentries. For example, Wars, maritime includes 11 subentries and covers 56 pages. This integrated approach means that many entries that would be separate and distinct in other encyclopedias are effectively woven into broader, more meaningful context that exemplifies historical "interdependencies and interrelationships." When looking up Caravel or Carrack, one finds a see reference to "Trading vessels, subentry on Medieval Vessels." The entry on Trading vessels demonstrates the encyclopedia's strengths and limitations. Readers follow the evolution of the "Ancient Vessels" of Egypt, Crete, and Mycenae to the galleys of Greece and Rome and to medieval cogs, hulks, and knorrs. The development of caravels and carracks leads to the early modern days of sail and to "The Age of Steam," concluding with modern diesel-powered, screw-driven container ships. However, although general readers and college and high-school students are identified as part of the audience, many of them will find the dense academic prose and nautical terminology difficult to follow. Numerous diverse and innovative topics are included: Cruising literature, Discipline and punishment, Greek literature, Narcotics trade, Religion, Wages and salaries, Unions, and Telecommunications. Entries, and many subentries, come complete with bibliographies and end-references. A "Topical Outline of Entries" organizes entries under broad themes. More than 400 black-and-white illustrations and 60 maps and nautical charts complement the text. The encyclopedia's scope makes it an excellent companion to more traditional naval warfare or nautical encyclopedias, such as Naval Warfare: An International Encyclopedia (2002) and Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2005). The only A–Z resource on maritime history is bound to become a standard subject reference and is recommended for academic libraries. Becker, Charles

Review

"With the publication of this encyclopedia, maritime history can be said to have come of age. Editor Hattendorf presents a range of historical themes and information in a readily accessible summary form for use by both the general public and scholars. Hattendorf has produced a historical tour de force for maritime history that will long stand as the definitive work encompassing depth, variety, and international perspective. Essential."--H.N.Boyer, Choice

"An excellent companion to more traditional naval warfare or nautical encyclopedias ....The only A-Z resource on maritime history is bound to become a standard subject reference and is recommended for academic libararies."--Booklist

"A magisterial work....as encyclopedic as you could possibly hope for. The eclectic subject matter is admirable....pick any page here and there is something to grab the attention. Once you start delving it is devilishly difficult to stop. For the true nautical buff...this is an indispensable reference work."--Navy News

"Unique and fills a real void in the literature....To be honest, there is nothing else quite like it in terms of scope and diversity of coverage."--Against the Grain

"An absolutely superlative encyclopedia....its multidisciplinary coverage will appeal to students interested in the history of art, economics, environmental policy, international trade, literature, science, law, the military, and engineering....It is one of the finest reference works this librarian has ever seen and is highly recommended."--American Reference Books Annual

"The articles, written by an international body of contributors, can be understood by the general reader and yet are worthy of scholarly research."--American Libraries

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 2912 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195130758
• ISBN-13: 978-0195130751
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.6 x 7.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 18.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,217,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author's background
John Blake served in the Royal Navy and in the Reserve for nearly 16 years as an executive and navigating officer, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. During his naval time he served extensively in sea-going ships and qualified as a navy underwater diver and a naval air defence specialist. On leaving the service he gained a business diploma and moved into retailing, opening three retail stores in Covent Garden, London; Boston, Massachusetts and later in Osaka, Japan, featuring exclusively British gift products.

In 1991 John Blake and his wife started an Intellectual Property Licensing Agency, Classics Licensing Company, and in 1996 initiated and ran the licensing of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office archives, producers of the Admiralty sea charts, as their Licensing Agent for six years under the brand name "The Admiralty Collection®".

He is a keen maritime historian and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation and writes regularly on maritime history for yachting and maritime magazines.

John Blake's Books

John Blake's first book The Sea Chart, with a foreword by HRH the Duke of York, was published in 2004 and was short listed for the British Book Awards in three categories and for the Mountbatten History prize; it has been reprinted in the UK, and translated, published and reprinted in Germany by Theiss. In 2009 it was reprinted as a softback in the UK by Conway Maritime and in the US by the Naval Institute Press, taken into the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) catalogue and reprinted again in 2010.

His second book, Sea Charts of the British Isles, with a foreword by Admiral the Lord Boyce (Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle), was published in November 2005, reprinted in March 2008, and was selected by the RNLI for their autumn 2007, Spring 2008 and Autumn 2008 mail order catalogues.

His third book "Charts of War", published in the UK by Conway Maritime and in the US by Knickerbocker Press in 2007, looks at the role of navigational charts in maritime battle and sea warfare throughout the ages. It was selected by Nauticalia for their mail order catalogue.

John contributed the official entry on Cartography for the Oxford Encyclopaedia of Maritime History, published in January 2008, and is one of the contributors for Ship, edited by Andrew Lambert and published Conway Maritime in 2010

In 2006 John, in recognition of his authorship and contribution in the field of navigation, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Navigation.

Published in October 2011 is The Titanic Pocketbook - A Passenger's Guide describes, using entirely contemporary material from ten Titanic archives and with 70 colour illustrations, the pride of the White Star Line's transatlantic fleet. Titanic's concept, design, construction and launch along with full description of the elegant passenger facilities and her operation and crew.

He is currently working on a handbook on the history and development of sea surveying and navigation.