The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Oxford Reference) (Paperback)

~ Peter Kemp (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Oxford has made a great reference work even better. An essential for questions about the oceans and seagoing vessels, this A-Z encyclopedia compiles 2,600 scholarly entries that reflect sailing history from 3000 B.C. to the present. In addition to diagrams of -clipper-ship rigging, data on the battle against scurvy, sketches of sailor's knots, a drawing of a hornpipe dance, and names of sea battles and their participants, the updated companion offers information on environmental issues, a chart of the Beaufort scale, the global thermohaline conveyor, a map of Magellan's voyage across the Pacific, and methods of preserving archaeological finds. A 25-page cross-referencing index ties the obscure to the commonplace; for example, the reader looking up 'cutter cranks' is referred to the entry achting, and saxitoxin is cross-referenced to hale.

The writing style suits the researcher as well as the sampler who likes browsing among fascinating sea lore, details, and courageous deeds. There are entries covering sea songs, the evolution of sails, and the 1836 rescue of a ship's crew by Grace Darling, a lighthouse-keeper's daughter. For readers of Moby Dick, A Night to Remember, The Sea Wolf, or the novels of Patrick O'Brian (who has an entry), the text answers questions about shrouds and bells, mooring and lading, and more.

A meticulous reference classic, this volume belongs in most public and academic libraries and on home reference shelves. It would also delight old salts and shore dwellers as a gift. Since the first edition is more than 30 years old, the update is welcome. Mary Ellen Snodgrass
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"[T]his book is an invaluable reference for anyone who is interested in maritime and naval affairs and history....[I]t lives up to the billing given it by one British critic: '[a] totally absorbing work covering almost every possible subject to do with maritime matters.'"--Proceedings, April 1995
"Marvelous....Comprehends between two covers the secrets of the sea and the treasures of the men who sail on it."--Times
"Expertly edited....Tells you all you ever wanted to know about the sea."--Sunday Telegraph
"Peter Kemp and his distinguished crew of contributors and illustrators have done us proud....It's a beguiling book."--Daily Telegraph
"Deserves a place by every bunk."--The Listener
"A totally absorbing work...covering almost every possible subject to do with maritime matter."--Financial Times
"For anybody with an interest in the sea."--Guardian

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 978 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (February 24, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192820842
• ISBN-13: 978-0192820846
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,345,493 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best possible reference, April 3, 2000

By A Customer

With an encyclopedic format, this book provides the reader with a wide array of very well written definitions, explanations and anecdotal references to all things nautical. It also includes a significant amount of biographical information on sailors of historical renown and those of more recent times. It is written in such a way as to be captivating on its own - I often find myself looking up a nautical reference and then spending many more minutes or even hours engrossed in the book because of the other items I see when looking up the first. In each entry, the terms used to describe the entry are asterisked if those terms are further defined elsewhere in the book. I found this extremely useful for knowing where else to look for more information related to the particular entry reading. An excellent reference book for novice and expert.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointment, January 15, 2007

By	H. Webber - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

Oxford's earlier paperback of this title had larger type, larger page size, better pictures. I had expected the same book. Now I think the hardbound is a much better buy.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable guide, February 3, 2000

By	[e-mail] (Santa Fe, New Mexico) - See all my reviews

I am a lay reader, not a student of nautical history, and I found this guide absolutely essential while reading the Aubrey-Maturin novels of Patrick O'Brian.