Decision at Trafalgar: The Story of the Greatest British Naval Battle of the Age of Nelson (Heart of Oak Sea Classics Series) (Paperback)

by Dudley Pope (Author) "TWO HOISTS of flags quivered in the moaning wind as they streamed out from the signal halyards at the yardarm and mizenmast-head of the 38-gun..." (more)
Key Phrases: van squadron, noble madness, larboard broadside, Combined Fleet, Royal Sovereign, Royal Navy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The story of the greatest British naval battle of the Age of Nelson.

Renowned historian and novelist Dudley Pope explores the defining moment of the Age of Nelson. His compelling descriptions of the battle itself are backed by a wealth of historical detail, including a chronicle of the preceding year, revealing both the British and the French political motives, and explaining Nelson's strategy and Napoleon's response. Pope creates an intimate portrait of the life in the Royal Navy at its finest hour.


About the Author
Dudley Pope (1927-1997) joined the merchant navy when he was sixteen. He was wounded in the Battle of the Atlantic, and went on to write The Black Ship and other naval literature.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1 edition (June 14, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805061363
• ISBN-13: 978-0805061369
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #709,599 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better that Patrick O-Brien: this is REAL!, August 27, 2000

By	Joe Buff (NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This is the best written and best researched treatment of the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's death that I have ever read -- and I read a LOT of naval history! Most discussions of Trafalgar concentrate on Nelson's slow death on the orlop deck, while the really decisive actions of the battle rage out of view. In this book Pope gives readers a thorough and vivid discussion of exactly what happened between the whole engaging fleets, AFTER Nelson was hit and taken below. The victory was Nelson's, from his strategy and leadership, but many other men on both sides fought to reach that crucial military decision. Dudley Pope brings this to life. If you've ever wondered why Nelson's last order, knowing he was mortally wounded, was for his flag captain to anchor the British fleet, read on! I also highly recommend Pope's other works, including his fictional Lord Ramage series, which gets visibly better from book to book.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make this your first Age of Sail read!!!, July 21, 2002

By	ColtsFan76 "brian" (Highland, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

This book is simply perfect. Not only does it recount the true events surrounding the Battle of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain, it is an excellent introductory book to the genre. As a fan of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin tales and CS Forester's Hornblower, this new collection of nautical books is a must read.

Dudley Pope's narrative flows smoothly making this one of those books you can't put down until you're finished. The nautical terms of the 1790's ~ 1800's are explained to satisfy both the novice and the well read. Whether this is your first Age of Sail book or just another in a long list, this is a must read that you will cherish.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Entertaining book, no dry history here!, February 27, 2004

By	Aldo J. Magistrelli "rextremendaemajestatis" (Moorestown, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Trafalgar was an amazing, dramatic event. The grandeur of the ships and the legendary characters involved are well described in this book, and you can tell that Dudley Pope was a man who was fascinated with the age of fighting sail. He was also a very good writer and he described it well.
Pope started out by describing the voyage of the HMS Pickle, the 4 gun schooner which carried news of Nelson's victory as well as his death back to England immediately after the battle. This small part of the great story of Trafalgar might be ignored or briefly mentioned by another author, but Pope related it as the dramatic story that it was. He described the heavy weather which battered the tiny, unescorted ship through hostile waters during her 1000 mile voyage home, causing her to leak badly. He described the overland voyage to London by the young Lieutenant Laponetiere, who arrived at the Admiralty, utterly exhausted, late at night to deliver his stunning news to an elderly, overworked clerk. And all this is just the first chapter.
Subsequent chapters describe the British, French and Spanish navies of the time, the strategies of Napoleon and Pitt, Nelson's life and the relationship he had with his Captains, the life of the common sailor, and even the conditions in Cadiz in 1805. Pope's writing is full of color and detail, and this book moves quickly.
Pope managed to describe the action of the battle very clearly with the use of diagrams of the battle as a whole and of individual matchups between opponents. He made the complex action understandable, and described the dramatic death of Nelson without getting bogged down in melodrama.
The aftermath of the battle, as well as it's importance to the Napoleonic wars and the future of the Royal Navy, are insightfully described towards the end of the book.