The Devil Himself: The Mutiny of 1800 (Paperback)

by Dudley Pope (Author)
Key Phrases: quarter gunner, main hatchways, Lord Proby, William Jackson, The Devil Himself (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The French labeled their records of this extraordinary 1800 mutiny "the Devil Himself," and the author here depicts the whole curious story.

About the Author

Dudley Pope, a naval defense correspondent of the London Evening News, progressed to writing carefully researched naval history. C.S. Forester urged Pope to try his hand at fiction and saw the younger writer as his literary heir. Pope began what was to become an impressive series with Ramage (1965) and, over the next 24 years, produced 17 more novels tracing Lord Ramage's career. Pope died in 1997.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: McBooks Press (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590130359
• ISBN-13: 978-1590130353
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,128,147 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical account of a most unusual mutiny, April 5, 2003

By	Harold McFarland (Florida) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Author Dudley Pope has pieced together the factual events of the Mutiny of 1800 and put them into an easy to read story. Why is this particular mutiny significant? It is the only British mutiny to occur during wartime where the mutineers actually delivered the ship to the enemy.

Written in a narrative style, "The Devil Himself" clearly illustrates the naval conditions of the time. Seamen were often impressed into the naval service against their will, advancement was difficult but often given for political reasons as much as talent, flogging was common, and in the case of the Danae the quarters were small and the ceilings so low that you could not stand up at all.

A sleek ship, the Danae could overtake just about anything else on the water. What would cause the ship's crew to mutiny? Why would a mutinous crew actually deliver their ship to the enemy? Other mutinies had occurred but they resulted in better conditions for sailors, why was this one so different?

This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in historical events. Put together from the British and French Naval archives, where it is in a folder labeled Le Diable Lui-meme - The Devil Himself, it is a recommended read.