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Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections
Cross - Sections Man of War
Showing a slice of life at sea in the 18th-century, this book chops up an 18th-century warship like a sausage into a series of incredibly detailed cross-sections - a trip in slices from bow to stern. Each slice reveals details of life on board the ship, from the horror of battle stations to the dread of nightly rations.
Paperback
First published June 1, 1990
7 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Richard Platt
289 books26 followers(1953–)
Richard Platt is the author of more than sixty informative books for young readers, and he also writes for innovative multimedia projects. Some of his most popular works have been collaborations with illustrator Stephen Biesty on the "Cross-Sections" series. After a failed attempt to forge a career as a photographer, Platt discovered that he had a knack for writing. "I started writing about photography: first magazine articles, then books," he explained on the Walker Books Web site. "I got a job editing children's books, then went on to write them."
In the 1990s, Platt teamed up with popular juvenile illustrator Biesty for several books, beginning with Stephen Biesty's Incredible Cross-Sections Book, published in 1992. The following year, a second volume in the series, Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Man-of-War, proved equally interesting for late-elementary-age readers, especially those enchanted by seventeenth-century battleships. Alongside Biesty's cutaway illustrations, Platt provides explanatory text that indicates the purpose and activities in each section of the ship. The hardships of life aboard such vessels for their often 800-member crews are not overlooked, either, and the drawings depict food rations crawling with maggots and a doctor's pail containing severed limbs. Ellen Mandel, writing for Booklist, asserted that Platt's "intriguing text" serves to make "this meticulously presented book a treasure of factual content and visual imagery."
For Stephen Biesty's Incredible Everything, Platt provides informative paragraphs to accompany the illustrations for many everyday products, such as athletic shoes and compact discs. Much of the text revolves around the manufacturing process. Stephen Biesty's Incredible Body is a lesson in human anatomy, with sections on each of the body's systems and several major organs; the digestive system alone takes up four pages. Platt has also worked with the illustrator on Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle and Stephen Biesty's Incredible Explosions.
Working with publisher Dorling Kindersley, Platt has authored several titles in their "Eyewitness" series, some of which have appeared in the United States under the Knopf/Borzoi imprint. Pirate details the world of corsairs, privateers, and crime on the high seas throughout history. A reviewer for Science Books and Films, Richard B. Woodbury, praised the work as "a veritable miniencyclopedia or minimuseum" and "a pleasure to look at." Spy chronicles the history of espionage and the decisive role intelligence-gathering triumphs have played in history. Of particular emphasis are the code-breaking endeavors by Allied intelligence networks during World War II. Shipwreck, also part of the "Eyewitness" series, investigates famous sea disasters and rescues. Like the other books in the popular series, Shipwreck is lavishly illustrated. Chris Stephenson, writing in School Librarian, called it "an excellent source of historical evidence and nautical information."
Platt has also written several books about inventions. His The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions, which appeared in 1994, won praise from reviewers for its comprehensiveness. Platt divides the development of technology throughout the ages into five sections, including agriculture, conquest, and communication. The timeline begins at 600,000 BCE, around the time humans likely began using fire, and includes predictions for innovations that may occur in the near future. Cathryn A. Camper, reviewing The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions for School Library Journal, praised Platt's skilled use of illustration and text, which the critic felt "teaches a sophisticated form of literacy similar to" that provided with multimedia learning tools—an area in which Platt already had a great deal of writing experience. "Readers will delight in the colorful pictures and the text, which gives just enough information to satisfy curiosity," opined Voice of Youth Advo
Richard Platt is the author of more than sixty informative books for young readers, and he also writes for innovative multimedia projects. Some of his most popular works have been collaborations with illustrator Stephen Biesty on the "Cross-Sections" series. After a failed attempt to forge a career as a photographer, Platt discovered that he had a knack for writing. "I started writing about photography: first magazine articles, then books," he explained on the Walker Books Web site. "I got a job editing children's books, then went on to write them."
In the 1990s, Platt teamed up with popular juvenile illustrator Biesty for several books, beginning with Stephen Biesty's Incredible Cross-Sections Book, published in 1992. The following year, a second volume in the series, Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Man-of-War, proved equally interesting for late-elementary-age readers, especially those enchanted by seventeenth-century battleships. Alongside Biesty's cutaway illustrations, Platt provides explanatory text that indicates the purpose and activities in each section of the ship. The hardships of life aboard such vessels for their often 800-member crews are not overlooked, either, and the drawings depict food rations crawling with maggots and a doctor's pail containing severed limbs. Ellen Mandel, writing for Booklist, asserted that Platt's "intriguing text" serves to make "this meticulously presented book a treasure of factual content and visual imagery."
For Stephen Biesty's Incredible Everything, Platt provides informative paragraphs to accompany the illustrations for many everyday products, such as athletic shoes and compact discs. Much of the text revolves around the manufacturing process. Stephen Biesty's Incredible Body is a lesson in human anatomy, with sections on each of the body's systems and several major organs; the digestive system alone takes up four pages. Platt has also worked with the illustrator on Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle and Stephen Biesty's Incredible Explosions.
Working with publisher Dorling Kindersley, Platt has authored several titles in their "Eyewitness" series, some of which have appeared in the United States under the Knopf/Borzoi imprint. Pirate details the world of corsairs, privateers, and crime on the high seas throughout history. A reviewer for Science Books and Films, Richard B. Woodbury, praised the work as "a veritable miniencyclopedia or minimuseum" and "a pleasure to look at." Spy chronicles the history of espionage and the decisive role intelligence-gathering triumphs have played in history. Of particular emphasis are the code-breaking endeavors by Allied intelligence networks during World War II. Shipwreck, also part of the "Eyewitness" series, investigates famous sea disasters and rescues. Like the other books in the popular series, Shipwreck is lavishly illustrated. Chris Stephenson, writing in School Librarian, called it "an excellent source of historical evidence and nautical information."
Platt has also written several books about inventions. His The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions, which appeared in 1994, won praise from reviewers for its comprehensiveness. Platt divides the development of technology throughout the ages into five sections, including agriculture, conquest, and communication. The timeline begins at 600,000 BCE, around the time humans likely began using fire, and includes predictions for innovations that may occur in the near future. Cathryn A. Camper, reviewing The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions for School Library Journal, praised Platt's skilled use of illustration and text, which the critic felt "teaches a sophisticated form of literacy similar to" that provided with multimedia learning tools—an area in which Platt already had a great deal of writing experience. "Readers will delight in the colorful pictures and the text, which gives just enough information to satisfy curiosity," opined Voice of Youth Advo
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 30, 2018
Don't tell my husband I read this! *lol*
I bought it for his birthday and he was so enthusiastic that I got curious and decided to take a peek.
Well, that peek turned into actually reading the book and I really liked it!
I know, I know, I kind of teased my hubby about "Man-Of-War" and said it's sort of a children's book (which I suppose it could be *lol*) but this book is really nice! =))
All the effort and details that were put into it and especially the black humour you find in every corner made this a really enjoyable read. The best thing about it was the wanted poster of the stowaway. XD If you pay close attention to the pages you can find him everywhere. ;-P
He's the running gag of the book and it was hilarious!
And now I have to stop this review, or my hubby will know I wrote it. I'm typing this with him in the same room and he has no clue. *lol*
Psst!!! ;-P
I bought it for his birthday and he was so enthusiastic that I got curious and decided to take a peek.
Well, that peek turned into actually reading the book and I really liked it!
I know, I know, I kind of teased my hubby about "Man-Of-War" and said it's sort of a children's book (which I suppose it could be *lol*) but this book is really nice! =))
All the effort and details that were put into it and especially the black humour you find in every corner made this a really enjoyable read. The best thing about it was the wanted poster of the stowaway. XD If you pay close attention to the pages you can find him everywhere. ;-P
He's the running gag of the book and it was hilarious!
And now I have to stop this review, or my hubby will know I wrote it. I'm typing this with him in the same room and he has no clue. *lol*
Psst!!! ;-P
May 13, 2015
Aunque esté orientado a lectores más jóvenes, es muy visual e informativo y puede interesar a cualquier público. Se trata de secciones transversales de in barco de guerra de la época de Nelson que permiten ver cómo estaba estructurado y qué pasaba dentro.
February 1, 2014
A grim and graphic tale of survival and privation on the high seas. Delightfully illustrated.
December 29, 2025
A book belonging to a beloved rare category of books known as “cross section books”. such books are as well as being rare, it’s also rare to find a bad one!
This book is exceptionally amazing! The book takes us on a tour of one of the last Man-Of-War ships to sail the seas. It does that through looking at a sequence if vertical cut sections of the ship. Starting from the bow to the stern. The tour is not just about the construction and architecture of the ship, that is included but it’s also about the life and function of such ship. How they did everything from war, eating, entertainment, pooping! hygiene, discipline and many more. All this is explained visually and in text. The book doesn’t shy from showing gruesome scenes like bloody dismembered bodies after a battle or like how hard life was for a sailor (one can slightly understand why pirates decided to be pirates!). It’s guaranteed that you will definitely understand ships of that period (and particularly this type of ship) far beyond anything you knew before.
Beautiful detailed illustrations and lots of hidden funny scenes (yet realistic).
6/5 rating!
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This book is exceptionally amazing! The book takes us on a tour of one of the last Man-Of-War ships to sail the seas. It does that through looking at a sequence if vertical cut sections of the ship. Starting from the bow to the stern. The tour is not just about the construction and architecture of the ship, that is included but it’s also about the life and function of such ship. How they did everything from war, eating, entertainment, pooping! hygiene, discipline and many more. All this is explained visually and in text. The book doesn’t shy from showing gruesome scenes like bloody dismembered bodies after a battle or like how hard life was for a sailor (one can slightly understand why pirates decided to be pirates!). It’s guaranteed that you will definitely understand ships of that period (and particularly this type of ship) far beyond anything you knew before.
Beautiful detailed illustrations and lots of hidden funny scenes (yet realistic).
6/5 rating!
ttttt tttt ttttt ttttt
pppp ppppp ppppp
vvvvv vvvvv vvvv
April 2, 2016
My Grade = 93% - A
Another Thrift Shop find.....
This is, as said, cross-sections drawings (and cross throughs) of many aspects of the Man of War. Some pages include officer quarters, eating, sleeping, setting sail, provisions, personnel, etc and it is unbelievably ornate, complicated, and detailed,
I almost imagined this might have been a children's book, but I believe this idea was belayed by the graphic drawings of injuries, amputations, tubs of amputated arms and legs etc.
There are many other books in this series, including Castle, Submarine, and just plain Cross-Sections. This was a very informative and interesting read.
I had absolutely no idea that so many people were crammed for so long in what appears to be such a tiny ship - all hand made of wood.
Another Thrift Shop find.....
This is, as said, cross-sections drawings (and cross throughs) of many aspects of the Man of War. Some pages include officer quarters, eating, sleeping, setting sail, provisions, personnel, etc and it is unbelievably ornate, complicated, and detailed,
I almost imagined this might have been a children's book, but I believe this idea was belayed by the graphic drawings of injuries, amputations, tubs of amputated arms and legs etc.
There are many other books in this series, including Castle, Submarine, and just plain Cross-Sections. This was a very informative and interesting read.
I had absolutely no idea that so many people were crammed for so long in what appears to be such a tiny ship - all hand made of wood.
December 26, 2023
This has sat on my bookshelves for several years, partly as a homage to my sons loving these books when they were children and I only pulled it out during a clean-out. I was attracted to the intricacies of the drawings but the text was fantastic! Such a thorough accounting of all the details of the harsh life aboard a Man-of -War sailing ship. Amazing to discover how many phrases we use in the English language today have naval origins. A great read - thoroughly enjoyable for kids and adults alike.
January 28, 2024
I was surprised to see a lot of people working on the boat and it was quite densely populated.
People sleep in the hammock at night, so it would have been quite bumpy and hard to sleep when the rough seas came in.
People sleep in the hammock at night, so it would have been quite bumpy and hard to sleep when the rough seas came in.
March 15, 2018
An incredibly joyous and beautifully illustrated work, worthy of its large format.
July 6, 2019
Great book, not only for children but for adults too. It's packed with information and stunning illustrations. I learned a lot from this book.
August 1, 2020
A picture is worth a thousand words
October 30, 2020
I loved this so much I actually bought a hard copy for a nephew.
March 31, 2024
If you’re reading the Patrick O’Brian novels, it’s a great way to visualize the man of war in the age of sail. It also helps simplify some of the basics of shipboard life in that time.
October 19, 2024
Excellent! The detail is astounding.
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May 22, 2025I'm mostly keeping as a good basic visual reference.
May 26, 2016
I had forgotten all about Stephen Biesty's cross-section books until recently but I'm glad I stumbled back over them. They are incredibly detailed and have a lot of fun information and facts that kids will love learning about. I'm just sad that most of his books are so old that the public library's do not have copies on-hand anymore. Considering the size of the pages, it is easy to see how a well-loved book like one of Biesty's cross-sections would not have made it this long over time in the hands of children. We need more copies in print so that the library can replenish its copies and kids can keep enjoying them!
June 18, 2016
Where's Waldo(/Wally)-sized characters, including this one scamp who's dropping a deuce on another sailor's head from a higher deck. What child would not adore such droll scatology? Frightening bit in the surgeon's area, with the in-process amputation and bucket stuck full of discarded, sawn off limbs. Very educational about the golden years of British Navy and a sailor's life, and the facts felt as fun as the illustrations. I adored it as a boy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2011
I have to say, when it comes to sheer efficiency this is one of the greatest I have ever seen. By this I mean, if the purpose of a book is to get knowledge from one head to another, Biesty does a better job of getting more across on an extremely difficult topic than almost anyone I've ever read.
September 12, 2009
Fun large pictures of a man o' war ship. Very helpfull in all the nautical books that I read.
July 25, 2011
A fun and enjoyable reading. Prepared for young people, there is very little text.
February 21, 2016
I love these books. I know they are made for kids but they are so visually stunning. Every time I pic one up I learn new things. Highly recommended
February 11, 2016
Really great description!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews