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Man-of-war Life: A Boy's Experience in the United States Navy During a Voyage Around the World in a Ship of the Line
A young sailor's impressions of life aboard an American ship-of-the-line in the mid-1800s.
- GenresHistory
300 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1855
6 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Charles Nordhoff
167 books7 followersThis describes the 19th century journalist and author. For the 20th century novelist most famous for Mutiny on the Bounty, see Charles Bernard Nordhoff.
Charles Nordhoff was an American journalist, descriptive and miscellaneous writer.
He was born in Erwitte, Germany (Prussia) in 1830, and emigrated to the USA in 1845. He was educated in Cincinnati, and was for nine years at sea, in the navy and merchant service; from 1853 to 1857 in various newspaper offices; was then employed editorially by the Harpers (1861), and for the next ten years on the staff of the New York Evening Post.
From 1871 to 1873 Nordhoff travelled in California and visited Hawaii. He then became Washington correspondent of the New York Herald. His most widely known books are Northern California, Oregon and the Sandwich Islands (1874), The Communistic Societies of the United States (1857) and God and the Future Life (1881).
Charles Nordhoff was an American journalist, descriptive and miscellaneous writer.
He was born in Erwitte, Germany (Prussia) in 1830, and emigrated to the USA in 1845. He was educated in Cincinnati, and was for nine years at sea, in the navy and merchant service; from 1853 to 1857 in various newspaper offices; was then employed editorially by the Harpers (1861), and for the next ten years on the staff of the New York Evening Post.
From 1871 to 1873 Nordhoff travelled in California and visited Hawaii. He then became Washington correspondent of the New York Herald. His most widely known books are Northern California, Oregon and the Sandwich Islands (1874), The Communistic Societies of the United States (1857) and God and the Future Life (1881).
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 3, 2025
The author/protagonist Charles Nordhoff mentioned his childhood at the beginning of the book, but never mentioned his parents and possible siblings. At fist I just thought his family members are very careless to let a 14-year-old minor to carry 25 dollars, go to seashore, find a job on a ship and travel the world. Then after a few pages, he still never mentions his family at once even though he just remains 2.5 dollars and have yet found a job. I was gaining curiosity so I googled a bit, found out a little detailed information about his family:
Charles Nordhoff was born in Erwitte, a village in Westphalia, Prussia. At five, he emigrated with his parents to Ohio, where they died. Left an orphan in the care of a family in Cincinnati, he was apprenticed to a printer at age thirteen. After serving a year, he ran away. link
All these events aren't shown a bit in the book as far as I read. I can't keep on reading without knowing the beginning of his life. It makes the story incomplete and a part of Mr. Nordhoff is unknown to me. It feels like Mr. Nordhoff hide part of the story from his book, which I do not like.
DNF
Charles Nordhoff was born in Erwitte, a village in Westphalia, Prussia. At five, he emigrated with his parents to Ohio, where they died. Left an orphan in the care of a family in Cincinnati, he was apprenticed to a printer at age thirteen. After serving a year, he ran away. link
All these events aren't shown a bit in the book as far as I read. I can't keep on reading without knowing the beginning of his life. It makes the story incomplete and a part of Mr. Nordhoff is unknown to me. It feels like Mr. Nordhoff hide part of the story from his book, which I do not like.
DNF
Displaying 1 of 1 review