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The War for All the Oceans: From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo (Paperback) - Common
An account of the Napoleonic War as it was fought on the naval front between 1798 and 1815 draws on eyewitness records to offer insight into its battles as well as the experiences of period sailors.
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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710 people want to read
About the author
Roy A. Adkins
29 books43 followersRoy Adkins is a historian and archaeologist. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
August 7, 2019
The War for All the Oceans was a good read, but it's not without its flaws. The Adkinses do a great job of narrating the history and use a copious amount of first hand accounts (probably too many). But at the same time, the anecdotal style limits the book's ability to illustrate and analyze tactics and strategy. This book is an adequate survey of the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Wars, but it does not attempt to be a serious military analysis.
Some aspects of the book that I particularly liked were the sections on the Walcheren Expedition, prisoners of war, and the war of 1812. I have read several accounts of the Walcheren Expedition, but this one was by far the most thorough and detailed (the map was of great help here). The sections about the prisoners of war, both in France and Britain were interesting and welcome since this aspect of the Napoleonic Wars isn't often covered. Similarly, I enjoyed the sections concerning the War of 1812, which it seems was mostly a naval war. However, it's surprising that the Battle of Lake Erie isn't talked about.
Now for the negatives.
As mentioned above, the narrative jumps around quite a bit, because the authors focus so much on first hand accounts and small actions. I found this to be a little jarring, though not a huge concern. What also bothered me was how the authors dealt with Trafalgar. As arguably the most important naval event of this time period it ought to occupy a good presence in this book, but instead it is relegated to a page-long summary with a footnote directing the reader to Roy Adkin's separate book on Trafalgar, Nelson's Trafalgar: The Battle That Changed the World. Fortunately I already read this book (and enjoyed it), but that doesn't excuse the fact that reader shouldn't have to read another book to learn more about Trafalgar.
As far as maps go, there are quite a few and of varying quality. Most of them seem to be old maps, which are interesting, but unfortunately hard to read and unclear.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I'm disappointed as well. I feel that if the authors had maintained a focus or theme throughout, then the this book would have been much better. Still, it's a decent summary of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
Some aspects of the book that I particularly liked were the sections on the Walcheren Expedition, prisoners of war, and the war of 1812. I have read several accounts of the Walcheren Expedition, but this one was by far the most thorough and detailed (the map was of great help here). The sections about the prisoners of war, both in France and Britain were interesting and welcome since this aspect of the Napoleonic Wars isn't often covered. Similarly, I enjoyed the sections concerning the War of 1812, which it seems was mostly a naval war. However, it's surprising that the Battle of Lake Erie isn't talked about.
Now for the negatives.
As mentioned above, the narrative jumps around quite a bit, because the authors focus so much on first hand accounts and small actions. I found this to be a little jarring, though not a huge concern. What also bothered me was how the authors dealt with Trafalgar. As arguably the most important naval event of this time period it ought to occupy a good presence in this book, but instead it is relegated to a page-long summary with a footnote directing the reader to Roy Adkin's separate book on Trafalgar, Nelson's Trafalgar: The Battle That Changed the World. Fortunately I already read this book (and enjoyed it), but that doesn't excuse the fact that reader shouldn't have to read another book to learn more about Trafalgar.
As far as maps go, there are quite a few and of varying quality. Most of them seem to be old maps, which are interesting, but unfortunately hard to read and unclear.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I'm disappointed as well. I feel that if the authors had maintained a focus or theme throughout, then the this book would have been much better. Still, it's a decent summary of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
January 7, 2022
This was an odd experience. To begin with, I admire any author that takes on a topic of such scope as the naval history of the Napoleonic Wars, but it’s essentially a naval history of an army war, at least after Trafalgar. In fact, I had bought this because of my enjoyment of Adkins’ Nelson’s Trafalgar and picked it up out of a desire to learn more about Bonaparte. The fact that I did that, the strength of the writing, and the strong research led to four stars. The focus is unique but led to a somewhat disjointed narrative since the Royal Navy were much less important in the ten years between Trafalgar and Waterloo, so fully had they destroyed Napoleon’s Navy. After Trafalgar, the naval narrative is largely reduced to the critically important, but remarkably dull blockade duty, amphibious operations in Holland, intrigues involving Sir Sidney Smith, and a lengthy account of the War of 1812. This war was important to understanding the constraints of Britain during the Napoleonic Wars but served as an unexpected although not wholly unwelcome aside in this history. Again, I was reminded of Napoleon’s role in preserving American independence since the distraction he provided served to enable the United States to avoid the full strength of British Naval and Military power.
I think it might have worked better as either a much longer book covering all aspects of the Napoleonic Wars (although this scope has been addressed in numerous other volumes and would have made the book 50 hours long) or a much shorter book focusing only on Naval actions pertaining to the war, which certainly would have led to an even choppier narrative flow. I think this points out the complexity of the scope and nature of the conflict as well as the challenge the Adkins set for themselves. They describe the Napoleonic Wars as the Great War before World War I became known by that name one hundred years later. They effectively explore international (and to a lesser degree domestic) politics; military history where relevant; the conditions of sailors on land; and naval tactics, strategy, and shipboard life to the extent practicable.
The audio book further added to the disjointed nature of the work as Patrick Lawlor employed his native American accent, two British accents (one ruling and one working class), a Scottish accent, an Irish accent, and a French accent that reminded me of John Cleese on the parapet at the end of Monty Python’s Holy Grail quest. He used the accents not only when quoting the relevant historic figure, but also when describing their actions, especially earlier in the book. This might have worked better with a native Brit, but I found it hard to follow and somewhat jarring. I found my mind wandering and wasn’t always eager to get back to the book.
The most enduring story within the book came right at the end where the Adkins tell the story of a formerly imprisoned English midshipman returning to France 30 years after Waterloo and 37 years after his escape to find the woman who had helped him and three fellow prisoners hide from the French. He perseveres, finds her blind and destitute, and provides for her for the remaining four years of her life. She dies at 83 in 1849. I appreciate the authors’ ending on this note. It made the whole book feel more worthwhile.
I think it might have worked better as either a much longer book covering all aspects of the Napoleonic Wars (although this scope has been addressed in numerous other volumes and would have made the book 50 hours long) or a much shorter book focusing only on Naval actions pertaining to the war, which certainly would have led to an even choppier narrative flow. I think this points out the complexity of the scope and nature of the conflict as well as the challenge the Adkins set for themselves. They describe the Napoleonic Wars as the Great War before World War I became known by that name one hundred years later. They effectively explore international (and to a lesser degree domestic) politics; military history where relevant; the conditions of sailors on land; and naval tactics, strategy, and shipboard life to the extent practicable.
The audio book further added to the disjointed nature of the work as Patrick Lawlor employed his native American accent, two British accents (one ruling and one working class), a Scottish accent, an Irish accent, and a French accent that reminded me of John Cleese on the parapet at the end of Monty Python’s Holy Grail quest. He used the accents not only when quoting the relevant historic figure, but also when describing their actions, especially earlier in the book. This might have worked better with a native Brit, but I found it hard to follow and somewhat jarring. I found my mind wandering and wasn’t always eager to get back to the book.
The most enduring story within the book came right at the end where the Adkins tell the story of a formerly imprisoned English midshipman returning to France 30 years after Waterloo and 37 years after his escape to find the woman who had helped him and three fellow prisoners hide from the French. He perseveres, finds her blind and destitute, and provides for her for the remaining four years of her life. She dies at 83 in 1849. I appreciate the authors’ ending on this note. It made the whole book feel more worthwhile.
December 16, 2011
The War for All the Oceans covers all major, and some less well known, naval actions from the latter part of the revolutionary war, to the end of the Napoleonic. As is always the case with the Adkins's work, it is meticulously researched, well presented and very hard to put down.
Although it is crammed full with information, and could certainly be used as one, I consider this more than just a reference book: the term conjurers up lists of details and dates that can make for dry, academic reading. The War for All the Oceans tells a story, and tells it well, with a blend of authoritative commentary and original reference material that almost involves the reader in the research. It is a style that the Adkins are masters of, and makes their work extremely readable.
Extensive maps, illustrations (many of which were new to me), a comprehensive index and bibliography, and a selected reading list finish off the package perfectly. Fascinating and compelling reading: highly recommended.
Although it is crammed full with information, and could certainly be used as one, I consider this more than just a reference book: the term conjurers up lists of details and dates that can make for dry, academic reading. The War for All the Oceans tells a story, and tells it well, with a blend of authoritative commentary and original reference material that almost involves the reader in the research. It is a style that the Adkins are masters of, and makes their work extremely readable.
Extensive maps, illustrations (many of which were new to me), a comprehensive index and bibliography, and a selected reading list finish off the package perfectly. Fascinating and compelling reading: highly recommended.
May 3, 2010
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. Having said that though, it was not nearly as good as I had hoped. The Adkins have done a terrific job of collecting and organizing all of the personal vignettes and anecdotes associated with the Royal Navy's 20+ years of naval warfare with France and its allies during the Napoleonic wars. I think I might have liked a bit more of the strategy and tactics associated with the major fleet actions; and I think the book was badly served by leaving out a more detailed description of the Battle of Trafalgar. The Adkins literally spent about a page and a half on Trafalgar, and then had the chutzpah to include a footnote reference to their book on Trafalgar. All in all though, I am glad that I read The War for All of the Oceans as it gave me a firmer historical foundation and a context in which to place some of the activities and adventures described by Patrick O'Brian in his brilliant Aubrey-Maturin series of historical naval fiction.
March 30, 2019
Deviated from the stated topic so frequently that I was unsure of the overall theme, but the interesting subject matter and numerous first-hand accounts made up for it.
January 4, 2012
Essentially a chronicling of the major sea battles fought by the British navy during the years England contested Napoleon’s dream of world conquest, this book makes a perfect compliment to Patrick O’Brien’s historical fiction on the same subject. The central theme of this historical account is that the British navy, through discipline, technology, and strategic persistence combined with the superior leadership of its naval commanders, managed to thwart Napoleon Bonaparte’s ambition to rule the world. In so doing, as the authors point out, the British navy set the stage for world dominance of the seas. Not only did this enable their army to survive several disasters until Napoleon was defeated on land, but it also helped to establish an economic empire for Great Britain.
What makes this history a bit more interesting is the detail the authors bring to the story. By providing us with first hand accounts (ranging from lowly combatants to political leaders of the time) we get eye witness views of events. Moreover, we are allowed to follow the careers of several of the lesser known naval commanders of that era. In many other histories we seldom get much beyond the descriptions of the major battles. The Adkins have chosen to inform us about other aspects of that era which are normally ignored. For example, we learn how prior to a significant accident along the English seacoast shipwrecked corpses were dismissed as objects to be looted. Subsequent to a major sea disaster the law was changed and thereafter required victims to be recorded and properly buried. We also learn the grisly details of how each side treated prisoners of war. These chapters of the book ought to be required reading for the U.S. government today. Americans should be proud of how well they treated their captured British counterparts when compared to how the British and French treated each others’ captured participants.
Also some national pride can be garnered from recounting the U.S.A.’s few naval victories against the British during the War of 1812. Moreover, the account of the Battle of New Orleans reminds us of how fortunate we were to defeat the British who had the strongest army and navy in the West Indies at that time.
This history underscores the vast breadth of territory the British needed to cover in order to become masters of the world’s oceans. Even if their dominance, in the scope of recorded human history, was only for a short time, nevertheless it is impressive. After reading this book one realizes how much was sacrificed and what an incredible achievement this was.
What makes this history a bit more interesting is the detail the authors bring to the story. By providing us with first hand accounts (ranging from lowly combatants to political leaders of the time) we get eye witness views of events. Moreover, we are allowed to follow the careers of several of the lesser known naval commanders of that era. In many other histories we seldom get much beyond the descriptions of the major battles. The Adkins have chosen to inform us about other aspects of that era which are normally ignored. For example, we learn how prior to a significant accident along the English seacoast shipwrecked corpses were dismissed as objects to be looted. Subsequent to a major sea disaster the law was changed and thereafter required victims to be recorded and properly buried. We also learn the grisly details of how each side treated prisoners of war. These chapters of the book ought to be required reading for the U.S. government today. Americans should be proud of how well they treated their captured British counterparts when compared to how the British and French treated each others’ captured participants.
Also some national pride can be garnered from recounting the U.S.A.’s few naval victories against the British during the War of 1812. Moreover, the account of the Battle of New Orleans reminds us of how fortunate we were to defeat the British who had the strongest army and navy in the West Indies at that time.
This history underscores the vast breadth of territory the British needed to cover in order to become masters of the world’s oceans. Even if their dominance, in the scope of recorded human history, was only for a short time, nevertheless it is impressive. After reading this book one realizes how much was sacrificed and what an incredible achievement this was.
November 6, 2012
The Royal Navy at its apogee in the age of fighting sail during the Napoleonic Wars.
So the RN took on and defeated the combined French and Spanish Fleets at Trafalgar and then nothing happened at sea for the next 10 years. Don't you believe it. This book is an excellent read covering all aspects of the war (the section on Trafalgar is very short in itself) as well as some of the land engagements (particularly the War of 1812 against the USA). It encompasses the living conditions of the sailors both low and high, combined with their exploits, the Press Gang, prostitution and their virtual incarceration on board, sometimes for many years.
Forget about the Hornblowers, Bolithos and Aubreys of fiction; the deeds of the real sailors are every bit as exciting and sometimes would be unbelievable if they were incorporated into a work of fiction (e.g. the disgraced Scottish war hero Captain who went on to found and lead the Chilean, Peruvian and Brazilian navies before being found innocent in the UK and reinstated as an Admiral!)
The stories are not a list of battles, they show the work of spies and the lives of the Prisoners of War, British, French and American and some of the igenious escapes made seem they should have happened in World War II rather than 130 years earlier.
This is a very readable book going into a subject most British people think they know, but it appears don't. Whilst the narrative is chronological, it also simultaneously shows many different aspects of the era. So maties, prepare to cast off and immerse yourself in a past age with this excellent book.
So the RN took on and defeated the combined French and Spanish Fleets at Trafalgar and then nothing happened at sea for the next 10 years. Don't you believe it. This book is an excellent read covering all aspects of the war (the section on Trafalgar is very short in itself) as well as some of the land engagements (particularly the War of 1812 against the USA). It encompasses the living conditions of the sailors both low and high, combined with their exploits, the Press Gang, prostitution and their virtual incarceration on board, sometimes for many years.
Forget about the Hornblowers, Bolithos and Aubreys of fiction; the deeds of the real sailors are every bit as exciting and sometimes would be unbelievable if they were incorporated into a work of fiction (e.g. the disgraced Scottish war hero Captain who went on to found and lead the Chilean, Peruvian and Brazilian navies before being found innocent in the UK and reinstated as an Admiral!)
The stories are not a list of battles, they show the work of spies and the lives of the Prisoners of War, British, French and American and some of the igenious escapes made seem they should have happened in World War II rather than 130 years earlier.
This is a very readable book going into a subject most British people think they know, but it appears don't. Whilst the narrative is chronological, it also simultaneously shows many different aspects of the era. So maties, prepare to cast off and immerse yourself in a past age with this excellent book.
September 17, 2010
Having read dozens of overlapping, related historical fiction that exploits the Napoleonic era -- specifically O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series (covering the British Navy) and Cornwell's Sharpe's series (covering the British Army) -- it was quite interesting to read an organized, chronological work spanning the same period. Overall, the length of this one wore me down, but it's probably worth it. In the same genre, but a much earlier time period, I definitely preferred Crowley's Empires of the Sea.
June 8, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I came back to it to read again. The use of documentary sources is exemplary and brings alive the descriptions so that you really get a sense of what it must have been like to be a prisoner in Napoleonic France, for example.
December 2, 2025
In 1798 Napoleon was fast becoming the bogey man of Europe; he had defeated the Italians and become part of the government - though not yet the Emperor he was to become. He also had a grand plan to defeat Britain by taking Egypt on the way to India. But to get to Egypt requires travel by sea, and shortly after arrival Admiral Nelson proceeded to destroy his fleet. While Napoleon could dominate on land he was consistently stymied when it came to the oceans. Thus while France was victorious in Europe Britain was around the world. But this was not for want of trying on the part of the French who built several new fleets, and sought to bring other maritime powers to their side, to contest the seas. Roy and Lesley Adkins’ in their engaging book The War for All the Oceans tells the story of the Royal Navy from 1798 through to the end of the Napoleonic wars at the battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Pros
Engaging style of building the narrative through quotes
Focuses on some of the lesser known events
Cons
Odd choices of what to focus on and what to exclude
Can be disjointed or get sidetracked
The War for All the Oceans takes us from 1798 through to 1815. It was a global war - though not as we are told in the first page of the preface “the first worldwide war” which ignores the at least three 18th century wars that were arguably more global than the Napoleonic wars. This means there was a key role for naval operations; securing the sea by blockading the enemy, defending trade, moving armies, and invading enemy territory. Many of which are often ignored among the more glorious battles. I suspect this is the reason for starting in 1798, which is not normally considered the start of the Napoleonic wars, but if the start had been 1803 we would have missed two of Nelson’s great battles! That said once we get past Trafalgar, about a third of the way into the book, we get into these less often covered activities to ensure command of the ocean.
I really liked the way that Roy and Lesley Adkins build their narrative through building on lots of good detailed quotes that provide the heart of the book. We therefore get a lot of information from people who were there, not just the authors’ distillation. This help makes the book engaging and personal, giving it colour and character. And while the narrative is chronological the authors weave non narrative elements about the Royal Navy in at appropriate points in the narrative. For example how the press gang operated is introduced at the end of the peace of Amiens when the navy suddenly needs to make good on having been much reduced during the brief peace.
There is a downside with letting quotes push the narrative without always adding analysis in that they don't always explain why things are different. We read a lot on the British blockading the French as the bread and butter of action, and this clearly happened far afield; hence an escaped prisoner makes it to a British ship off Trieste in the Adriatic. And yet another escaped prisoner has difficulties finding his way across from Flushing when we are told it “had become the second largest French naval arsenal after Toulon” (p258). No blockade? It would be helpful to tell the reader why the difference.
This may also have led to some of the choices on what to include, and how much to include which can seem a bit odd. Thus there is more on prostitution (pp175-81) than the Battle of Trafalgar (pp164-65) despite it generally being considered the decisive battle - though perhaps as it is so well done (including a book by the authors) perhaps they felt it need not be covered again. There are some things that are almost inevitably in, such Nelson’s personal life, that are strictly speaking from the perspective of the aim of the book sidetracks. Things can also be a bit disjointed thus, a lot of space goes on the evacuation of General Moore’s army from Corunna, clearly an immense achievement, but it is odd that we were never told how the army got there in the first place, presumably by sea (to Lisbon). On the plus side it does mean some interesting lesser known events are covered.
The main actual lack in terms of content I think is not explaining the big picture. In an overview history of a war like this it is strange not to include a discussion of the strategic situation and drivers behind what the Royal Navy was doing.
Ultimately then I think this is a good overview of the naval side of the napoleonic wars but distinctly unbalanced with some odd choices. Still likely to be of worth reading for anyone with an interest in the royal navy or Napoleonic wars.
Pros
Engaging style of building the narrative through quotes
Focuses on some of the lesser known events
Cons
Odd choices of what to focus on and what to exclude
Can be disjointed or get sidetracked
The War for All the Oceans takes us from 1798 through to 1815. It was a global war - though not as we are told in the first page of the preface “the first worldwide war” which ignores the at least three 18th century wars that were arguably more global than the Napoleonic wars. This means there was a key role for naval operations; securing the sea by blockading the enemy, defending trade, moving armies, and invading enemy territory. Many of which are often ignored among the more glorious battles. I suspect this is the reason for starting in 1798, which is not normally considered the start of the Napoleonic wars, but if the start had been 1803 we would have missed two of Nelson’s great battles! That said once we get past Trafalgar, about a third of the way into the book, we get into these less often covered activities to ensure command of the ocean.
I really liked the way that Roy and Lesley Adkins build their narrative through building on lots of good detailed quotes that provide the heart of the book. We therefore get a lot of information from people who were there, not just the authors’ distillation. This help makes the book engaging and personal, giving it colour and character. And while the narrative is chronological the authors weave non narrative elements about the Royal Navy in at appropriate points in the narrative. For example how the press gang operated is introduced at the end of the peace of Amiens when the navy suddenly needs to make good on having been much reduced during the brief peace.
There is a downside with letting quotes push the narrative without always adding analysis in that they don't always explain why things are different. We read a lot on the British blockading the French as the bread and butter of action, and this clearly happened far afield; hence an escaped prisoner makes it to a British ship off Trieste in the Adriatic. And yet another escaped prisoner has difficulties finding his way across from Flushing when we are told it “had become the second largest French naval arsenal after Toulon” (p258). No blockade? It would be helpful to tell the reader why the difference.
This may also have led to some of the choices on what to include, and how much to include which can seem a bit odd. Thus there is more on prostitution (pp175-81) than the Battle of Trafalgar (pp164-65) despite it generally being considered the decisive battle - though perhaps as it is so well done (including a book by the authors) perhaps they felt it need not be covered again. There are some things that are almost inevitably in, such Nelson’s personal life, that are strictly speaking from the perspective of the aim of the book sidetracks. Things can also be a bit disjointed thus, a lot of space goes on the evacuation of General Moore’s army from Corunna, clearly an immense achievement, but it is odd that we were never told how the army got there in the first place, presumably by sea (to Lisbon). On the plus side it does mean some interesting lesser known events are covered.
The main actual lack in terms of content I think is not explaining the big picture. In an overview history of a war like this it is strange not to include a discussion of the strategic situation and drivers behind what the Royal Navy was doing.
Ultimately then I think this is a good overview of the naval side of the napoleonic wars but distinctly unbalanced with some odd choices. Still likely to be of worth reading for anyone with an interest in the royal navy or Napoleonic wars.
September 3, 2022
Bought to fill out some gaps in my knowledge of the period, considering I'm going to be knee-deep in writing a beloved historical fiction series of mine soon. Helped with lots of ideas of where I might go with my books – such a fascinating period full of so many social and political and military changes across the world. I know other reviewers have mentioned it as a drawback, but I really liked the use of so many primary sources. It much better gives a flavour of the world and the voices of the people involved. A very chunky tome (especially as I bought an ex-library hardback edition without knowing haha) but well-written, well-organised and really interesting.
February 2, 2017
The audiobook reminds me of a Ken Burns production. It lies somewhere between a history tome and a novelization. Very detailed and a very good history. I had hoped that it would discuss tactics used but they are barely touched upon. Beware, this audiobook is no quick listen, it's 22 hours long!
As a Michigander, I have to applaud the reader Patrick Lawlor for the correct pronunciation of "Mackinac" :)
As a Michigander, I have to applaud the reader Patrick Lawlor for the correct pronunciation of "Mackinac" :)
July 28, 2020
I usually prefer audio-books to dead-tree-format (DTF), but in this case the audio-book was unbearable.
Non-stop errors in pronunciation, sometimes so many in one sentence that it became hard to understand what it was about.
I've read other books narrated by Patrick Lawlor, but never noticed his lack of knowledge about a subject as much as in this book.
Non-stop errors in pronunciation, sometimes so many in one sentence that it became hard to understand what it was about.
I've read other books narrated by Patrick Lawlor, but never noticed his lack of knowledge about a subject as much as in this book.
March 7, 2022
I haven’t actually finished this, but am keeping it as a reference. The coverage of individual battles is very well done, complete with maps and engrossing details. I found it a bit too heavy to read through from start to finish, and used it instead as a great companion to dip into along with reading novels of the time period by other authors such as Patrick O’Brian.
March 25, 2017
An excellent summary of Britain's Naval history from 1798 until 1815. It covers all the major events, smaller conflicts and personalities that resulted in their ultimate control of the seas during the later Victorian period. The book is full of period maps, drawings, letters and diary entries from those who were there (both officers and seamen).
October 12, 2021
Very interesting book on Britain. By trying to prevent the rise of Napoleon it became a force ruling the oceans and most of the trades after that time.
Great read and a book recommended for any person interested in that time period.
Great read and a book recommended for any person interested in that time period.
June 3, 2018
Enjoyable read about the Royal Navy and insights into the culture of the service and the nations discussed.
July 27, 2018
Good book, but the prose is a little tedious, but over all very readable.
December 20, 2018
Too heavy on anecdotes and too light on everything else especially in-depth analysis of the strategy and history. It's still worth a read for people really interested in the subject.
January 30, 2021
Its good i just didnt know wtf was going on half the time
January 12, 2022
Bit dry but good for the historical research I needed it for.
Read
May 20, 2022This book is interesting but needs more clear maps and diagrams to help with the descriptions.
November 12, 2022
Supremely well-told.
November 30, 2025
Fleet, almost too much so in a few cases, like Trafalgar.
January 15, 2017
A detailed account of British naval history from 1799 to 1815, a period during which the country's navy rose to domination after Trafalgar then lagged during the War of 1812 and the last years of Napoleon. The best part of this book is the inclusion of so many first-person accounts and observations from the most accomplished captains, commodores, and admirals to the most junior midshipmen and sailors; what's utterly remarkable is the ability of people from all ranks of society to write so very well, not something that one can count on in today's Western or American culture. Reading this book fit very well with reading "Mr. Midshipman Hornblower" and "Lieutenant Hornblower" at the same time.
June 1, 2012
This book treat's Napoleon's career as parallel to and spurring on a global war largely sustained by continuous naval action. Bookending this compelling narrative that includes the War of 1812 and the capture of the U.S. Capitol, is the really thrilling life story of Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith. It is of this British naval officer of whom Napoleon Bonaparte, reminiscing later in his life, said: "That man made me miss my destiny". Escaping French imprisonment with the help of royalists, destroying more French ships than Nelson, and frustrating Napolean's East empire dreams on land at the Siege of Acre (1799), Smith deserves all the attention paid in this book.
Another fascinating dimension to this military history is close look inside battles, prison ships, and daily naval life from primary sources such as seaman journals and letters. One thing that jumped out at me in this book is that French officers in military then considered it an affront to their honor to even assume they would try to escape when they became POWs and could be entrusted to stay in a hotel, pay their bills (support themselves) and even not take advantage of freely roaming the city. (I am talking about officers here, not the unfortunate enlisted me crowded onto hellish prison ships.) Of course, in a later century French officers would be expected and even praised for heroic escape and stealing prison camp material to dig tunnels and craft crystal radio sets.
The book also heightens my enjoyment of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World set in this era and where it says that all the oceans are a "bsttlefield". The youth of officers, there behavior in battle, and the far-flung engagement with the French detailed in this book are brought to life in that movie.
Another fascinating dimension to this military history is close look inside battles, prison ships, and daily naval life from primary sources such as seaman journals and letters. One thing that jumped out at me in this book is that French officers in military then considered it an affront to their honor to even assume they would try to escape when they became POWs and could be entrusted to stay in a hotel, pay their bills (support themselves) and even not take advantage of freely roaming the city. (I am talking about officers here, not the unfortunate enlisted me crowded onto hellish prison ships.) Of course, in a later century French officers would be expected and even praised for heroic escape and stealing prison camp material to dig tunnels and craft crystal radio sets.
The book also heightens my enjoyment of Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World set in this era and where it says that all the oceans are a "bsttlefield". The youth of officers, there behavior in battle, and the far-flung engagement with the French detailed in this book are brought to life in that movie.
July 29, 2011
An engaging and thoroughly fascinating read. The numerous excerpts from private journals, official reports, newspapers, and so on from all sorts from common seaman up to Sir Sidney Smith himself make it much more personal. If you are looking for a strictly military strategical history of this period, this is not the book you want for while it deals with various engagements both big and small, it has a broader scope and tells a more general tale. If you have some background already in the time period, that would probably be best. This is probably of especial interest for fans of Patrick O'Brian and the like!
I personally found it quite enjoyable. The overview it gives from the start through the finish is excellent and though the flow is interrupted at points, or years repeated (out of necessity) it definitely has added to my understanding and conception of the time period. And as someone who did not previously have a hugely detailed knowledge of the time, I was delighted to be introduced to Sir Sidney Smith, RN Captain and intelligence officer, among the more notable of historical characters introduced. The chapter on Captain Thomas Cochrane, the "sea wolf", was exceptionally interesting and enjoyable.
The Adkins do a wonderful job, and their method of explaining battles on both land and sea is, I think, clear enough that one doesn't have to be overly familiar with either army or nautical terminology to understand it.
I personally found it quite enjoyable. The overview it gives from the start through the finish is excellent and though the flow is interrupted at points, or years repeated (out of necessity) it definitely has added to my understanding and conception of the time period. And as someone who did not previously have a hugely detailed knowledge of the time, I was delighted to be introduced to Sir Sidney Smith, RN Captain and intelligence officer, among the more notable of historical characters introduced. The chapter on Captain Thomas Cochrane, the "sea wolf", was exceptionally interesting and enjoyable.
The Adkins do a wonderful job, and their method of explaining battles on both land and sea is, I think, clear enough that one doesn't have to be overly familiar with either army or nautical terminology to understand it.
June 17, 2012
An enjoyable and well-paced read telling the story of the major sea battles of the period and a good number of lesser known actions, largely through the writings of those who participated in them or were eye-witnesses. The authors add the background details and the analysis that seeing things from a greater distance in time allows, with illustrations and maps to help the reader understand what was going on. It is bound to interest any enthusiast of the history of the Napoleonic War (the Great War as it was called at the time) and its many naval conflicts. I found the accounts of the battles and ship-to-ship actions interesting but even more so were the stories of less well known events, for example the frigate Anson running aground on the Cornish shore and the efforts made to save the crew. These were what made the book for me, along with the first-hand accounts of the men who were risking their lives in the fighting. It is all the more fascinating to read their often matter-of-fact stories of heroism and sacrifice when one considers the primitive state of medicine and the care of wounded men at the time. The account of Trafalgar is somewhat brief but I was not particularly surprised by that as there have been so many books devoted to that battle alone, including one by the author.
February 10, 2017
Overall, a good account of the Napoleonic Wars from the point of view of the British Navy's involvement. Lots of good eyewitness accounts back up the narrative and make for interesting reading.
Unfortunately, the decision was made by the Adkins' or their editors to completely ignore the most pivotal battle of the period. By barely mentioning Trafalgar the book feels incomplete and I would have rated it higher but for that omission.
I don't think sales of the author's book on Trafalgar would have been hurt by including a full chapter on it here.
Unfortunately, the decision was made by the Adkins' or their editors to completely ignore the most pivotal battle of the period. By barely mentioning Trafalgar the book feels incomplete and I would have rated it higher but for that omission.
I don't think sales of the author's book on Trafalgar would have been hurt by including a full chapter on it here.
February 16, 2011
A very entertaining light read about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. Written in a very readable narrative style, it's low on details but provides one riveting account after another. This book isn't really intended as a full history of the Royal Navy's activities, but as a highlight of noteworthy episodes throughout the war - both the widely-known and the more mundane, yet fascinating. If you're new to the subject matter, chances are that this book will serve as an excellent example of why people are so fascinated by these sailors and their little wooden worlds. If you're already a fan, then you'll be pleased to discover new events that you've never heard about others that inspired the plots of some of your favorite novels. If anything, this book does a great job of showing that, yes, this era was as exciting in reality as it is in fiction.
It's also worth mentioning that this is dirt cheap on Amazon right now, I believe I got it for $3.77. Worth every penny.
It's also worth mentioning that this is dirt cheap on Amazon right now, I believe I got it for $3.77. Worth every penny.
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