What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sailor's Bookshelf: Fifty Books to Know the Sea
Admiral Stavridis, a leader in military, international affairs, and national security circles, shares his love of the sea and some of the sources of that affection. The Sailor's Bookshelf offers synopses of fifty books that illustrate the history, importance, lore, and lifestyle of the oceans and of those who “go down to the sea in ships.” Stavridis colors those descriptions with glimpses of his own service—“sea stories” in popular parlance—that not only clarify his choices but show why he is held in such high esteem among his fellow sailors.
Divided into four main categories—The Oceans, Explorers, Sailors in Fiction, and Sailors in Non-Fiction—Admiral Stavridis’ choices will appeal to “old salts” and to those who have never known the sights of the ever-changing seascape nor breathed the tonic of an ocean breeze. The result is a navigational aid that guides readers through the realm of sea literature, covering a spectrum of topics that range from science to aesthetics, from history to modernity, from solo sailing to great battles.
Among these eclectic choices are guides to shiphandling and navigation, classic fiction that pits man against the sea, ecological and strategic challenges, celebrations of great achievements and the lessons that come with failure, economic competition and its stepbrother combat, explorations of the deep, and poetry that beats with the pulse of the wave. Some of the included titles are familiar to many, while others, are likely less well-known but are welcome additions to this encompassing collection. Admiral Stavridis has chosen some books that are relatively recent, and he recommends other works which have been around much longer and deserve recognition.
Divided into four main categories—The Oceans, Explorers, Sailors in Fiction, and Sailors in Non-Fiction—Admiral Stavridis’ choices will appeal to “old salts” and to those who have never known the sights of the ever-changing seascape nor breathed the tonic of an ocean breeze. The result is a navigational aid that guides readers through the realm of sea literature, covering a spectrum of topics that range from science to aesthetics, from history to modernity, from solo sailing to great battles.
Among these eclectic choices are guides to shiphandling and navigation, classic fiction that pits man against the sea, ecological and strategic challenges, celebrations of great achievements and the lessons that come with failure, economic competition and its stepbrother combat, explorations of the deep, and poetry that beats with the pulse of the wave. Some of the included titles are familiar to many, while others, are likely less well-known but are welcome additions to this encompassing collection. Admiral Stavridis has chosen some books that are relatively recent, and he recommends other works which have been around much longer and deserve recognition.
232 pages, Hardcover
Published December 15, 2021
51 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
James G. Stavridis
27 books383 followersA Florida native, Jim Stavridis attended the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, and spent 37 years in the Navy, rising to the rank of 4-star Admiral. Among his many commands were four years as the 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO, where he oversaw operations in Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the Balkans, and counter piracy off the coast of Africa. He also commanded US Southern Command in Miami, charged with military operations through Latin America for nearly three years. He was the longest serving Combatant Commander in recent US history. Following his military career, he served for five years as the 12th Dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
In the course of his career in the Navy, he served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense. He led the Navy’s premier operational think tank for innovation, Deep Blue, immediately after the 9/11 attacks. Admiral Stavridis was promoted directly from 1-star rank to 3-star rank in 2004.
He won the Battenberg Cup for commanding the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet and the Navy League John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational leadership, along with more than 50 US and international medals and decorations, including 28 from foreign nations. He also commanded a Destroyer Squadron and a Carrier Strike Group, both in combat.
In 2016, he was vetted for Vice President by Secretary Hillary Clinton, and subsequently invited to Trump Tower to discuss a cabinet position with President Donald Trump.
He earned a PhD from The Fletcher School at Tufts, winning the Gullion prize as outstanding student in his class in 1983, as well as academic honors from the National and Naval War Colleges as a distinguished student. He speaks Spanish and French.
Admiral Stavridis has published ten books on leadership, the oceans, maritime affairs, and Latin America, as well as hundreds of articles in leading journals. An active user of social networks, he has tens of thousands of connections on the social networks. His TED talk on 21st century security in 2012 has close to one million views. He tweeted the end of combat operations in the Libyan NATO intervention. His two most recent books are “Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character” in 2019 and the novel “2034: A Novel of the Next World War” in 2021.
Admiral Stavridis is a monthly columnist for TIME Magazine and Chief International Security and Diplomacy Analyst for NBC News.
He is happily married to Laura, and they have two daughters – one working at Google and the other a Registered Nurse and former naval officer, both married to physicians.
Recent commentary: https://admiralstav.com/news/
In the course of his career in the Navy, he served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense. He led the Navy’s premier operational think tank for innovation, Deep Blue, immediately after the 9/11 attacks. Admiral Stavridis was promoted directly from 1-star rank to 3-star rank in 2004.
He won the Battenberg Cup for commanding the top ship in the Atlantic Fleet and the Navy League John Paul Jones Award for Inspirational leadership, along with more than 50 US and international medals and decorations, including 28 from foreign nations. He also commanded a Destroyer Squadron and a Carrier Strike Group, both in combat.
In 2016, he was vetted for Vice President by Secretary Hillary Clinton, and subsequently invited to Trump Tower to discuss a cabinet position with President Donald Trump.
He earned a PhD from The Fletcher School at Tufts, winning the Gullion prize as outstanding student in his class in 1983, as well as academic honors from the National and Naval War Colleges as a distinguished student. He speaks Spanish and French.
Admiral Stavridis has published ten books on leadership, the oceans, maritime affairs, and Latin America, as well as hundreds of articles in leading journals. An active user of social networks, he has tens of thousands of connections on the social networks. His TED talk on 21st century security in 2012 has close to one million views. He tweeted the end of combat operations in the Libyan NATO intervention. His two most recent books are “Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character” in 2019 and the novel “2034: A Novel of the Next World War” in 2021.
Admiral Stavridis is a monthly columnist for TIME Magazine and Chief International Security and Diplomacy Analyst for NBC News.
He is happily married to Laura, and they have two daughters – one working at Google and the other a Registered Nurse and former naval officer, both married to physicians.
Recent commentary: https://admiralstav.com/news/
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 3, 2023
Admiral James Stavridis has written ten books in various genres and has extensive experience at sea as a Naval officer, including command of ships ranging from destroyers to aircraft carriers. His distinguished career also includes stints as Commander of U.S. Southern Command, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in NATO, and Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is more than qualified to recommend a list of his top 50 books to know the Sea. The Sailor’s Bookshelf is, in a way, his love letter to the world’s oceans.
The Admiral offers fifty books out of the thousands of books in his personal library. Each short chapter of The Sailor’s Bookshelf gives a brief summary of a chosen book, the Admiral’s personal connection to it, and in most cases a bonus recommendation of book or movie that acts as companion piece. It is only fair that I offer a warning at this point—be prepared to spend a good bit of money as a result of reading this slim volume. The selection of books, which includes nonfiction, fiction, and memoir, and covers a wide range of topics, is so appealing that it is hard not to order them all. From The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, to The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition; from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, to Moby Dick; from In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, to The Perfect Storm, the cornucopia of wonderful stories goes on and on.
Admiral Stavridis’s love for the oceans and the books that open those vast waters up to us is apparent on every page of The Sailor’s Bookshelf. It’s not only a great resource for finding good books to read. It’s a good read in itself.
The Admiral offers fifty books out of the thousands of books in his personal library. Each short chapter of The Sailor’s Bookshelf gives a brief summary of a chosen book, the Admiral’s personal connection to it, and in most cases a bonus recommendation of book or movie that acts as companion piece. It is only fair that I offer a warning at this point—be prepared to spend a good bit of money as a result of reading this slim volume. The selection of books, which includes nonfiction, fiction, and memoir, and covers a wide range of topics, is so appealing that it is hard not to order them all. From The Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, to The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition; from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, to Moby Dick; from In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, to The Perfect Storm, the cornucopia of wonderful stories goes on and on.
Admiral Stavridis’s love for the oceans and the books that open those vast waters up to us is apparent on every page of The Sailor’s Bookshelf. It’s not only a great resource for finding good books to read. It’s a good read in itself.
September 29, 2021
Admiral Stavridis shares two of his loves in this book, the sea and books about the sea. This book is a personalized annotated bibliography, where Stavridis summarizes each book and then adds personal experiences about his reading, traveling or study. These "sea stories" help clarify the many challenges of a life on the sea and the joy of life long learning. Grouped together in four main categories—The Oceans, Explorers, Sailors in Fiction, and Sailors in Non-Fiction, this work demonstrates the vastness of the oceans and our history exploring them.
Why I started this book: Jumped at the chance to review an ARC copy of Stavridis's latest book, especially since it was about other books.
Why I finished it: This is an easy book to pick up and to put down, as Stavridis recommends 50 different books. I struggled getting into this book because the ARC formatting was especially horrific... but despite that I kept returning because I love books, I love talking about them, and I love reading about how others have enjoyed, encountered and loved books too. And this is where this book shines. Stavridis is eager to share his two loves, books and the sea... and like all book lovers, he kept sneaking in more recommendations, often pairing his original recommendation with another title to as a read along. He also included his personal reviews of movies based on the books mentioned.
Why I started this book: Jumped at the chance to review an ARC copy of Stavridis's latest book, especially since it was about other books.
Why I finished it: This is an easy book to pick up and to put down, as Stavridis recommends 50 different books. I struggled getting into this book because the ARC formatting was especially horrific... but despite that I kept returning because I love books, I love talking about them, and I love reading about how others have enjoyed, encountered and loved books too. And this is where this book shines. Stavridis is eager to share his two loves, books and the sea... and like all book lovers, he kept sneaking in more recommendations, often pairing his original recommendation with another title to as a read along. He also included his personal reviews of movies based on the books mentioned.
May 4, 2021
"I have always felt that looking at the horizon from the bridge of a ship at sea, we are looking not at simple meteorological phenomena but rather are peering at eternity itself." -from The Sailor's Bookshelf
3.5 stars
This author loves two things: books and the sea. Here, he combines these two, by highlighting 50 of his favorite books. For each book, he has a quote, a summary, and some sort of connection; either meeting the author, why he thinks the book is important, or a story of his own from his adventures on the sea. By far, the last is the most compelling parts of the book. Paragraphs are enormous, and coupled with the formating errors of the book (and a fair amount of editing ones as well), it gets hard to read sometimes. Summaries are often repetitive, starting each sentence with "the author states", again and again. Does the average person need summaries of books about how to captain a ship or navigate? Probably not. If I were to have to sail or navigate a ship, I think I would make sure to read the whole book. The heart of the novel are his personal stories. I would have loved more of those- especially the ones of him at sea, including how he combated crimes he witnessed on the water, and more of the changes he has observed due to climate change, with a more emotional attachment to them- not just "I've seen this". I also would have loved to hear him expand upon the allowance of women to be midshipmen on the warship he was captain of.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
This author loves two things: books and the sea. Here, he combines these two, by highlighting 50 of his favorite books. For each book, he has a quote, a summary, and some sort of connection; either meeting the author, why he thinks the book is important, or a story of his own from his adventures on the sea. By far, the last is the most compelling parts of the book. Paragraphs are enormous, and coupled with the formating errors of the book (and a fair amount of editing ones as well), it gets hard to read sometimes. Summaries are often repetitive, starting each sentence with "the author states", again and again. Does the average person need summaries of books about how to captain a ship or navigate? Probably not. If I were to have to sail or navigate a ship, I think I would make sure to read the whole book. The heart of the novel are his personal stories. I would have loved more of those- especially the ones of him at sea, including how he combated crimes he witnessed on the water, and more of the changes he has observed due to climate change, with a more emotional attachment to them- not just "I've seen this". I also would have loved to hear him expand upon the allowance of women to be midshipmen on the warship he was captain of.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2022
A book about books about the sea. Can't think of a more Jeff-book book.
July 31, 2024
Not a bad reading list. I’ve added some of these books to mine.
April 14, 2023
Books about books ... is there anything better? Today I'm talking about a book that captivated me and pushed me to read it in record time, obviously taking advantage of its content. James Stavridis is a retired US Navy admiral who has held positions of extreme prestige in his long career until reaching the rank of Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, the Atlantic defense organization, between 2009 and 2013. His life has passed on the sea, as well as in prestigious roles and it is with this book that he perfectly blends the love for the oceans with that for books, drawing up a list, divided into sections of 50 books that help better than others to know the sea. The first section deals with "the Oceans" with a selection of 13 books that lead us to better appreciate the surfaces and depths, the inhabitants (cod is the subject of a book by Mark Kurlansky!), the changes and the way to preserve this stupendous gift that we struggle to look for on other planets (the water that surrounds us and that constitutes the greater part of our globe) but that we consider and know so little and whose subtle balances we ignore. It is a section that perfectly introduces the sea and its peculiarities with some books that deal with those who have facilitated navigation. At the end of each chapter, in almost all chapters, Stavridis adds a small gray box to recommend a book that can accompany the one just examined and provide another insight., or comment on the possible film transposition of a book (obviously mostly happens in the section dedicated to fictional works and sailors and their true stories).
The second section (of the 4) of the book is dedicated to explorers: obviously Stavridis is the first to admit that the choice of books was very hard (perhaps a list of 200 books and not just 50 would not be enough to know the sea) and perhaps in this section most of all he was forced to make difficult choices, even if he listed books of absolute value and varied in terms of content. Apart from Cook, perhaps the greatest navigator of all time for number nautical miles traveled and the search for the famous Northwest Passage, the books that attract me most are those concerning tests of courage and navigation such as Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki journey, a Norwegian navigator who for 101 days in 1947 traveled on a Polynesian pirogue from Peru to the Tuamotus islands. There is no doubt that this, like the other books in the section, found a place on my "wishlist" in my favorite bookstore. A section that could certainly have been richer but which demonstrates Stavridis' excellent taste and knowledge of marine adventures.
The third section drinks from the source of the dreams of many readers in the history of literature. The sea represented a literary topos, a container in which every nuance of the human soul was analyzed, a reservoir of adventures and tragedies. Sailors in fictional works are one of the pillars of the book and Stavridis undoubtedly makes an excellent choice of books, varied, balanced, covering different genres, from novel to poetry, to short stories. Here the choice was more predictable and obvious, our author does not leave out classics such as 20,000 Leagues under the sea, The Old Man and the Sea, Moby Dick. But also more modern classics such as "Master & Commander" or "Life of Pi". As previously mentioned in the gray boxes at the end of the chapter we also appreciate the possible film transposition of the novel, and for this reason I hope that, given Stavridis' great passion for cinema, a companion who deals with films about the sea will follow this book.
The fourth section of the book is dedicated to Sailors in real stories (Sailors in Nonfiction). In this case the stories of the sea are real but as reality surpasses fantasy, here too we have incredible stories of courage, tragedy, stories of wars, stories of female sailors, stories of overcoming prejudices ("Trailblazer" about the first black admiral), events who created the inspiration for novels that later became cornerstones of world literature such as Moby Dick (which was inspired by the tragedy of the whaling ship Essex, "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick, beautiful book and film) or the "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger. Also in this case James Stavridis demonstrates his passion for the sea and for reading by choosing a series of titles that demonstrate an encyclopedic knowledge of everything that has been written about the sea.
Most likely at the end of this book some of you will say "How did you forget book x?", But I'm sure no one will say that the included books didn't deserve to be on the list. Stavridis impresses with his style and his passion, for the sea, but in this case, especially for books. It is a passion that took root when he was young and that he describes perfectly, with his first years of reading spent in Athens where he began this lovestory with reading that lasts a lifetime. You can't help but smile thinking about the passion for the first editions, which we all have a bit, and if "signed" even better. His role and his career have brought him into contact with all the places described, and he more than anyone can perhaps define how much reality, how much poetry, there is in a book and whether or not that book helps to "know" that world that is the sea. But his great humility and humanity make him appeal to the reader to send him a message with the books that are believed to be included. I am sure that Stavridis' great curiosity will make him look for those books, a curiosity that is basically the basis of the profession of a sailor and a lover of life. I sent my book (not a book that perhaps could have entered the list but which in my opinion describes the sea well) to Admiral Stavridis, and I got a very kind reply.
Bonus: to help the reader Stavridis includes a final section, by Commander Kristenson, to better appreciate the books in a "preparatory" reading path. An extremely useful thing that makes the book even more enjoyable.
The second section (of the 4) of the book is dedicated to explorers: obviously Stavridis is the first to admit that the choice of books was very hard (perhaps a list of 200 books and not just 50 would not be enough to know the sea) and perhaps in this section most of all he was forced to make difficult choices, even if he listed books of absolute value and varied in terms of content. Apart from Cook, perhaps the greatest navigator of all time for number nautical miles traveled and the search for the famous Northwest Passage, the books that attract me most are those concerning tests of courage and navigation such as Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki journey, a Norwegian navigator who for 101 days in 1947 traveled on a Polynesian pirogue from Peru to the Tuamotus islands. There is no doubt that this, like the other books in the section, found a place on my "wishlist" in my favorite bookstore. A section that could certainly have been richer but which demonstrates Stavridis' excellent taste and knowledge of marine adventures.
The third section drinks from the source of the dreams of many readers in the history of literature. The sea represented a literary topos, a container in which every nuance of the human soul was analyzed, a reservoir of adventures and tragedies. Sailors in fictional works are one of the pillars of the book and Stavridis undoubtedly makes an excellent choice of books, varied, balanced, covering different genres, from novel to poetry, to short stories. Here the choice was more predictable and obvious, our author does not leave out classics such as 20,000 Leagues under the sea, The Old Man and the Sea, Moby Dick. But also more modern classics such as "Master & Commander" or "Life of Pi". As previously mentioned in the gray boxes at the end of the chapter we also appreciate the possible film transposition of the novel, and for this reason I hope that, given Stavridis' great passion for cinema, a companion who deals with films about the sea will follow this book.
The fourth section of the book is dedicated to Sailors in real stories (Sailors in Nonfiction). In this case the stories of the sea are real but as reality surpasses fantasy, here too we have incredible stories of courage, tragedy, stories of wars, stories of female sailors, stories of overcoming prejudices ("Trailblazer" about the first black admiral), events who created the inspiration for novels that later became cornerstones of world literature such as Moby Dick (which was inspired by the tragedy of the whaling ship Essex, "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick, beautiful book and film) or the "The Perfect Storm" by Sebastian Junger. Also in this case James Stavridis demonstrates his passion for the sea and for reading by choosing a series of titles that demonstrate an encyclopedic knowledge of everything that has been written about the sea.
Most likely at the end of this book some of you will say "How did you forget book x?", But I'm sure no one will say that the included books didn't deserve to be on the list. Stavridis impresses with his style and his passion, for the sea, but in this case, especially for books. It is a passion that took root when he was young and that he describes perfectly, with his first years of reading spent in Athens where he began this lovestory with reading that lasts a lifetime. You can't help but smile thinking about the passion for the first editions, which we all have a bit, and if "signed" even better. His role and his career have brought him into contact with all the places described, and he more than anyone can perhaps define how much reality, how much poetry, there is in a book and whether or not that book helps to "know" that world that is the sea. But his great humility and humanity make him appeal to the reader to send him a message with the books that are believed to be included. I am sure that Stavridis' great curiosity will make him look for those books, a curiosity that is basically the basis of the profession of a sailor and a lover of life. I sent my book (not a book that perhaps could have entered the list but which in my opinion describes the sea well) to Admiral Stavridis, and I got a very kind reply.
Bonus: to help the reader Stavridis includes a final section, by Commander Kristenson, to better appreciate the books in a "preparatory" reading path. An extremely useful thing that makes the book even more enjoyable.
February 29, 2024
Because of this book I've added 19 more books to my already overly ambitious "want to read" list. Four books mentioned here I have already read, and one I DNF'ed.
Three of the books I added, weren't one's he mentioned, but honorable mentions or by the same author.
If you spend hours on Booktok watching people give book reviews then you might as well spend hours listening to this as an audiobook.
It's basically just a collection of book recommendations just all about sailors in the ocean.
You can tell that he's truly passionate about the ocean and life at sea.
Any reader could obviously write a book recommending books. We could have:
The psychologist bookshelf: 1,000 books to drive you crazy and fix you right up again.
The cops must read list: 50 books on criminal minds at work and the laws that don't.
The foodies bookshelf : 50 books that'll keep you busy in the kitchen.
Harley Quinn's bookshelf: 69 books and comics that Dr Harlan Quinzel and Harley Quinn would have read. (that would be mine)
... And so on.
I enjoy that he includes in his descriptions of the books quotes, a brief synops of what it covers, other works by the author, and whether the book has been a movie or other forms like in graphic novels.
I also enjoy how he categorizes them, about the ocean, explorers, or sailors. And in the end a few of them are bunched up to be read together.
Three of the books I added, weren't one's he mentioned, but honorable mentions or by the same author.
If you spend hours on Booktok watching people give book reviews then you might as well spend hours listening to this as an audiobook.
It's basically just a collection of book recommendations just all about sailors in the ocean.
You can tell that he's truly passionate about the ocean and life at sea.
Any reader could obviously write a book recommending books. We could have:
The psychologist bookshelf: 1,000 books to drive you crazy and fix you right up again.
The cops must read list: 50 books on criminal minds at work and the laws that don't.
The foodies bookshelf : 50 books that'll keep you busy in the kitchen.
Harley Quinn's bookshelf: 69 books and comics that Dr Harlan Quinzel and Harley Quinn would have read. (that would be mine)
... And so on.
I enjoy that he includes in his descriptions of the books quotes, a brief synops of what it covers, other works by the author, and whether the book has been a movie or other forms like in graphic novels.
I also enjoy how he categorizes them, about the ocean, explorers, or sailors. And in the end a few of them are bunched up to be read together.
June 24, 2021
My thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to review a copy of this book prior to release in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book, which becomes available December 15, 2021. While it was very kind of the publisher to choose to let me review it for free, it turns out it was also a good business decision because I am buying several copies of this to give away as Christmas gifts! I absolutely loved learning from Admiral Stavridis' point of view, what it is about each of these books that hooked him, or that he thought was important, or that fired his imagination. The two to five page discussions about each of the books were the perfect length to whet my appetite for each of the books!
I highly recommend this for anyone this for anyone with a dual interest in books and oceans!
I absolutely loved this book, which becomes available December 15, 2021. While it was very kind of the publisher to choose to let me review it for free, it turns out it was also a good business decision because I am buying several copies of this to give away as Christmas gifts! I absolutely loved learning from Admiral Stavridis' point of view, what it is about each of these books that hooked him, or that he thought was important, or that fired his imagination. The two to five page discussions about each of the books were the perfect length to whet my appetite for each of the books!
I highly recommend this for anyone this for anyone with a dual interest in books and oceans!
December 11, 2021
This is an unconventional book.
It's a book about maritime books.
It's the Cliffnotes for someone who is interested in books about sailing, ships, sailors, and navies.
It picks the best of the best books on those subjects and categorizes them.
The Admiral/author summarizes them in a couple of pages.
If they seem interesting to you, go read them.
The author also reflect on the person impact these books had on him and interjects anecdotes from his long career in the US Navy.
I doubt this book would have ever been published had the author not previously held a high position in the publisher.
If you love to read sea stories but you're unsure what books to read next, this guide can help.
It's a book about maritime books.
It's the Cliffnotes for someone who is interested in books about sailing, ships, sailors, and navies.
It picks the best of the best books on those subjects and categorizes them.
The Admiral/author summarizes them in a couple of pages.
If they seem interesting to you, go read them.
The author also reflect on the person impact these books had on him and interjects anecdotes from his long career in the US Navy.
I doubt this book would have ever been published had the author not previously held a high position in the publisher.
If you love to read sea stories but you're unsure what books to read next, this guide can help.
September 29, 2022
I always enjoy these books of books the Admiral writes as I come up with many new items for my to-be-read list, and this text is no different. While many will not agree with some of the fifty books presented here, it is worth reading for the summary of each book at a minimum. I recommend it for bibliophiles everywhere.
November 24, 2025
I saw Admiral Stavridis speak at the University of Buffalo Speaker series and was so impressed. This book gives his recommendations on many great books about the sea, along with a brief synopsis of each. I was primarliy interested in this book for my son who is in the Navy. I was fortunate enough to get the book autographed for my sailor. All in all a very good book.
January 1, 2022
B: Excellent overview and introduction to literature of the sea.
January 7, 2022
This book is a great way to find your way to the sea stories of those who have gone before and lead you into future adventures at sea.
April 14, 2022
The Book offers synopsis of fifty books that illustrate the history, importance, lore and lifestyle of the oceans and those who go down to the sea in ships.
May 20, 2022
n excellent introduction to a very small selection of wonderful writing about Sailor's and the sea.
June 30, 2023
Another wonderful read by Admiral Stavridis. My husband and I relished each chapter, and it inspired some of our purchases of new boat books to add to our own "bookshelf."
October 7, 2024
Quick and enjoyable read. I wish I enjoyed anything as much as Stavridis enjoys the sea
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews