Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany: A Ditty Bag of Wonders from the Golden Age of Sail

by Julian Stockwin

Charmingly illustrated with nostalgic black and white line drawings, both old salts and nautical novices will delight in this entertaining and eclectic miscellany  Featuring nautical facts and feats, including superstitions at sea, the history of animals on the waves—until 1975 when all animals were banned from Royal Navy ships—and how the inventor of the umbrella helped man the British Navy, this book is packed with informative sea lore. Focusing on the glory days of tall ships, Julian Stockwin explores marine myths and unearths the truth behind commonly held beliefs about the sea, such as whether Lord Nelson's body was really pickled in rum to transport it back to England after his death at Trafalgar. Interspersed throughout are salty sayings showing the modern words and phrases that originate from the mariners of old—"cut of his jib," "high and dry," "the coast is clear," "first rate," and "slush fund." Also included is Stockwin's Top 25 list of maritime museums and historic ships around the world for anyone who wishes to explore further. Ranging from the heroic voyages of discovery in the 15th century through the iconic Napoleon wars to the glorious era of clipper ships, this miscellany celebrates and explores a colorful world we will never see again.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Nautical

216 pages, Hardcover

First published July 2, 2009

About the author

Julian Stockwin was sent at the age of fourteen to Indefatigable, a tough sea-training school. He joined the Royal Navy at fifteen. He now lives in Devon with his wife Kathy. Julian has written 24 books to date in the Kydd series of historical adventure fiction, the story of one man's journey from pressed man to admiral in the age of fighting sail, and a non-fiction book, 'Stockwin's Maritime Miscellany.' His latest Kydd series title is THUNDERER. And, he's also published two historical standalone novels, THE SILK TREE, set in the time of Emperor Justinian and THE POWDER OF DEATH, about the quest for the secret of gunpowder.

Series:
* Thomas Kydd

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good companion for readers of age of sail fiction

Stockwin has compiled a very readable companion, not only for his naval series but for all age of sail nautical fiction. Includes illustrations and informative back matter, such as a glossary and a list of maritime museums., many of which I have visited and also recommend. I would have liked to see references cited, but this is not an academic book. Still, the author presents reliable information for the novice and old salt alike.

[Alan Eggleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian Stockwin is a wonderful writer, usually of historical fiction from the Napoleonic Age of Sail. In this book, Stockwin sets out details from his research for his novels over more than 215 pages of amazing stories of the names, places, battles, discoveries, inventions, adventures and misadventures, and other miscellaneous facts that will inform and entertain you for hours. Peppered throughout the book are the etymology of everyday words we use today that originated from this historic period.

I usually breeze through a Stockwin novel because the story is so compelling I must read through to the end. In this book, I wanted to study and savor every article, most about a half to a full page, each with a photo or graphic to add meaning to the content. This is well written, well designed, and well researched to provide the reader maximum enjoyment.

Well done, Julian Stockwin!

[Graham Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lt Cdr Julian Stockwin shares his love and knowledge of the sea in this entertaining collection of maritime stories and little-known trivia, focusing on the glory days of tall ships. Featuring nautical facts and feats, including superstitions at sea, the history of animals on the waves and how the inventor of the umbrella helped man the British Navy, it is packed with informative tales.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of naval tales.