Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy

by Patrick O'Brian

A concise overview, richly illustrated, of the historical background to the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin novels. This book is a companion to Patrick O'Brian's sea novels, a straightforward exploration of what daily life in Nelson's navy was really like, for everyone from the captain down to the rawest recruit. What did they eat? What songs did they sing? What was the schedule of watches? How were the officers and crew paid, and what was the division of prize-money?

These questions and many more are answered in Patrick O'Brian's elegant narrative, which includes wonderful anecdotal material on the battles and commanders that established Britain's naval supremacy. Line drawings and charts help us to understand the construction and rigging of the great ships, the types and disposition of the guns, and how they were operated in battle. A number of contemporary drawings and cartoons illustrate aspects of naval life from the press gang to the scullery. Finally, a generous selection of full-color paintings render the majesty and the excitement of fleet actions in the age of fighting sail. Photographs, drawings, cartoons, charts, and full-color paintings

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Naval History, Nautical, Military Fiction, Reference, Historical

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Patrick O'Brian was an English novelist and translator whose reputation rests above all on the Aubrey-Maturin novels, a twenty-volume sequence set during the Napoleonic Wars. The books follow Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and Stephen Maturin, his friend and ship's surgeon, whose Irish-Catalan background and scientific interests complement Aubrey's practical naval outlook. Beginning with Master and Commander, the series combines historical events with fictional adventures, preserving the outcome of real history while placing its protagonists within the action. O'Brian's command of period language, naval terminology, medical detail, and maritime practice gives the novels a convincing sense of nineteenth-century life, while their humor and the evolving relationship between Aubrey and Maturin provide their emotional center. The series became a long-form narrative in which professional duties and private lives develop continuously across successive voyages. O'Brian's literary career began remarkably early. Writing as Richard Patrick Russ, he published his first novel, Caesar: The Life Story of a Panda-Leopard, as a teenager, followed by animal stories collected in Beasts Royal. His novel Hussein: An Entertainment appeared in 1938 and received critical attention. After the Second World War, he adopted the name Patrick O'Brian and continued publishing fiction, including The Last Pool, Testimonies, and The Catalans. His early naval novels for younger readers, The Golden Ocean and The Unknown Shore, already contained elements that anticipated Aubrey and Maturin. He also became a translator from French, producing more than thirty English translations, including works by Simone de Beauvoir, Henri Charriere, and Jean Lacouture. His nonfiction included biographies of the naturalist Joseph Banks and the painter Pablo Picasso, whom he knew in Collioure, France. O'Brian lived in Wales after the war before moving with his wife Mary to Collioure in 1949. Their collaboration was important to his working life, with Mary assisting him in research and preparing his handwritten manuscripts for publication. O'Brian wrote by hand throughout his career and resisted modern writing technology. His literary breakthrough came unusually late. Although the Aubrey-Maturin books had a modest British following after their first appearance, their American revival in the early 1990s, led by W. W. Norton, brought sales and recognition. The novels eventually sold millions of copies and attracted devoted readers well beyond the age group normally associated with historical adventure fiction. O'Brian received the inaugural Heywood Hill Literary Prize in 1995, an honorary doctorate from Trinity College Dublin, and a CBE in 1997. His reputation was complicated when British media revealed details of his early identity and first marriage, matters he had kept private. Despite the controversy, his fiction remained central to his legacy. His unfinished twenty-first Aubrey-Maturin novel was published posthumously, preserving both handwritten pages and typescript. His manuscripts, notes, and research materials have since become part of major literary collections. His influence is also reflected in the continued readership of the novels and the 2003 film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, which drew primarily from The Far Side of the World while incorporating material from elsewhere in the series.

Reviews

[Jason Koivu]

Cast off thy lubberly ways, matey! Men-of-War'll wet yer swab, unfurl yer sailorly grey matter and have ya shipshape and toppin' it the Age o' Sail scholar!

I can't keep this up...

Patrick O'Brian spent much of his life writing about the English Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. You may know him from his Aubrey/Maturin series, or perhaps from "Master & Commander," the movie based on it. The book series lasts 20 volumes, in each of which O'Brian spends plenty of time describing seamanship. So much ship detail and sailorly jargon is used that readers are often bogged down, some even bored. Yet, one need not understand all that stuff to enjoy the broader scope of the books. The period-appropriate dialogue, as well as narration to an extent, attention to historical detail, the thrilling action scenes at sea, and marvelous character development are more than enough to enthrall fans of this genre and time period.

Having said that, if you wish to have a better grasp of ship life in the early 19th century English Navy, Men-of-War can help. It's like a Cliffs Notes or Wikipedia of information at your fingertips. I read O'Brian's whole series through twice before I read this book and still I found it useful!

[Elliot]

This book is a rudimentary introduction to the Royal Navy of Nelson and his contemporaries—and of Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. As far as I know, there are dozens of these books available; indeed, I have skimmed through a few. The only reason why I picked this one up is the author. When I saw this book on the shelf next to his novels, I could not help but wonder if there was any special insight that O’Brian would provide in this book that would distinguish it from the rest.

My verdict is negative: there is no material here that cannot be found in similar books or even on the internet. Even for those readers of O’Brian’s novels or similar sea-stories there is little new information to be found here. The one complaint I have is that no sources are given for any of the illustrations.

That being said, reading this book was not a waste of time, even as someone who read a fair amount of fiction and non-fiction on this subject. For one thing, the text is engaging and flowing, not dry and dull, as it could so easily be. For example, to describe the ship’s company, O’Brian uses the device of describing the career of an imaginary sea-officer, William Blockhead (lifted from a contemporary cartoon) from boy to admiral. There is undoubtedly a sense of humor in the writing.

The book is well illustrated, too, including a range of diagrams, paintings, and prints. What is more, all these illustrations include meaningful captions which explain specific details and complement the main text. This book has some of the best diagrams of the decks and rigging of men-of-war, and is worth reading just for that reason. In fact, I am embarrassed to admit that, after all this time, I did not fully understand the configuration of forecastle, waist, quarterdeck, and poop until looking at the figures and reading the text in this book.

In conclusion, Men-of-War is a handy little guide, if somewhat unremarkable. It is brief and concise—it took me no more than two and a half hours to read—so if you are unsure about giving it a read, there is no harm to trying it out. A strong three stars for me.

[Edward Fenner]

Short but interesting read. Very informative. I learned a great deal about ship types, configurations, crew ranks, pay, meals, duties, etc. Fascinating.

[Terence]

I came across this slim volume (91 pages, text) in a used bookstore quite by chance. It's a collection of essays about life at sea during the "golden age" of the British navy (say, 1750-1850): "The Ships", "The Guns", "The Ship's Company", "Life at Sea" and "Songs". It's by no means a comprehensive history but for fans of Captain Aubrey and Dr. Maturin who don't want to or haven't the time to read weightier tomes, it's a delightful companion to the series.

I'm always amazed by the conditions these men endured for low pay and little reward.

[Geoff]

If you've read the Aubrey/Maturin books, you've already learned most everything in here.

[Luke]

Had I read this beforehand, the first few books in the Aubrey-Maturin series might have been a lot more understandable. Patrick O’Brian delivers the essential information in a concise and accessible style, whereas Ronald Pickup’s narration of the audiobook is both clear and immersive. A necessity for readers of the series!

Rating: 4.6/5

[Stifynsemons]

I have read a lot of 18/19th century naval fiction in the past 10 years, perhaps 35 books; it is clearly a fascinating subject to me, though I've no practical experience in sailing at all. Thus, it is also bewildering at times as well. Much of the activity in a novel by, for example O'Brian or Forester, is self-explanatory enough that you can muddle along in this fashion and still enjoy the stories. But this prevents you from understanding why a captain might order what he did under the circumstances, because while you sort of know what is happening, you don't understand the underlying mechanics at all, and there are still a lot of things to remember.

Patrick O'Brian's Men-of-War fills in the gap a bit. Because I've read a lot of books and not fully understood them, this Rosetta stone unlock a great number of mysteries for me, so it was very interesting and rates highly; yet I don't know how useful it would be if you haven't any background. Now that I've read it, I'm eager to read more fiction.

[Alan]

Patrick O'Brian is famous for his Aubrey and Maturin adventures set during the Napoleonic Wars. One of the hallmarks of his books is historical accuracy, and this, really should call it a booklet, is an example of the care and depth of his research into the British navy. As a little bit of a history buff I appreciate his research, and it added a little more understanding and appreciation for other (Stuart and Forrester) British naval fiction I have read. I think I can now remember where the orlop is on a ship.

[Herb Hastings]

This is an excellent companion to the Aubery/Maturin novels. It is better described as a quick reference guide than as a historical text. That is not to say that it isn't packed with information about the rules and regulations, the armament, nautical terms ,and the living quarters of the the crew and the officers.
To anyone with an interest in British Navel History, I highly recommend this book.

[Hecka]

...If nautical nonsense be something you wish..

"Success to all brave sailors that enter now on board;
A health to Captain Pellew, and all his sailors bold,
Who value more their honour than misers do their gold."
- excerpt from a song about the action between HMS Nymphe and the French frigate Cléopâtre in June 1793.

This book is highly rated and recommended based on it's conciseness (it's a short one), the beauty of it's art (high quality prints of paintings displaying the ships and their battles), and the fact that it is packed with nautical knowledge and insight on battle ships before the Industrial Age (pertaining to the Royal Navy).

[David Antón]

Voy a ser completamente sincero: este libro se merece solamente un 2 y medio, pero como no puedo dárselo, y como tengo cariño por O'Brian, le doy un tres.

La primera impresión que me llevé al recibirlo fue que era pequeño, muy pequeño.

Se supone que es el libro que deberías leer antes de leerte cualquiera de la serie Aubrey y Maturín, como si fuera una especie de guia naval previa, he de decir que no es suficiente, en absoluto.

Le doy el valor que tiene porque todo el contenido (que no llega ni a las 100 páginas), es interesante, pero no es un libro que yo recomiende comprar, a menos que seas entusiasta de O'Brian o directamente completista.

[Luis Eduardo Suarez]

Una obra de arte de Patrick O'Brian dónde nos explica todos los aspectos de la vida en la armada inglesa desde sus inicios hasta el final de la vida de los barcos de vela. Las partes de los mismos, los tipos de barcos, la vida de los marineros, la artillería, los rangos de los oficiales y suboficiales, la organización de las batallas, entre otros muchos aspectos. Super recomendado para aquellos que quieren leer libros como los de Aubrey y Maturin para poder comprender mejor lo maravilloso que fue la armada inglesa en su época.

[Carlos Serrano Nouaille]

Un librito breve pero completo, con mucha información sobre la vida en la Armada inglesa durante finales del XVIII y principios del XIX. Sobre todo resulta muy útil para enterarse mejor a lo que se hace constantemente referencia en los libros de la saga de Aubrey y Maturin, del propio O'Brian. Viene con muchas ilustraciones, brillantemente explicadas por el autor, un apasionado del mundo naval y un especialista de la época, aunque se dice que no llegó a pisar un barco en su vida. Pero tampoco hace falta haberlo hecho para disfrutar de sus novelas.

[Addy Bier]

Read patrickobrians menofwar
As much as I love the stories of the author I have to say this very thin (90 p.) book didn't deliver the fact and background I hoped for. There is nothing in there (except the paintings) you would not get from the novels and the writing style is not helpful from a didactic point of view nore from a accompanying booklet perspective. It feels like it was dictated spoken words and not written

Sorry for the rant, I love the books so much that I expected a lot more of it

[Murray ᛘᚢᛦᛦᛅᛁ]

🌊 A fascinating account of what it was like to sail in a Royal Navy ship in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Lots of detail and anecdote. You have to really be into this era and the tall ships though or this stuff will sail right over your head.

My Masters was about this time period (though focused on the Atlantic Slave Trade specifically) so l'll likely sail these waters my lifetime through.

🌊 Britain ended her slave trade in 1807.

[Chris]

This is an excellent companion to aid the scrub landsmen when starting to tackle the Aubrey and Maturin series. O'brian does not shy away from the jargon and technical terminology which can become overwhelming. While you can allow yourself to learn these slowly or even not at all (much as Maturin), I found my enjoyment of the series increase as I gained more knowledge and understanding of the Naval world in the age of sail.

[Nick]

A very nice and very brief…even maybe a trifle brusque…introduction to life in Nelson’s Navy, as well as a brief tutorial on ships, sails, and guns. I found the progress of Captain Blockhead to be rather charming. There is also an excellent description of Jack Aubrey’s main squeeze, the HMS Surprise.

A tidy little book which I am sure will be a handy reference on any future circumnavigation. You can read it in an hour, as I did waiting in a doctor’s office.

[Jim]

A richly detailed look at Nelson’s Navy, focusing on the daily life, ships, and weapons of the British fleet that defended the nation against Napoleon. Instead of centering only on major battles, Patrick O’Brian explores the structure, discipline, and everyday hardships of life at sea. The result is an engaging and immersive portrait of the Royal Navy in the age of sail, written with clarity and deep knowledge.

[Gabrial Greenlee]

this is the tiniest coffee table book ever. I mean it does include quite a bit about the royal navy but is really a quick guide to help with the reading of his other books. I really enjoyed the cutaway drawings and diagrams, they were a big help in giving a mental picture to his books. I thought I new the basics of a ship but now I definitely do.

[Robert Fenske]

As someone who's only exposure to seafaring life has been a handful of pirate movies this is a quick introduction filled with nuggets of great information. Within the pages you'll learn about the ships, guns, crew, their lifestyles, and even their songs.



Although I did feel overwhelmed at times with so much terminology.

[Christopher Taylor]

This isn't a novel, its just a little info-packed treatment of life in the British Navy in the Napoleonic Wars. Patrick O'Brian was without question one of the world's leading experts and it shows in his absolute mastery of the subject.

This is a must-have for any fan of sea novels, particularly those set at the time, and while its filled with info is still an enjoyable read.

[Karl Kistler]

Good quick read to give some background for O'Brian's stories. I'm currently reading book 4 of the 21 book series and this seemed like a review of things that have been explained to Stephen (and the reader) in the first few books. Does give a little background of the history. I could have used more of that and some maps.

[Alex]

A decent introduction to Life in Nelson's Navy, as the title claims...but far less comprehensive than you might expect or want. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a counterpart to Swords Around A Throne, but I was hoping for more than O'Brian gives here. This is a very cursory introduction to the subject, and covers less factual ground on the subject than his own novels. There's virtually nothing new here if you've already read the Aubrey/Maturin books.

[Jonathan Jerden]

Well done mini coffee table summary of the 3-masted war ships of England, from 1650 to 1880, including smart storyline by the author of the 18-set ships-of-the-line adventure series fo great Britannica war ships, including Master & Commander. Beautiful color paintings of the finest ships and the great victories, including Nelson and his famous 4 ship battles against the French in 1797.

[Legens]

While this concise overview certainly helps clarifying some matters mentioned, but never truly explained in the books (which sails are where?), one cannot help the thought that it was mainly written and published to milk more money out of a well-established franchise with as little effort for the author and publisher as possible

[Donald Schopflocher]

A brief overview of the British Navy in the Napoleonic Era. Very useful in the beginning stages of reading O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series.

Note: for more detailed information about frigate sailing manoeuvres such as tacking, wearing, and the box haul (as in “Post Captain”) try using one of the new AI programs.

[Wuutroe]

Having read and loved the Aubrey-Maturin novels I found a first edition of this book in Scotland and just knew I had to buy it. Had I read it before I started master and commander a lot more would've made sense (instead of looking up terminology on Wikipedia).

The book is short but very enjoyable if you liked his other work, or naval faction in general. Also the illustrations are top-notch

[Scott]

A look at real life aboard a British Man of War in the Napoleonic wars and the War of 1812. It is a quick read but gives good insight into the real life that is part of the novels that the author wrote.

[Chris Bull]

Not the best

I am reading Patrick O’Brian’s opus with Aubrey and Maturin and having a background is paramount. Dean King’s A Sea of Words is a much better guide. Nevertheless it is a some use.

[Scott D.]

Interesting details of British Navy of the early 19th century, along with some great art and drawings depicting naval battles and life at sea.