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Category Archives: Newbooks
The Perfect Wreck by Steven E. Maffeo – a review by Linda Collison
Linda Collison, author of Surgeon’s Mate and Star-Crossed, recently reviewed Steven E. Maffeo‘s new book The Perfect Wreck – Old Ironsides and HMS Java: A Story of 1812 in her blog Sea of Words. I enjoy reading Linda’s reviews almost as much … Continue reading
Deadly Straits by R.E. McDermott – A Review
For the sake of full disclosure, I am not a huge fans of thrillers, particularly thrillers involving ships. The plots often strike me as implausible and the descriptions of the ships and ship operations often border on the laughable. (Too … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
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The Cutler Family Chronicals Trailer
A new trailer for William C. Hammond’s Cutler family Chronicles. The Cutler Family Chronicals Trailer Seu browser não suporta iframes. The Cutler Family Chronicles is a projected seven-book series profiling the best of American duty, honor and courage during the … Continue reading
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How to Survive the Titanic, or the Sinking of J Bruce Ismay by Frances Wilson
What more can be written about the Titanic? In a book recently released in Great Britain and coming out this October in the US, Francis Wilson looks at the sinking and the impact on one of the more famous survivors – J. Bruce … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Francis Wilson, J. Bruce Ismay, Titanic
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Alaric Bond’s Cut and Run – A Review
Alaric Bond’s wonderful new book, Cut and Run, the fourth in his Fighting Sail series, steps away from the Royal Navy and takes us onto the decks of a merchantman – a ship of the Honorable East India Company. The ships of … Continue reading
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Great Summer Reading – Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction Log Book for July
A great line-up of Summer reading from Astrodene’s Nautical Log Book for July: Newly released novels include Steven E. Maffeo’s, The Perfect Wreck – Old Ironsides and HMS Java: A Story of 1812, and Tom Grundner’s latest novel in the Sir … Continue reading
Gentleman Captain by J.D. Davies – A Review
Lord Macaulay wrote “There were gentlemen and there were seamen in the navy of Charles the Second. But the seamen were not gentlemen; and the gentlemen were not seaman.” Twenty one year old Matthew Quinton, captain of the Happy Restoration, … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Gentlemen Captain, J D Davies, Matthew Quinton, restoration, Royal Navy
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The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime History – Book Trailer
Joe Follansbee has put together a really fun book trailer for his excellent guide book to historic ships, sites and museums. We reviewed the guide last March and liked it a lot. Read our review here. The Fyddeye Guide to America’s … Continue reading
SURGEON’S MATE by Linda Collison – A Review
Patrick McPherson is a 19 year surgeon’s mate in the Royal Navy. By all appearances, he is an upstanding young man with a promising future. The dark secret that the young mate carries is that he is indeed, a she. … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Linda Collison, Star-Crossed, Surgeon's Mate
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Interview with Linda Collison, author of Surgeon’s Mate
Linda Collison’s new book Surgeon’s Mate, the second book in the her Patricia MacPherson nautical series, was recently been released. Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction interviewed Linda Collison about her new book, which we are reposting with permission. We reviewed Collison’s … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Astrodene's Historic Naval Fiction, Linda Collison, Surgeon's Mate
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The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime History edited by Joe Follansbee, on Kindle – A Dual Review
I recently purchased Joe Follansbee’s The Fyddeye Guide to America’s Maritime History – 2,000+ Tall Ships, Lighthouses, Historic Ships, Maritime Museums, and More. Rather than purchasing a dead-tree version, I bought the guide as an e-book for Kindle. This is, … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Fyddeye Guide, Joe Follansbee
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Fire on the Horizon: The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster by John Konrad and Tom Shroder
When the Deepwater Horizon suffered a blowout, caught fire and sank in the Gulf of Mexico last April, it was only forty miles off the coast of Louisiana. Yet, in many respects, the world aboard the ill-fated rig was as … Continue reading
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Joan Druett’s Tupaia – Captain Cook’s Polynesian Navigator : A Review
Joan Druett’s new book, Tupaia – Captain Cook’s Polynesian Navigator, fills an important blank space in the history, as well as the legend, of Captain Cook. On his first voyage to the Pacific in HMS Endeavour, during a stop in … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged HMS Endeavour, Joan Druett, Maoris, New Zealand, Tahiti, Tupaia – Captain Cook's Polynesian Navigator
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Cockleshell Heroes – The Final Witness, a new book by Quentin Rees
On the night of December 7,1942 ten British commandos set off in five wood and canvas canoes from a British submarine in the Bay of Biscay off the coast of occupied France. Their intent was to paddle 75 miles up the Gironde estuary and attack … Continue reading
Posted in History, Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Bordeaux, British commandos, Cockleshell Heroes, Gironde estuary, Quentin Rees, Second World War
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Abby Sunderland’s “Unsinkable: A Young Woman’s Courageous Battle on the High Seas”
Last June, we posted about Jessica Watson’s book and album release. Jessica Watson is the now 17 year old Australian sailor who can rightly claim the title of the “youngest to sail solo and unassisted around the world.” … Continue reading
