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Featured Books
Category Archives: Newbooks
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean by Susan Casey, – A Review
Sea monsters exist. They break ships in half and pull them below the waves. Sometimes they swallow them whole. Most who encounter them never return to tell the tale and those few who do, until very recently, were rarely believed. … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged rogue waves, surfers, Susan Casey, The Wave
6 Comments
Did a Steering Error Sink the Titanic?
In Good as Gold, a new book by Louise Patten, the granddaughter of the most senior surviving officer on the Titanic, reveals a long hidden family secret. She claims that an error in steering on the bridge of the Titanic led to the collision … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Bruce Ismay, Charles Lightoller, Good as Gold, Louise Patten, Titanic, White Star Line
20 Comments
Fire on the Horizon – The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster, by John Konrad and Tom Shroder
gCaptain is one of my favorite blogs. It has a done a great job of covering the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Now gCaptain’s John Konrad has written a book, Fire on the Horizon – The Untold Story of the Gulf Oil Disaster, … Continue reading
A Battle Won by S. Thomas Russell – A Review
The just released, A Battle Won by S. Thomas Russell, is classic nautical fiction – vivid, fast paced and full of drama, both on sea and land. Master and Commander Charles Hayden is a gifted naval commander with extremely bad … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged A Battle Won, S. Thomas Russell, Under Enemy Colors
4 Comments
Sallee Rovers by M. Kei, A Review
Pirates of the Narrow Sea, Book 1 – Sallee Rovers by M. Kei is well written nautical adventure fiction with a twist or two, or perhaps three. The novel is not set during the Napoleonic wars and features, as the … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged corsairs, M. Kei, nautical adventure fiction, Sallee Rovers
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The Merchandising Begins – Teen Sailor Jessica Watson’s Book and Album
Jessica Watson’s book True Spirit will be published in August in Australia and in October in the United States. It was also recently announced that she will be releasing an album as well. Fast work given that she only returned in the middle of May. Teen sailor … Continue reading
Schooner, Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard – A Review
In late May, we posted about the publication of a beautiful new book by Alison Shaw and Tom Dunlop, Schooner – Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard. We recently had the opportunity to read the book. Our review: Schooner – … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Alison Shaw, Rebecca of Vineyard Haven, schooner, Tom Dunlop
8 Comments
Julian Stockwin’s Victory – A Review
We have fallen way behind in our book reviews. Until we catch up, here is a review of Julian Stockwin’s new novel, Victory, republished with permission from Astrodene’s Historic Naval Fiction. Astrodene Review: Victory by Julian Stockwin Victory starts off with a major setback … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Julian Stockwin, Thomas Paine Kydd, Trafalgar
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True Colours by Alaric Bond – Book Trailer
A book trailer for Alaric Bond’s new book, True Colours which we recently reviewed. True Colours
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks
Tagged Alric Bond, book trailer, novel, True Colours
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Battle of Surigao Strait by Anthony P. Tully – a Review
A new look at the last battleship battle of World War II and perhaps of all time. A review by Steven Toby, republished with permission from the MarHst list. In this new book, Battle of Surigao Strait, author Anthony P. Tully mines … Continue reading
Floating Gold by Margaret Muir – a Review
Margaret Muir’s new novel, Floating Gold, is a wonderful blend of classic Georgian naval fiction, a mystery/thriller and a grand treasure hunt. A rousing tale, well told. It is due to be released in the United States on May … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Captain Oliver Quintrell, Fool's Gold, Margaret Muir, new novel, Treaty of Amiens
2 Comments
Schooner: Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard
I haven’t seen it yet but Schooner: Building a Wooden Boat on Martha’s Vineyard by Tom Dunlop, looks fascinating. From the publisher: Schooner takes you through the construction of Rebecca of Vineyard Haven, a sixty-foot wooden schooner designed and built by … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Newbooks
Tagged Martha's Vineyard, Rebecca, schooner, sixty-foot wooden schooner, Vineyard Haven
8 Comments
True Colours by Alaric Bond, a Review
Alaric Bond is a frequent contributor to the Old Salt blog. He is also a wonderful writer. His latest novel True Colours has recently been published. I liked it - a lot. A review: Alaric Bond’s new novel, True Colours, the … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Admiral Duncan, Alaric Bond, Camperdown, Fighting Sail, frigate Pandora, North Sea fleet, True Colours
2 Comments
Tupaia, Captain Cook’s Polynesian Navigator – A New Book by Joan Druett
I love when an author shines a new light on history that we all thought we already knew. Joan Druett in her new book Tupaia, Captain Cook’s Polynesian Navigator, appears to do just that. A sneak peak from Joan … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Captain Cook, Captain Cook's Polynesian Navigator, Joan Druett, Tupaia
6 Comments
Piracy and Maritime Crime: Historical and Modern Case Studies
The US Naval War College has published a collection of essays on Piracy and Maritime Crime: Historical and Modern Case Studies, edited by Bruce A. Elleman, Andrew Forbes, and David Rosenberg. The essays look at piracy around the world and throughout history … Continue reading
Posted in Current, Newbooks, Seastories
Tagged Andrew Forbes, Bruce A. Elleman, David Rosenberg, Maritime Crime, piracy, US Naval War College
2 Comments
Seized, A Sea Captains Adventures – Battling Scoundrels and Pirates while Recovering Stolen Ships in the World’s Most Troubled Waters
Max Hardberger’s Seized, a Sea Captains Adventures – Battling Scoundrels and Pirates while Recovering Stolen Ships in the World’s Most Troubled Waters is a fascinating account of one man’s remarkable career and personal journey. In addition to working professionally as … Continue reading
Fur, Fortune, and Empire: The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America
In 2007, Eric Jay Dolin wrote Leviathan, The History of Whaling In America, a wonderful book that follows the American whale fisheries from shore whaling, to the fleets of whale ships that sailed in every ocean, to the industry’s decline in the … Continue reading
The Ship Hotel: A Grand View Along the Lincoln Highway
A new book details the history of a hotel built to look like an ocean liner perched high in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Ship Hotel has sailed, but a jaunty new book honors its history and heyday The story of … Continue reading
Skipjack: The Story of America’s Last Sailing Oystermen by Christopher White – A Review
A review by Steven Toby, written for the Maritime History Listserv, included here with his kind permission. Sounds like a fascinating book. Skipjack: The Story of America’s Last Sailing Oystermen by Christopher White is an excellent book on the last commercial fishing craft … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Christopher White, Sailing Oystermen, Skipjack
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Unlocking the bloody history of the ship made famous by Turner, the Fighting Temeraire
Sam Willis has written what appears to be a fascinating book – Fighting Temeraire. J.M.W. Turner’s painting, The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to her Last Berth to be Broken Up, hangs in the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square and was recently … Continue reading
