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Category Archives: Reviews
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
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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
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Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World – a Review
A few days ago, we posted about Ric Burns’ new documentary, Into the Deep: America, Whaling & the World, which will be broadcast tomorrow, May 10, at 9PM on most PBS channel in the United States. I had the opportunity to … Continue reading
Posted in Current, History, Lore of the Sea, Reviews, Seastories, Ships
Tagged Brig Niagara, Charles Morgan, documentary, Into the Deep: America, PBS, Ric Burns, whale ship, Whaling & the World
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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
Pirate Latitudes by Micheal Crichton, a Review
Pirate Latitudes by Micheal Crichton, published a year after his death, is a romp. It is full of swashbuckling action and completely familiar characters. There is a bold captain, who is either a privateer or a pirate; several fair and … Continue reading
Posted in Lore of the Sea, Reviews, Seastories
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Under Sail : A Boy’s Voyage Around Cape Horn by Felix Reisenberg – A Review
Under Sail is a remarkable account of sixteen year old Felix Riesenberg’s first voyage on a square rigger from South Street Seaport in New York, to Honolulu and back. He sailed on the A.J. Fuller, a Bath built, copper clad, … Continue reading
Posted in Critiques, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Felix Riesenberg, Honolulu, South Street Seaport
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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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My River Chronicle – Rediscovering the America on the Hudson by Jessica DuLong – a Review
My River Chronicle – Rediscovering the America on the Hudson, is a fascinating voyage in the life of a young woman, who finds herself oddly quite at home in a most unlikely new job. It is also a journey through … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Seastories
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The Temple (Third Book in the Sir Sidney Smith Series) by Tom Grundner
There have been hundreds of novels written about dashing Royal Navy ships’ captains who bear a striking resemblance to Lord Cochrane. The resemblance and family history are most obvious in Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower, but a dozen or so … Continue reading
Posted in Reviews, Seastories
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Star-Crossed by Linda Collison, a Review
I started reading nautical fiction, specifically C.S. Forester’s Hornblower series, as a teenager. The Hornblower novels, while meant for adults, were great “boy books,” full of adventure and action, with a hero with just enough self doubt and angst for … Continue reading
Captains Contentious: The Dysfunctional Sons of the Brine – A Review
Louis Arthur Norton’s book Captains Contentious – The Dysfunctional Sons of the Brine is an entertaining reminder that history is finally about individuals, dedicated to the causes in which they believe, as well as serving their own needs and obsessions. … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
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The Frigate Surprise: The Complete Story of the Ship Made Famous in the Novels of Patrick O’Brian, by Brian Lavery
In his Aubrey/Maturin series, Patrick O’Brian wrote of HMS Surprise, a small British frigate, originally captured from the French. Over several books, the Surprise became almost as beloved a character, in her own way, as Jack Aubrey and Doctor Maturin … Continue reading
Posted in Newbooks, Reviews, Seastories
Tagged Aubrey/Maturin, Brian Lavery, British frigate, Doctor Maturin, Geoff Hunt, HMS SURPRISE, Jack Aubrey, Patrick O'Brian
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Review – Joan Druett’s Shark Island, a Wiki Coffin Mystery
I recently read Joan Druett‘s Shark Island, the second in her Wiki Coffin series of mysteries. A brief review: What makes a mystery work for me is the detective – the knowledgeable outsider, living between two worlds, who can see … Continue reading
