Michael Blair

Hello all! First post here. I'm a great enthusiast of naval warfare, and I have done numerous conference presentations during my academic career focusing on 17th, 18th and 19th century navies, specifically that of the United Kingdom, American Republic, and Dutch Republic. A few books that I would seriously recommend are the following: -Toll, Ian W. Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the US Navy. WW Norton&Company, 2008. *I'd argue the least 'dense' of the books I'm going to recommend, in the sense that it is a great narrative and less heavy on terminology. That said, it is still a wonderful read, very intelligently written and valuable for someone interested in learning about navies of the era. -Utt, Ronald. Ships of Oak, Guns of Iron: The War of 1812 and the Forging of the American Navy. Regnery History, 2012 *Another very readable book, not dissimilar to Toll's 'Six Frigates'. I enjoyed it thoroughly. -Rodger, N.A.M. The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain 1649-1815. WW Norton&Company, 2005 *This is the most dense book on this list, as N.A.M. Rodger is the preeminent historian on the subject of naval history. It's an extremely long book, not something one will simply sit down with and read, though the number of stories and information it contains is fantastic for someone who wants to have a comprehensive text concerning British naval history in the early-modern period. -Rodger, N.A.M. The Wooden World: An Anatomy of the Georgian Navy. WW Norton&Company, 1996 *An older book, but still one that's worth examining for what it is. This is not a book ripe with action and adventure such as the others on this list, but rather a very dry yet informative explanation of the inner-workings of the British Navy during the Georgian era. For an individual who is interested in the details of how the navy was structured, administered, supplied, utilized in combat, even down to how officers and men were recruited, trained, and their basic lives, this is a book for you. -Mostert, Noel. The Line Upon a Wind: The Great War at Sea, 1793-1815. WW Norton&Company, 2008. *Another very dense book, and not one I would recommend reading without some familiarity with naval and maritime terminology. It provides little explanation to these and other seagoing idioms. That said, for a more learned reader it is a fantastic work which gives a great image of the development of naval strategy from the beginning of seagoing, and into the naval administrations of both the United Kingdom and France, as well as the personalities of their respective commanders. Not only this, but it has excellent descriptions of battles drawn from innumerable first hand accounts. A definite must read.