Customer Reviews

The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649-1815

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a brilliant book to read for anyone, whether they are a professional historian, or just as a passing fancy.

It highlights not just the military side of the period, but also the social and political aspects of it, portraying the personalities of the period with the utmost accuracy. There are also some fundamental points made in this book which although complex, are explained so well that they will improve any readers understanding of the period.

NAM Roger has continued the excellent work he started with his first volume. This is an excellent book, well referenced and remarkably readable. Covering the technical, social and historical aspects of the Royal Navy for the period he has avoided the trap of concentrating on the battles and gives a clear view of the difficulties that the Royal Navy had to overcome to make it the force that it was in the nineteenth century. This is not a pub quiz book, however, anyone who is serious about British naval history should read this book.

I owned a paperback, and just wanted the 'real' thing !
This surely must be one of the best works on the subject of the evolution of British sea power yet written. Both my copies are festooned with 'post it note' bookmarks, to highlight various aspects of interest.

A real revelation into the way our navy has evolved. I rate this book as being excellent in content.

Writing style is also very readable, though just a little convoluted at times. This after all is a major subject spanning a considerable time,[166 years] a large numbers of personalities and occurrences of historical significance. and to cram all the information contained into a single volume necessitates the use of a little licence at times.

For anyone with a real interest in the evolution of our Senior Service, through the good as well as the hard pressed times, over the period, this book needs to have a permanent place on your book shelf. You need to own a copy, not just borrow one, as the frequency you will delve into it to confirm aspects of naval history are likely to be frequent. At least judging from my own useage !

I picked up this book in Portsmouth after having realised I knew next to nothing about the true history of the Navy (apart from Nelson). This book was a delight, alternating between the naval history, the social background and technical developments. The one bit that really grabbed me was the role of Samuel Pepys in the Royal Navy. Also, the author goes into a few myths and errors that previous historians have introduces in their books, which shows how well researched the book is. I am now going to get the earlier book in the series to see where it all began.

If your curiosity about the Royal Navy was whetted by the Command and Conquer film then this excellent account, prepared in what seems a labour of love, should prove the fact belittles the fiction. How women and even entire families served in Nelson's Navy is brought to light by careful examination of naval records.How crews were more like foreign legions than just sons of England and how risk was seen a positive thing to allow common men to rise above their station. An excellent read!

I am not an historian but I found this meticulously researched book very readable. It puts the Naval history in its context and is written in a clear and enjoyable style. Despite this there is an enormous amount of detailed research in the appendices. I look forward to the next volume.

First things first, it's all here! Maybe that's a problem, whether you want to know about recruitment systems, pay, battles or ship design it's all in this book. They are all discussed in great depth and length. This book "does exactly what it says on the tin" (to quote an advert) and if it's British and floated during this period it's discussed in this doorstop of a book. The research is first class and the explanations are always lucid.

My other nagging concern is this is the pinnacle of the greatest maritime power the world has ever seen. Epic battles, great exploration, larger than life characters- it should be fun, exciting, breathless. Instead, while the style isn't turgid, it lacks the zest and narrative style needed to suck the reader into the moment Nelson is shot or the battle at Quiberon bay.

The more I think about it, the more I think that that's the issue. The style is too consistent, discussing the evolution of the ships of the line is important but it shouldn't be written the same way as era defining battles on the sea where great empires clash for world supremacy.

So this is a very well researched book and if you want to know everything about this period then this is the book for you but be warned that while it can make the dry areas interesting the same style can make the interesting areas a bit dry.

If you liked this there's more historical debate and fun at @HistoryGems on Facebook and Twitter

This is one of the most absorbing history books I have read. The author covers not only naval operations but the politics, the financing, the organisation the social backgound and the economic effect of the Britain's navy. His style is clear and easy to read and not without humour.

As a general reader I came on this book by chance & was immediately impressed by the quality of the writing and the comprehensiveness of the material. It is very effectively organised, giving clear outlines of development illustrated by vivid examples & anecdotes. Material is backed by comprehensive notes at the back, for those who wish to see the evidence, but most chapters can be read as uninterrupted narrative. The writing is sharp & vivid, whether he is describing the improvements in the dockyards, feats of navigation or relationships on board ships. There are many fascinating anecdotes which bring real people & situations vividly to life, but they also contribute to the development of a wider account.

N.A.M Rodger fits together wider aspects of the history that most people would not have considered. There are connections in some very unexpected places. Having read the book, I understood much more clearly how a navy worked, & the remarkable effect it had on the history of Britain & the rest of the world.

Superbly researched and very well written book concerning possibly the most important period in the development of the British nation.

This is how history books should be written.