The War for All the Oceans: From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo

Overview

As he did with his much lauded Nelson's Trafalgar, Roy Adkins (now writing with wife Lesley) again thrusts readers into the perils and thrills of early-nineteenth-century warfare. From its very first page, this is an adventure story--a superb account of the naval war that lasted from Napoleon's seizure of power in 1798 to the War of 1812 with the United States. Providing a ringside seat to the decisive battles, as well as detailed and vivid portraits of sailors and commanders, press-gangs, prostitutes, and spies, The War for All the Oceans is "a rollicking, patriotic account of the Napoleonic wars that will go down well with Master and Commander fans" (The Telegraph).

Editorial Reviews

Husband and wife Roy Adkins (Nelson's Trafalgar) and Lesley Adkins (Empires of the Plain) team up for this vivid account of the naval campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars (1798-1815). Contending that the wars were won at sea, the authors trace the nautical action from the Battle of the Nile (1798), where a British fleet destroyed the French fleet and stranded Napoleon's army in Egypt, to the decisive Battle of Trafalgar (1805), where the British overwhelmed a combined French and Spanish fleet supporting an invasion of Britain. The narrative concludes with an account of the protracted war of attrition that followed Trafalgar and ended with Bonaparte's final defeat at Waterloo in 1815. This low-grade conflict--coastal blockades and shipping raids--caught neutral nations like the United States in the middle and ultimately led the Americans to declare war on England in 1812--a conflict that was never more than a sideshow for the British. This rollicking saga ranges from the Mediterranean to the Indies, East and West, and ends with Britain in control of the world's sea lanes--the foundation for her future empire. Meticulously researched--drawing on extensive and intimate eyewitness accounts from contemporary journals, letters and memoirs--this lively narrative will delight students and fans of nautical history. (Aug. 20)
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Author Information

Bio of Adkins, Roy; Adkins, Lesley

Roy Adkins and Lesley Adkins are both historians and archaeologists and fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London. They are the authors of several works of history.

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Additional Info

Imprint

Penguin

Filesize

4.24 MB

Number of Pages

560

eBook ISBN

9781429551991