Greenwich Times, December 4, 2003
"...close to a 'perfect' gift for the O'Brien/Aubrey fan."

Sailing, March 2004
"Every page is a broadside, with illustrations in full color, contemporary plans, drawings, engravings, maps and charts."

Book Description
No fiction writer of modern times has captured the world of wooden walls, broadsides, and the press gang as successfully as Patrick O’Brian. The twenty books in the O’Brian canon featuring the lives and adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his confidant, naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, have been lauded across the world for their blend of classic storytelling, historical accuracy, and inspired characterizations. In this new work respected naval historian Brian Lavery explores the historical framework of the O’Brian novels by examining the facts behind the grand narrative and putting the key episodes in context while detailing naval life in the era of Nelson and Napoleon. With well over a hundred illustrations, the book presents contemporary plans, drawings, engravings, maps, and photographs of museum artifacts that have inspired age-of-sail novelists and moviemakers. Introducing the book is a foreword by Peter Weir, director of the upcoming film of O’Brian’s novel Master and Commander. Avid age-of-sail fans will not want to miss this colorfully detailed complement to the O’Brian series.

About the Author
Brian Lavery, the curator of ship technology at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England, is the author of several books, including Nelson’s Navy (see below), Nelson and the Nile, and The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War, 1600–1815.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

No fiction writer of modern times has captured the world of wooden walls, broadsides, and the press gang as successfully as Patrick O￯﾿ﾽBrian. The twenty books in the O￯﾿ﾽBrian canon featuring the lives and adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his confidant, naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, have been lauded across the world for their blend of classic storytelling, historical accuracy, and inspired characterizations. In this new work respected naval historian Brian Lavery explores the historical framework of the O￯﾿ﾽBrian novels by examining the facts behind the grand narrative and putting the key episodes in context while detailing naval life in the era of Nelson and Napoleon. With well over a hundred illustrations, the book presents contemporary plans, drawings, engravings, maps, and photographs of museum artifacts that have inspired age-of-sail novelists and moviemakers. Introducing the book is a foreword by Peter Weir, director of the upcoming film of O￯﾿ﾽBrian￯﾿ﾽs novel Master and Commander. Avid age-of-sail fans will not want to miss this colorfully detailed complement to the O￯﾿ﾽBrian series.

SYNOPSIS