The Wooden World

Has anyone bought and read the Folio "Wooden World"? Sounds like a good read?

>1 It's an excellent history book: if you like Patrick O'Brian or the other historical naval stories, I should think you'd find it interesting. The book takes its evidence from the mid-eighteenth century - the Seven Years War - and provides great social history of life on board, and of manning and naval administration. It's well written, and has its notes and bibliography (not always the case with FS editions) - Rodger annotates his bibliographies to say what he thinks of the books, not always too politely: don't overlook.

The cover is fine, but I do not share affle's enthusiasm for the inside. I found it rather tedious to read. Nothing very striking.

I got this book a short while ago and haven't yet read it beyond the introduction. The binding and illustrations are excellent. I can't comment on the content, though I had noted before buying it that it was highly rated by naval historians and deemed a authoritative aid for reading the Aubrey-Maturin series (the reason I bought it!). It does have a comprehensive glossary at the back which certainly helps with the Master and Commander I'm currently reading.

Thanks for that. I was thinking of going for this - the same reason as you. I'm up to The Mauritius Command. They do get better.

Golding consulted The wooden world a lot for his " to the end of the world trilogy", but I have not read it, nor ordered it.