Interesting book analyzing the pre-Tirpitz German Navy. It covers the time period from 1840s through about 1898. What I found very informative was the evolution of the Navy from being Prussian, to National, to ultimately being unified into an Imperial Navy under Wilhelm II. Many great period photos of German warships displaying the changes made to ship design relative to technological advancements. A good portion of the book is spent in covering the German wars for unification, as well as the politics and personalities of the Naval leadership.

A good read for those interested in the pre-Imperial/early Imperial period in Germany's history. Naval buffs will also enjoy this one. One final comment......the author introduces German terms in the narative; not always providing a translation. Even when a word or phrase is defined, it is used later. The reader may not remember the meaning. I had to Google several terms to get a translation or refresh my memory on the term. Not really a problem, just slowed down my readig.

I recommend the book. ( )