Folio Archives 380: The Wooden World by N.A.M.Rodger 2009
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1wcarter
The Wooden World, An Anatomy of the Georgian Navy by N.A.M.Rodger. 2009
If you ever wondered how the massive wooden sailing warships of the late eighteenth century were built, rigged and sailed, this is the book for you. These were extraordinarily complicated and sophisticated machines that in the era before steam power took over in the second half of the nineteenth century, ruled the seas and resulted in Britain being able to conquer and rule an enormous part of the world and establish its empire. Hundreds of sailors were needed to man these ships, and each had a demanding task that took not only skill but a lot of courage and stamina to manage the furling of a sail on a swaying topmast.
This is a revealing account of Britain’s mighty Georgian Royal Navy and naval society of the eighteenth century. The book has been meticulously researched by naval scholar N.A.M.Rodger, who draws the reader into this fascinatingly complex world with vivid, entertaining characters and full details of life below the decks.
The Wooden World is an indispensable reference work for all fans of Patrick O'Brian’s series of naval novels. There are numerous appendices with fascinating statistics, a glossary of naval terms and a comprehensive index.
The xxv+422 page book is illustrated with a frontispiece and 24 pages of bound-in pages of colour illustrations. It has numerous integrated tables and diagrams and a cutaway diagram of a seventy-four gun frontline ship. It was first published in 1986, but there is an updated five page foreword by the author written in 2009. The endleaves are plain dark brown while the book is bound in mid-brown cloth blocked on all sides in dark brown and gilt with a cutaway ship picture. The plain dark brown slipcase measures 26x18.5cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
If you ever wondered how the massive wooden sailing warships of the late eighteenth century were built, rigged and sailed, this is the book for you. These were extraordinarily complicated and sophisticated machines that in the era before steam power took over in the second half of the nineteenth century, ruled the seas and resulted in Britain being able to conquer and rule an enormous part of the world and establish its empire. Hundreds of sailors were needed to man these ships, and each had a demanding task that took not only skill but a lot of courage and stamina to manage the furling of a sail on a swaying topmast.
This is a revealing account of Britain’s mighty Georgian Royal Navy and naval society of the eighteenth century. The book has been meticulously researched by naval scholar N.A.M.Rodger, who draws the reader into this fascinatingly complex world with vivid, entertaining characters and full details of life below the decks.
The Wooden World is an indispensable reference work for all fans of Patrick O'Brian’s series of naval novels. There are numerous appendices with fascinating statistics, a glossary of naval terms and a comprehensive index.
The xxv+422 page book is illustrated with a frontispiece and 24 pages of bound-in pages of colour illustrations. It has numerous integrated tables and diagrams and a cutaway diagram of a seventy-four gun frontline ship. It was first published in 1986, but there is an updated five page foreword by the author written in 2009. The endleaves are plain dark brown while the book is bound in mid-brown cloth blocked on all sides in dark brown and gilt with a cutaway ship picture. The plain dark brown slipcase measures 26x18.5cm.
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2folio_books
One of my most favourite Folios. A fascinating and often surprising read.
3red_guy
>2 folio_books: And also a wonderful companion for Patrick O'Brian devotees (which is what led me to it).
4folio_books
>3 red_guy:
It was Patrick O'Brian led me to it as well, though I should stress this book concerns the Georgian navy, slightly earlier in history than the O'Brians.
It was Patrick O'Brian led me to it as well, though I should stress this book concerns the Georgian navy, slightly earlier in history than the O'Brians.
5gmacaree
I've never read The Wooden World but Rodger's The Command of the Ocean covers O'Brian's era (and more!) and is truly masterful. Would love it in a Folio edition ...
6red_guy
>4 folio_books: Heaven knows, I like the odd glass of anything except advocaat, but it is the alcohol consumption that staggers me. Was wine weaker in the 18th century? I certainly could not put back my two bottles most evenings.
I am about a third of the way through my fourth voyage, this time in the company of Rick Jerrom on Audible. Did you recommend him to me? Just about perfect in every way.
I am about a third of the way through my fourth voyage, this time in the company of Rick Jerrom on Audible. Did you recommend him to me? Just about perfect in every way.
7cronshaw
>2 folio_books: >3 red_guy: Double ditto. Great read, fantastic edition.
8folio_books
>6 red_guy:
I'm a big fan of Rick Jerrom's O'Brien readings on Audible so it's quite possible I recommended him. Such is the state of my memory these days that I have no recollection. Very glad to hear you're enjoying them, though.
I'm a big fan of Rick Jerrom's O'Brien readings on Audible so it's quite possible I recommended him. Such is the state of my memory these days that I have no recollection. Very glad to hear you're enjoying them, though.
10LesMiserables
Enabled. None available in Australia at present on eBay.
11LesMiserables
I wonder has anyone read Command Of The Ocean, The: A Naval History of Britain 1649-1815 by same?
It's a hefty 1000 pager and wondered if it covered some of the details of Wooden World?
It's a hefty 1000 pager and wondered if it covered some of the details of Wooden World?
12affle
>11 LesMiserables:
I have the book; I do not claim to have read it cover to cover. The arrangement of it is in 36 chapters, chronological in three strands: operations, administration, and social history. The three themes do not have equal numbers, and just one social history chapter (Ch 20 Disagreeable Necessities 1715-1763) of only 15 pages covers the same ground as WW's social history of the Seven Years War period. So WW is much more detailed, but 25 years earlier.
I like Rodger's style, his acerbity often extending also to the bibliography. Example note on one book: 'Serious research and fanciful conclusions, largely disconnected from one another.'
I have the book; I do not claim to have read it cover to cover. The arrangement of it is in 36 chapters, chronological in three strands: operations, administration, and social history. The three themes do not have equal numbers, and just one social history chapter (Ch 20 Disagreeable Necessities 1715-1763) of only 15 pages covers the same ground as WW's social history of the Seven Years War period. So WW is much more detailed, but 25 years earlier.
I like Rodger's style, his acerbity often extending also to the bibliography. Example note on one book: 'Serious research and fanciful conclusions, largely disconnected from one another.'
13LesMiserables
>12 affle: Thank you, appreciated.
14Bibliophile-I
It’s ironic to see a book about the Royal Navy at its height printed and bound for a British publisher by the Spanish.
15elenchus
>14 Bibliophile-I: Touché!
I note here I was gifted a copy last year, and think I will wait until finishing my first voyage of Aubrey-Maturin before reading it. But who knows.
I note here I was gifted a copy last year, and think I will wait until finishing my first voyage of Aubrey-Maturin before reading it. But who knows.
16Bibliophile-I
>15 elenchus:, I’ll have to be on the lookout for a copy. I’m debating whether or not to get the Aubrey Maturin set published by Norton in the format similar to the Library of America, as, a regular sizes set would take up far too much room!
17elenchus
>16 Bibliophile-I:
My Folio set of Aubrey-Maturin takes up 2 shelves, clearly I could do better in terms of shelf efficiency but I decided early on this set is worth both the expense and the commitment to shelf real estate. I do intent to read and re-read the full set, which I cannot claim for most any other book, even favourites.
My Folio set of Aubrey-Maturin takes up 2 shelves, clearly I could do better in terms of shelf efficiency but I decided early on this set is worth both the expense and the commitment to shelf real estate. I do intent to read and re-read the full set, which I cannot claim for most any other book, even favourites.
