Fifty Ships that Changed the Course of History: A Nautical History of the World

Graham (Scarlet Women), a prolific author of science, technology, and history books, takes the readers on a nautical voyage around the world and through time as he profiles 50 historically important ships. From an ancient Egyptian barge belonging to the Pharaoh Khufu to the modern MS Allure of the Seas, the largest passenger ship ever built, this book is full of record setters and history makers. Others include the Amistad, significant for having been taken over by slaves; the HMS Endeavour, the collier used by Capt. James Cook to sail around the world; and the Yamato, the largest battleship of World War II and the one that marked the end of big-battleship navies. This is a beautiful book, replete with illustrations, photos, diagrams, and maps. The text balances technicality with storytelling, scholarly analysis with entertainment. It’s a sweeping, fascinating look at barges, battleships, caravels, dhows, submarines, and more, placing them all in context with the battles, countries, discoveries, inventions, and people that surrounded them. Readers interested in history of any kind will enjoy this highly accessible book. (Sept.)