On October 21, 1805, a British fleet led by Admiral Lord Nelson effectively crippled the combined fleets of Spain and France off of Spain's Cape Trafalgar—crushing Napoleon Bonaparte's dream of invading and conquering Britain. Despite suffering a mortal wound during the battle, Nelson secured his place in history with this victory, as well as ensuring Britain's century-long naval dominance of the Continent. Adkin, a former British army officer and the author of a comparable volume on Napoleon's last campaign, The Waterloo Companion
, has compiled a fitting tribute to the historic action. This heavily illustrated encyclopedic volume is packed with "facts, figures, analyses [and] recollections" relating to the battle and Nelson's career. As such, it is two books in one—battle history and Nelson biography. There are sections detailing every conceivable aspect of nautical life in the 19th century—ships and seamanship, guns and tactics, command and control, et al.—and sidebars sprinkled throughout the narrative present anecdotes, vignettes and little-known facts. In addition to its encyclopedic coverage, the book is a visual feast with hundreds of detailed maps and diagrams and exquisite drawings. The two-page, colored drawings of many of the ships of both fleets—including Nelson's flagship, Victory
—are stunning in their detail. Handsome and authoritative, this volume will give fans of naval history and warfare many hours of browsing pleasure. (Oct. 15)
