Sons of the Waves: The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail

A brilliant telling of the history of the common seaman in the age of sail, and his role in Britain’s trade, exploration, and warfare

British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words.

In this exhilarating account, ordinary sea...