Light hearted reading ( if there is such a thing!)

[DaveBaxt]

As I have a few holidays due in the next 12 months or so and as I will also spend some time travelling some distance by coach and ship . I thought it would be nice to read something other than ships construction. I am looking for something 18th century to early 1800s and  I have just bought a couple of books on Trafalger, to give you an idea. Any biography would also be suitable or even fiction set in those days would be really good. As my luggage allowance will be limited  Kindle books would be best and usually cheaper too,) however paper back would be ok but I think hard back would probably not be suitable.Any recomendations would be appreciated. Best regards Dave

Edited August 11, 2023 by DaveBaxt

[AJohnson]

The Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin (Master & Commander) series, at twenty books on a Kindle sounds just the ticket to me! 😉

 

One of my favourite series of Fiction books.

[DaveBaxt]

38 minutes ago, AJohnson said:

The Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin (Master & Commander) series, at twenty books on a Kindle sounds just the ticket to me! 😉

 

One of my favourite series of Fiction books.

Thank you Andrew, you are always the first to reply. Sounds just what I need .I also enjoyed the movie with Russel crowd. If it is the same thing.

[AJohnson]

26 minutes ago, DaveBaxt said:

Thank you Andrew, you are always the first to reply. Sounds just what I need .I also enjoyed the movie with Russel crowd. If it is the same thing.

Yes the Russell Crowe film "Master & Commander" is indeed based on the books, actually an amalgamation of the plot from about four of them mashed together.  If you get to read the books you will be able to pick out the scenes and characters from the film.

 

This series of books is why I am so keen on @chris watton / Vanguard models one day doing a HMS Surprise, I have given up on waiting for the Caldercraft one.

[DaveBaxt]

I don,t think Caldercraft have done anything for a while Andrew but could be wrong. I think I might be moving away frm |Caldercraft in the future due to how much I have spent extra on boxwood and also on rigging and replacing the cannon and the boats. I have probably doubled what I spent on the initial kit . Propably cheaper going with Vanguard, as I have used a lot of there parts anyways.

[AJohnson]

I have been following your Diana log and others and it does seem many builders have to deviate from the kit a fair bit in terms of instructions and replacement materials.  Funny over the years I had thought that Diana or even Agamemnon would be a grand project one day, but seeing how builders have wrestled with their Diana's and how good VM are in comparison I think I shall wait for Surprise and maybe see if Chris gets to develop any of his other Frigates he has mentioned recently.

[Stevinne]

The Alan Lewrie series by the late Dewey Lambdin is fun, light reading with good naval battles thrown in. Not nearly as realistic as Patrick O'Brian but very enjoyable. If weight is an issue, I'd recommend checking out the Internet Archive, a free online library with loads of books, though I believe you must have an Internet connection to read, as they work as a regular library, with only one person allowed to check out a copy at a time.

[allanyed]

Julian Stockwin's series about Thomas Kidd,  26 books to 2023,  I enjoyed these as much as the Dewey Lambdin series.  Both are up there with O'Brien IMHO

Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized by a press gang in book one and climbs the ladder from there.

Allan

[DaveBaxt]

3 hours ago, AJohnson said:

I have been following your Diana log and others and it does seem many builders have to deviate from the kit a fair bit in terms of instructions and replacement materials.  Funny over the years I had thought that Diana or even Agamemnon would be a grand project one day, but seeing how builders have wrestled with their Diana's and how good VM are in comparison I think I shall wait for Surprise and maybe see if Chris gets to develop any of his other Frigates he has mentioned recently.

If i am honest, I am torn, I do like a challenge but sometimes find the Diana a step to far and quite stressfull at times. I have also had my eye on the Agamemnon and wonder if this has similar issues and again would be problematic . I have also built up quite a large stock of both walnut and lime and I could probably have enough wood to build a ship from scratch but fear that is probably beyond my skill level. So it would be a shame not to use all the spare stock I now have if I now changed tack. I only started building the Diana as I have recently become the owner of the AOTS book and wanted to build this as acurately as possible from a kit. I am also running out of space and wonder were I am going to put these larger models and then I see the smaller ones produced by Vanguard  and build by the likes of your good self and Delf and these are by far the most beautiful models.

Thanks again Andrew for your input it is always appreciated

2 hours ago, Stevinne said:

The Alan Lewrie series by the late Dewey Lambdin is fun, light reading with good naval battles thrown in. Not nearly as realistic as Patrick O'Brian but very enjoyable. If weight is an issue, I'd recommend checking out the Internet Archive, a free online library with loads of books, though I believe you must have an Internet connection to read, as they work as a regular library, with only one person allowed to check out a copy at a time.

 

Thank you for you input Stevinne and an interesting idea. I do have internet access but fear its not free, however it would work if I I could down load the book in one go rather than have to be connected whilst I am reading as I might not always be connected. Perhaps an idea whilst I am at home if not. Best regards Dave.

[AJohnson]

12 minutes ago, allanyed said:

Julian Stockwin's series about Thomas Kidd,  26 books to 2023,  I enjoyed these as much as the Dewey Lambdin series.  Both are up there with O'Brien IMHO

Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized by a press gang in book one and climbs the ladder from there.

Allan

Thanks for this Allan, not heard of these, I will have to give them a go.

[Roger Pellett]

Old, but always good- C. S. Forerster Hornblower series.  I especially enjoy the mental gymnastics involved with figuring out his detailed ship handling situations.  I have not read Patrick O’Brian’s books so cannot offer a comparison.

 

Roger

[usedtosail]

I concur with all the book series mentioned here. I have read them all and am re-reading the O'Brian books since they were my favorites.

[Jaager]

For pure escapist fare

Richard Bolitho (28 book series)
Kindle Edition
by Alexander Kent (Author)

 

One plus with digital,  all of the old pulp books and magazines are probably obtainable and not lost to time.

It was before my time, but I see this as the material that was filling the space in the 30s and 40s later occupied by mindless TV series. 

 

There was aspect from back then, that I heard and enjoyed at their end: radio teleplays.  There is a WHOLE lot on content on TV that would be better on radio.  We could even do model ship building while occupying our ears with the stuff. 

 

You could also investigate audio books. 

 

 

[popeye2sea]

Mad For Glory, A Heart of Darkness in the War of 1812, by Robert Booth.

 

The fascinating true story of a US Naval Captain, Captain David Porter, who went rogue with his warship, USS Essex and  terrorized the Pacific Ocean. The longest, strangest naval adventure in American History.

 

Regards,

 

Henry

[jpalmer1970]

The Black Ship by Dudley Pope is a great read about the mutiny of the Hermione in 1797 and the fate of the mutineers.

[mtaylor]

I sadly only have mostly non-fiction.  However, "The Billy Ruffian - The Belleophon and the Fall of Napoleon" is darn good even if it is non-fiction.  

[David Lester]

Try David Grann's newest book "The Wager"- an amazing story about the HMS Wager. Grann's research is impressive and his writing style is accessible. This led me to read his earlier books all of which are equally compelling.

[TBlack]

Or try Cochrane  by Robert Harvey. It's on kindle for $4.00

[GrandpaPhil]

Anything by Herman Melville

[GrandpaPhil]

If you are looking at taking a Kindle, then the Delphi Complete Works Collections are great.

 

The one for Melville is $1.99 on Amazon.

[uss frolick]

How about  "A Port Wine Sea", by Susan Wenger, a parody of the Patrick O'Brien novels. (Assuming that you read the latter.)

 

From Amazon:

 

"The Port-Wine Sea is a rousing parody of the best historical fiction ever written. It is a story about a British naval captain during the Napoleonic War, and his friend, a naval physician/espionage agent. They set sail once again aboard "H.M.S. Aghast" during the War of 1812 to demonstrate to the upstart Colonies the errors of their ways. The doctor/spy tries to establish liaison with the Creek Indians to create a diversion to the main British assault. Meanwhile the noble Captain is diverted by a teenaged Maryland vixen. Along the way, they encounter a skittish horse, a demure skunk, a whooping crane, and an escaped colony of termites aboard the ship."

 

https://www.amazon.com/Port-Wine-Sea-Parody-Susan-Wenger/dp/1893162001/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3I5WGC02MQKQS&keywords=a+port+wine+sea&qid=1692539646&sprefix=a+port+wine+sea%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1

 

Only 1 left in stock - order soon!

 

 

 

 

[Frank Burroughs]

"Voyage: A Novel of 1896" by Sterling Hayden is a very good read.  It is the story of a clipper ship full of burning coal going around the Horn.  Rich vs. poor, the sea hostile to man and the the struggle of man against himself. 

[jpalmer1970]

I found an interesting site online earlier dedicated to historic naval fiction here which looks interesting. I don't think it has been updated for a while but it may introduce you to some new authors or series of books.

Edited September 22, 2023 by jpalmer1970

[Frank Burroughs]

I just finished this series.  Most excellent read!

 

Hornblower's legacy books by James Keffer

    1 Hornblower and the Island (2014)
    2 Brewer's Luck (2015)
    3 Brewer and the Barbary Pirates (2019)
    4 Brewer's Revenge (2017)
    5 Brewer and the Portuguese Gold (2020)
    6 Brewer and the Black Rose (2022)
    7 Hornblower and the Journey Home (2021)