Synopses & Reviews
Brevertons Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, this lavishly illustrated book focuses on the unusual, the overlooked, or the downright extraordinary. Thus, someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable menexplorers, admirals, and trawlermenwho have shaped our world.
Comprising bite-sized nuggets of information ideal for casual browsing, and placement in ones cottage, yacht, or home as a conversation piece, this book is arranged in thematic chapters that cover:
* The ocean environmentanimals, geography, geology, weather, coasts, islands
* Ship types and partsfrom the first boat to the latest cutting-edge technology
* Peopleheroes, heroines, pirates, sailors, captains
* Disasters, battles, wars
* Literaturestories, myths, legends, proclamations, acts, orders
* Nautical sayings and slangincluding the origins of hit the deck,” dont rock the boat,” and other sayings
Synopsis
Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is arranged into thematic chapters:1) 1) The ocean environment - animals, geography, geology, weather, coasts, islands2) 2) Ship types and parts - from the first boat to the latest cutting-edge technology1) 3) People - heroes, heroines, pirates, sailors, captains 2) 4) Disasters, battles, wars3) 5) Literature - stories, myths, legends, proclamations, acts, orders 4) 6) Nautical sayings and slang Breverton's Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Thus, someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men - explorers, admirals and trawlermen - who have shaped our world. The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms 'steer clear of', 'hit the deck', 'don't rock the boat', 'to harbour a grudge' and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of 'bumpkin', a 'brace of shakes', 'born with a silver spoon', 'booby prize', 'to take on board', 'above board', 'bombed' (in the sense of being drunk), the 'blues', 'blind-side', 'blind drunk', 'the pot calling the kettle black', 'reach the bitter end', 'wasters', 'ahoy', 'all at sea', 'to keep aloof', 'piss-artist', 'taken aback', 'barbecue'' and 'bamboozle'. Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as 'bring one's arse to anchor' (sit down), 'belly timber' (food) and 'bog orange' (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.
Synopsis
Brevertons Nautical Curiosities is arranged into thematic chapters:
1) 1) The ocean environment animals, geography, geology, weather, coasts, islands
2) 2) Ship types and parts from the first boat to the latest cutting-edge technology
1) 3) People heroes, heroines, pirates, sailors, captains
2) 4) Disasters, battles, wars
3) 5) Literature stories, myths, legends, proclamations, acts, orders
4) 6) Nautical sayings and slang
Brevertons Nautical Curiosities is about ships, people and the sea. However, unlike many other nautical compendiums, the focus of this book is on the unusual, the overlooked or the downright extraordinary. Thus, someone most of us do not know, Admiral William Brown, is given equal coverage to Admiral Nelson. Without Admiral Brown releasing Garibaldi, modern Italy might not exist. And without the barely known genius John Ericsson designing the Monitor, the Confederacy might have won the American Civil War. Readers will be stimulated to read more about the remarkable men explorers, admirals and trawlermen who have shaped our world.
The sea has had a remarkable effect upon our language. We hear the terms steer clear of, hit the deck, dont rock the boat, to harbour a grudge and the like, and give little thought to them. In the pages of this book, the reader will find the origin of 'bumpkin', a 'brace of shakes', 'born with a silver spoon', 'booby prize', 'to take on board', 'above board', 'bombed' (in the sense of being drunk), the 'blues', 'blind-side', 'blind drunk', 'the pot calling the kettle black', 'reach the bitter end', 'wasters', 'ahoy', 'all at sea', 'to keep aloof', 'piss-artist', 'taken aback', 'barbecue' and 'bamboozle'. Other colourful terms, which have passed out of common usage, such as 'bring one's arse to anchor' (sit down), 'belly timber' (food) and 'bog orange' (potato) are also included, as well as important pirate haunts, technical terms, famous battles, maritime inventors and ship speed records.
About the Author
Terry Breverton is a former businessman, consultant and academic and now a full-time writer. He is the author of numerous books on the sea and pirates, and has been awarded the Welsh Books Council 'Book of the Month' award five times. Terry has presented documentaries on the Discovery Channel and the History Channel and appeared on around 20 other television programmes on pirates and privateers. He has recently transcribed and annotated the lost manuscript of a Welsh privateer the factional account of the marooning of William Williams The Journal of Penrose Seaman. He lives in the UK.