Synopses & Reviews
A meticulous, adrenaline-filled account of the earliest days of the Continental Navy.”New York Times Bestselling Author Laurence Bergreen America in 1775 was on the verge of revolutionor, more likely, disastrous defeat. After Englands King George sent hundreds of ships to bottle up American harbors and prey on American shipping, John Adams of Massachusetts proposed a bold solution: The Continental Congress should raise a navy.
The idea was mad. The Royal Navy was the mightiest floating arsenal in history, and the British were confident that His Majestys warships would quickly bring the rebellious Colonials to their knees. But they were wrong. Americas sailors became formidable warriors, matching their wits, skills, and courage against the best of the British fleet. Victories led by captains such as John Barry, Nicholas Biddle, and James Nicholson gave the patriots hope, while, along the British coastline, daring raids by John Paul Jones and the Dunkirk Pirate,” Gustavus Conyngham, sent fear throughout England. In the end, the adventures of men on both sides of the struggle contributed greatly to American independence.
Meticulously researched and masterfully told, Give Me a Fast Ship is a rousing, epic tale of war on the high seasand the definitive history of the American Navy during the Revolutionary War.
Review
Captures the din, confusion, and sheer carnage of the battle. (
The Wall Street Journal)
Review
“An exhaustively researched and fluently rendered account of the first incarnation of the American navy...A thoroughly readable history of an integral aspect of the campaign for American independence.”—Ian W. Toll, author of
Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy
“Ive seldom enjoyed a work of historical nonfiction as much as Give Me a Fast Ship...After you read it, McGrath will be one of your favorite historians, as he now is of mine.”—Jeff Guinn, New York Times bestselling author of Manson: The Life and Times of Charles Manson
“[McGraths] gripping descriptions of pursuit and combat at sea are the equal of any fiction, with the added virtue of being entirely true…solidly researched and presented with verve and gusto.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“McGrath enhances his position among American Revolution naval war historians with this comprehensive, fast-paced account of the collection of armed merchantmen (non naval vessel) manned by amateurs that took on the worlds greatest naval power.”—Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
An explosive chronicle of history's greatest sea battle In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy under Lord Horatio Nelson dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that re-creates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
Synopsis
An explosive chronicle of history's greatest sea battle, from the co-author of the forthcoming Gibraltar: The Greatest Siege in British History (March 2018)
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy under Lord Horatio Nelson dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that re-creates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
Synopsis
An explosive chronicle of historys greatest sea battle
In the tradition of Antony Beevors Stalingrad, Nelsons Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the worlds most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy under Lord Horatio Nelson dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that re-creates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
About the Author
Roy Adkins is a historian and archaeologist. He is also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London. His previous books include The Keys of Egypt: The Obsession to Decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Dictionary of Roman Religion, and Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome.