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The Admirals

Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy, and King--The Five-Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea

by Walter R. Borneman ...

Discover how history's only five-star admirals triumphed in World War II and made the United States the world's dominant sea power.Only four men in American history have been promoted to the five-star rank of Admiral of the Fleet: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. These four men were the best and the brightest the navy produced, and together they led the U.S. navy to ... Read more

Was $12.99 USD Now $1.99 USD

Discover how history's only five-star admirals triumphed in World War II and made the United States the world's dominant sea power.Only four men in American history have been promoted to the five-star rank of Admiral of the Fleet: William Leahy, Ernest King, Chester Nimitz, and William Halsey. These four men were the best and the brightest the navy produced, and together they led the U.S. navy to
... Read more
Pirates

by Terry Deary ...

Illustrated by Martin Brown ...

Series series Horrible Histories
In this edition of Pirates, Terry Deary reveals the terrible truth behind the lousy pirate legends and lies.So forget the brave heroes swinging from masts and the handsome young men sailing the seven seas for this is history at its most horrible!Readers can:decide who was the baddest of the bunch in the top ten of putrid piratesdiscover why the women pirates were just as wicked as the menlearn to. ... Read more

$6.19 USD

In this edition of Pirates, Terry Deary reveals the terrible truth behind the lousy pirate legends and lies.So forget the brave heroes swinging from masts and the handsome young men sailing the seven seas for this is history at its most horrible!Readers can:decide who was the baddest of the bunch in the top ten of putrid piratesdiscover why the women pirates were just as wicked as the menlearn to.
... Read more
British Cruisers

Two World Wars and After

by Norman Friedman ...

"An extraordinarily detailed account of the development of Royal Navy cruisers . . . a towering work" from the author of Fighting the Great War at Sea ( Warship 2012).For most of the twentieth century, Britain possessed both the world's largest merchant fleet and its most extensive overseas territories. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Royal Navy always showed a particular interest in the ... Read more

$2.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

"An extraordinarily detailed account of the development of Royal Navy cruisers . . . a towering work" from the author of Fighting the Great War at Sea ( Warship 2012).For most of the twentieth century, Britain possessed both the world's largest merchant fleet and its most extensive overseas territories. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Royal Navy always showed a particular interest in the
... Read more
Sea Flight

The Wartime Memoirs of a Fleet Air Arm Pilot

by Hugh Popham ...

Hugh Popham joined the Fleet Air Arm in the summer of 1940 and was soon in training as a pilot at HMS Vincent and then Yeovilton; thereafter his wartime career as a naval pilot took him to the far corners of the world, notably to the Indian Ocean where he had to contend against the Japanese.His story is one of a naval fighter pilot having to do his best with hopelessly inadequate planes. First the ... Read more

$2.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

Hugh Popham joined the Fleet Air Arm in the summer of 1940 and was soon in training as a pilot at HMS Vincent and then Yeovilton; thereafter his wartime career as a naval pilot took him to the far corners of the world, notably to the Indian Ocean where he had to contend against the Japanese.His story is one of a naval fighter pilot having to do his best with hopelessly inadequate planes. First the
... Read more
Russian Warships in the Age of Sail 1696–1860

Design, Construction, Careers and Fates

by Eduard Sozaev, John Tredrea ...

A comprehensive history of Russia's various naval fleets in the era before steam-powered engines.Peter the Great created a navy from nothing, but it challenged and soon surpassed Sweden as the Baltic naval power, while in the Black Sea it became an essential tool in driving back the Ottoman Turks from the heartland of Europe. In battle it was surprisingly successful, and at times in the eighteenth ... Read more

$14.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

A comprehensive history of Russia's various naval fleets in the era before steam-powered engines.Peter the Great created a navy from nothing, but it challenged and soon surpassed Sweden as the Baltic naval power, while in the Black Sea it became an essential tool in driving back the Ottoman Turks from the heartland of Europe. In battle it was surprisingly successful, and at times in the eighteenth
... Read more
Submarines of the Russian and Soviet Navies

1946–2026

by Norman Polmar ...

This is the definitive history of the Russian submarine program since WWII.Submarines emerged as a particularly terrifying weapon after WWII, in no small part through the application of nuclear propulsion and the development of shipborne nuclear missiles. The Soviet Union invested huge funding into a world-class submarine program, producing innovative designs in imposing numbers.Norman Polmar is a ... Read more

$12.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

This is the definitive history of the Russian submarine program since WWII.Submarines emerged as a particularly terrifying weapon after WWII, in no small part through the application of nuclear propulsion and the development of shipborne nuclear missiles. The Soviet Union invested huge funding into a world-class submarine program, producing innovative designs in imposing numbers.Norman Polmar is a
... Read more
Castles of Steel

Britain, Germany, and the Winning of the Great War at Sea

by Robert K. Massie ...

In a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Dreadnought, elevates to its proper historical importance the role of sea power in the winning of the Great War.The predominant image of this first world war is of mud and trenches, ... Read more

$13.99 USD

In a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Peter the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, and Dreadnought, elevates to its proper historical importance the role of sea power in the winning of the Great War.The predominant image of this first world war is of mud and trenches,
... Read more
The Escort Carrier of the Second World War

Combustible, Vulnerable and Expendable!

by David Wragg ...

To the US Navy they were CVEs! To the Royal Navy auxiliary carriers! To crews of endangered merchantmen in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans they were heaven-sent protection! To their crews they were Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable!The need for air cover against enemy aircraft and submarines brought unprecedented demand for carriers. Over 100 vessels were converted on specially built for convoy ... Read more

$8.69 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

To the US Navy they were CVEs! To the Royal Navy auxiliary carriers! To crews of endangered merchantmen in the Atlantic and Arctic oceans they were heaven-sent protection! To their crews they were Combustible, Vulnerable, Expendable!The need for air cover against enemy aircraft and submarines brought unprecedented demand for carriers. Over 100 vessels were converted on specially built for convoy
... Read more
The Gales of November

The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

by John U. Bacon ...

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSmithsonian • 10 Best History Books of 2025Bookpage • Best Books of 2025"A work of spectral beauty destined to be a classic. Readers of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, Erik Larsen’s Dead Wake, and Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea will love this deeply reported tale." —Hampton Sides, New York Times best-selling author of The Wide Wide Sea and In the... ... Read more

$23.99 USD

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERSmithsonian • 10 Best History Books of 2025Bookpage • Best Books of 2025"A work of spectral beauty destined to be a classic. Readers of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm, Erik Larsen’s Dead Wake, and Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea will love this deeply reported tale." —Hampton Sides, New York Times best-selling author of The Wide Wide Sea and In the...
... Read more
The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

The Extraordinary World War II Story of the U.S. Navy's Finest Hour

by James D. Hornfischer ...

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that ... Read more

$1.99 USD

“This will be a fight against overwhelming odds from which survival cannot be expected. We will do what damage we can.”With these words, Lieutenant Commander Robert W. Copeland addressed the crew of the destroyer escort USS Samuel B. Roberts on the morning of October 25, 1944, off the Philippine Island of Samar. On the horizon loomed the mightiest ships of the Japanese navy, a massive fleet that
... Read more
Knife's Edge

South Pacific Carrier Battles from the Eastern Solomons to Santa Cruz

by Robert C. Stern ...

A World War II naval history of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz carrier battles that tested U.S. momentum after Midway.While the resounding American victory at Midway in June 1942 blunted Japanese momentum to a great extent, it left the opposing forces precariously balanced, particularly in the South Pacific. In Knife‘s Edge Robert C. Stern provides an account of the Battles of the Eastern ... Read more

$30.29 USD

A World War II naval history of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz carrier battles that tested U.S. momentum after Midway.While the resounding American victory at Midway in June 1942 blunted Japanese momentum to a great extent, it left the opposing forces precariously balanced, particularly in the South Pacific. In Knife‘s Edge Robert C. Stern provides an account of the Battles of the Eastern
... Read more
Blunting the Spear

The Pacific Carrier War from Pearl Harbor to the Doolittle Raid

by Robert C. Stern ...

This compelling book explores the first four months of fighting in the Pacific between the United States and its Allies against Japan, focusing mainly on the aircraft carrier action of the respective navies in the Pacific Theater.In the chaotic months after Pearl Harbor, the Pacific War was anything but certain. The U.S. Navy, reeling from sudden loss, scrambled to slow Japanese momentum, while ... Read more

$32.39 USD

This compelling book explores the first four months of fighting in the Pacific between the United States and its Allies against Japan, focusing mainly on the aircraft carrier action of the respective navies in the Pacific Theater.In the chaotic months after Pearl Harbor, the Pacific War was anything but certain. The U.S. Navy, reeling from sudden loss, scrambled to slow Japanese momentum, while
... Read more
In Harm's Way

The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors

by Doug Stanton ...

A harrowing, adrenaline-charged account of America's worst naval disaster -- and of the heroism of the men who, against all odds, survived.On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four ... Read more

$12.99 USD

A harrowing, adrenaline-charged account of America's worst naval disaster -- and of the heroism of the men who, against all odds, survived.On July 30, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was torpedoed in the South Pacific by a Japanese submarine. An estimated 300 men were killed upon impact; close to 900 sailors were cast into the Pacific Ocean, where they remained undetected by the navy for nearly four
... Read more
Under the Black Flag

The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates

by David Cordingly ...

“This is the most authoritative and highly literate account of these pernicious people that I have ever read.”—Patrick O'Brian“[A] wonderfully entertaining history of pirates and piracy . . . a rip-roaring read . . . fascinating and unexpected.”—Men's JournalThis rollicking account of the golden age of piracy is packed with vivid history and high seas adventure. David Cordingly, an acclaimed ... Read more

$10.99 USD

“This is the most authoritative and highly literate account of these pernicious people that I have ever read.”—Patrick O'Brian“[A] wonderfully entertaining history of pirates and piracy . . . a rip-roaring read . . . fascinating and unexpected.”—Men's JournalThis rollicking account of the golden age of piracy is packed with vivid history and high seas adventure. David Cordingly, an acclaimed
... Read more
The Wager

A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

by David Grann ...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on The Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.A Best Book of the ... Read more

$14.99 USD

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on The Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.A Best Book of the
... Read more
The Hunt for Hitler's Warship

by Patrick Bishop ...

Winston Churchill called it "the Beast." It was said to be unsinkable. More than thirty military operations failed to destroy it. Eliminating the Tirpitz, Hitler's mightiest warship, a 52,000-ton behemoth, became an Allied obsession.In The Hunt for Hitler's Warship, Patrick Bishop tells the epic story of the men who would not rest until the Tirpitz lay at the bottom of the sea. In November of 1944 ... Read more

$14.99 USD

Winston Churchill called it "the Beast." It was said to be unsinkable. More than thirty military operations failed to destroy it. Eliminating the Tirpitz, Hitler's mightiest warship, a 52,000-ton behemoth, became an Allied obsession.In The Hunt for Hitler's Warship, Patrick Bishop tells the epic story of the men who would not rest until the Tirpitz lay at the bottom of the sea. In November of 1944
... Read more
A Signal Victory

The Lake Erie Campaign, 1812-1813

by David C Skaggs, Gerard Altoff ...

Series series Bluejacket Books
The Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813 is considered by many to be the most important naval confrontation of the War of 1812. Made famous by the American fleet commander Oliver Hazard Perry's comment, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," the battle marked the U.S. Navy's first successful fleet action and was one of the rare occasions when the Royal Navy surrendered an entire squadron. ... Read more

$15.99 USD

The Battle of Lake Erie on 10 September 1813 is considered by many to be the most important naval confrontation of the War of 1812. Made famous by the American fleet commander Oliver Hazard Perry's comment, "We have met the enemy and they are ours," the battle marked the U.S. Navy's first successful fleet action and was one of the rare occasions when the Royal Navy surrendered an entire squadron.
... Read more
Sea of Troubles

The European Conquest of the Islamic Mediterranean and the Origins of the First World War

by Ian Rutledge ...

In the mid-eighteenth century, most of the Mediterranean coastline and its hinterlands were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, a vast Islamic power regarded by Christian Europe with awe and fear. By the end of the First World War, however, this great civilisation had been completely subjugated, and its territories occupied by European powers. Sea of Troubles is the definitive account of the ... Read more

$22.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

In the mid-eighteenth century, most of the Mediterranean coastline and its hinterlands were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, a vast Islamic power regarded by Christian Europe with awe and fear. By the end of the First World War, however, this great civilisation had been completely subjugated, and its territories occupied by European powers. Sea of Troubles is the definitive account of the
... Read more
Spy Ships

One Hundred Years of Intelligence Collection by Ships and Submarines

by Norman Polmar, Lee J. Mathers ...

Almost from the first days of seafaring, men have used ships for “spying” and intelligence collection. Since early in the twentieth century, with the technological advancements of radio and radar, the U.S. Navy and other government agencies and many other navies have used increasingly specialized ships and submarines to ferret out the secrets of other nations. The United States and the Soviet ... Read more

$25.19 USD

Almost from the first days of seafaring, men have used ships for “spying” and intelligence collection. Since early in the twentieth century, with the technological advancements of radio and radar, the U.S. Navy and other government agencies and many other navies have used increasingly specialized ships and submarines to ferret out the secrets of other nations. The United States and the Soviet
... Read more
The Safeguard of the Sea

A Naval History of Britain 660-1649

by N A M Rodger ...

Throughout Britain's history, one factor above all others has determined the fate of the nation: its navy. N. A. M. Rodger's definitive account reveals how the political and social progress of Britain has been inextricably intertwined with the strength - and weakness - of its sea power, from the desperate early campaigns against the Vikings to the defeat of the great Spanish Armada. Covering ... Read more

$22.09 USD

Throughout Britain's history, one factor above all others has determined the fate of the nation: its navy. N. A. M. Rodger's definitive account reveals how the political and social progress of Britain has been inextricably intertwined with the strength - and weakness - of its sea power, from the desperate early campaigns against the Vikings to the defeat of the great Spanish Armada. Covering
... Read more
Shadow Divers

The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II

by Robert Kurson ...

In the tradition of Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm comes a true tale of riveting adventure in which two weekend scuba divers risk everything to solve a great historical mystery–and make history themselves.For John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, deep wreck diving was more than a sport. Testing themselves against treacherous currents, braving depths that induced ... Read more

$11.99 USD

In the tradition of Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air and Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm comes a true tale of riveting adventure in which two weekend scuba divers risk everything to solve a great historical mystery–and make history themselves.For John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, deep wreck diving was more than a sport. Testing themselves against treacherous currents, braving depths that induced
... Read more
Killing the Bismarck

Destroying the Pride of Hitler's Fleet

by Iain Ballantyne ...

"An excellent account . . . A suspenseful narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats." — WWII History MagazineIn May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck, accompanied by heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, broke out into the Atlantic to attack Allied shipping. The Royal Navy's pursuit and subsequent destruction of Bismarck was an epic of naval warfare.In this new account of those dramatic ... Read more

$12.99 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

"An excellent account . . . A suspenseful narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats." — WWII History MagazineIn May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck, accompanied by heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, broke out into the Atlantic to attack Allied shipping. The Royal Navy's pursuit and subsequent destruction of Bismarck was an epic of naval warfare.In this new account of those dramatic
... Read more
British Destroyers & Frigates

The Second World War & After

by Norman Friedman, A D Baker ...

"A comprehensive survey of the design history and development of the Royal Navy's greyhounds of the sea."— WARSHIPS MagazineSince World War II, the old categories of destroyer and frigate have tended to merge, a process that this book traces back to the radically different "Tribal" class destroyers of 1936. It deals with the development of all the modern destroyer classes that fought the war, ... Read more

$11.59 USD or Free with Kobo Plus

"A comprehensive survey of the design history and development of the Royal Navy's greyhounds of the sea."— WARSHIPS MagazineSince World War II, the old categories of destroyer and frigate have tended to merge, a process that this book traces back to the radically different "Tribal" class destroyers of 1936. It deals with the development of all the modern destroyer classes that fought the war,
... Read more
Tsushima 1905

Death of a Russian Fleet

by Mark Lardas, Paul Kime, Bounford.com ...

Series Book 330 - Campaign
A highly illustrated study of the naval campaign of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, focusing on the decisive battle of Tsushima.Japan was closed to the world until 1854 and its technology then was literally medieval. Great Britain, France and Russia divided the globe in the nineteenth century, but Japan was catching up. Its army and navy were retrained by Western powers and equipped with the ... Read more

$18.29 USD

A highly illustrated study of the naval campaign of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, focusing on the decisive battle of Tsushima.Japan was closed to the world until 1854 and its technology then was literally medieval. Great Britain, France and Russia divided the globe in the nineteenth century, but Japan was catching up. Its army and navy were retrained by Western powers and equipped with the
... Read more

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