Sea Battles: A Reference Guide by Michael Sanderson

Sea Battles: A Reference Guide by Michael Sanderson lands on the shelves of my shop.

Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1975, Hardback in dust wrapper.

1st Cheap Edition, includes promotional wrap around band. Jacket illustration: The Four Days’ Battle, 1-4 June 1666 – oil painting by Pieter Cornelis Soest. Illustrated by way of: Black & White Plates; Maps;

From the cover: This is a concise account of the principal sea battles of history, taking us through some 2,000 years from the Graeco-Persian Wars in 499-448 BC to the end of the Second World War. The number of sea battles throughout history is obviously so large that the book has been limited, with a few exceptions, to those battles fought between considerable forces in the open sea. Even so, there are accounts of over 250 battles arranged in alphabetical order and placed in the context of the wars to which they belong and other engagements during the same period. But although facts predominate, we cannot fail to feel the atmosphere and excitement of some of these dramatic conflicts the disastrous disgrace experienced by Mark Antony as he failed, along with Cleopatra, to prevent Octavian gaining access to the East and its riches; the delight of the English as their nimble ships worried at the heels of the Armada like terriers whilst it proceeded slowly up Channel; the satisfaction and joy felt by the British fleet, and transmitted to a demoralised nation at home, after the resounding victory at Cape St Vincent in which it defeated a Spanish force twice its size through skill, efficiency and the daring tactics of Nelson.

Designed as a reference guide to readers whose interest in the subject has been awakened and who require a short narrative of each event, the main text is supported by numerous illustrations, sketch maps and plans. As a preface to the book there is a valuable chronological table of sea battles.

Very Good in Good Dust Wrapper. Dust wrapper faded at the spine otherwise a very well presented copy.

Burgundy boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 199 pages. Bibliography. 9¾” x 7½”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!

sea battles a reference guide michael sanderson newton abbot david charles 0715366483

sea battles a reference guide michael sanderson newton abbot david charles 0715366483 b

The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal: Exploring the Ghost Fleet of the South Pacific by Robert D. Ballard with Rick Archbold

The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal: Exploring the Ghost Fleet of the South Pacific by Robert D. Ballard with Rick Archbold lands on the shelves of my shop.

Warner, 1993, Hardback in dust wrapper.

Illustrated by way of: Black & White Photographs; Colour Photographs; Maps;

From the cover: IRON BOTTOM SOUND IT GETS ITS NAME FROM ALL the ships that sank there. From August to November of 1942 the tropical waters off the small island of Guadalcanal were the scene of some of the fiercest sea battles of World War II. Fifty years later, Robert Ballard, the man who discovered the Titanic and the Bismarck, took his exploration team to Guadalcanal. Their goal was not one ship but an entire naval battlefield. On board were some of the men who had served on those ships that now lay beneath Iron Bottom Sound. The memories of these survivors help tell a powerful, poignant story of men and ships and war.

The Lost Ships of Guadalcanal re-creates the whole story of the campaign that changed the course of the Pacific war. For all the fame of its air and land battles, Guadalcanal is also a compelling story of sailors and warships. In fact, more Americans died in Guadalcanal waters than on land. The terror and confusion of night naval action is conveyed here in gripping chapters that describe first the bitter American defeat in the Battle of Savo Island and then the struggle to eventual victory in the climactic Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. We then descend in Ballards submarine to view scenes of American, Australian, and Japanese ships lying together on the ocean floor, their guns still eerily pointing at each other.

With over 300 illustrations, this book has all the pictorial richness that helped make bestsellers of Robert Ballards two previous books, The Discovery of the Titanic and The Discovery of the Bismarck. Haunting pictures of the wrecks are paired with photographs of the ships in their prime; a spectacular full-page foldout reveals the USS Quincy and the Canberra, painted in accurate detail by maritime artist Ken Marschall. Full-colour maps and diagrams plus a host of paintings and present-day photographs help to both re-create this extraordinary chapter in the history of the Pacific war and convey the excitement of modern underwater exploration.

Very Good in Good Dust Wrapper. A little rubbing to the edges of the dust wrapper with substantial fading to the spine. Dust wrapper a little loose. Text complete, clean and tight.

Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine & Upper Board. 227 pages. Index. Bibliography. 11¼” x 8¾”.

Of course, if you don’t like this one there are plenty more available here!