Nelson

by David Walder

AcknowledgmentsPrologueParsonage boyhoodMidshipmanThe arctic, India & AmericaNicaraguan expeditionThe end of the American warMarriage in the West IndiesOn the beachWar with FranceCombined operationsCalviFirst fleet actionOn detached serviceEvacuation of the MediterraneanSt. VincentMutiny in the fleetFailure at TeneriffeConvalescenceSpecial missionThe NileNaples & the HamiltonsPalermoSicilian counter-revolutionMediterranean activity the end of a marriageArmed neutralityCopenhagenThe BalticOff-shore squadron, BoulogneTemporary peaceWar resumedThreat of invasionParadise MertonTrafalgarAftermathSources & BibliographyIndex

Genres: Biography, History, Military Fiction

538 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Graeme Alderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written - I don’t think it’s a must read but something I think someone interested in the time would very much enjoy.

His subject is somewhat infuriating. As the author observes, Nelson contained multitudes.

[Mike Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-researched and comprehensive biography of England's most famous naval hero, Lord Horatio Nelson. The author, a former British soldier and Member of Parliament, provides insights that I would not expect in most other biographies (such as the level of detail regarding the ranking system and promotion system in the British navy during that period). However, parts of this biography seemed a little flat and overly constrained by what the contemporary letters of the time described. Given the amount of attention Nelson’s life (both his personal life and naval career) has received over the years, this book would have been well served by a little bit more independent analysis by the author as to what was going on.

For example, I thought the naval tactics and Nelson’s theory behind them should have been discussed in more detail and how they were a departure from conventional thinking at the time. As it is, they are only really discussed in the second to last chapter.

Nonetheless, the fascinating nature of the subject overcomes any deficiencies I had with reading the book.

[Brackman1066 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a terrific analysis, but good grief the editing was bad. Comma placement was haphazard, often to the detriment of meaning. I found the content fascinating, but if comma splices give you palpitations, skip this book.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good survey of the life of Admiral Nelson, both his triumphant career and his scandalous personal life. Walder did a good job covering the early parts of his career and not just focusing on his time as an Admiral.