In this Issue

	Review by Norman Brown
	Nick Basbanes's Maritime Pick

Booklist News

We are very happy to exchange links with America’s preeminent bibliophile and a Naval Officer Nickolas B. Basbanes. Nick’s books are always very entertaining and do inspire passion (not madness) for books, people and history. Also, from time to time he will be recommending books.

A celebrated journalist, maritime aficionado and a long time book reviewer for the Associated Press, Norman N. Brown will be contributing his insightful views on new maritime titles.

Nick's Maritime Pick

"The books I would recommend for your site are Six Frigates by Ian. Toll and The Middle Sea by John Julius Norwich "- Nick Basbanes http://www.nicholasbasbanes.com

Six Frigates by Ian. Toll - W.W.Norton - hard cover - 560 pages - illustrations - September 2006- $27.95

From the Publisher
From the decision to build six heavy frigates, through the cliffhanger campaign against Tripoli, to the war that shook the world in 1812, Ian W. Toll tells this grand tale with the political insight of Founding Brothers and a narrative flair worthy of Patrick O’Brian.

The Middle Sea by John Julius Norwich - Doubleday - hard cover - 688 pages - illustrations - November 2006- $39.95

From the Publisher and The BookList
Possibly as a reflection of the current climate and the preoccupation with war, the book's focus is nation building and nation demise with a few cursory remarks on philosophy, art and science - the key triumvirate that was nascent at Mediterranean shores and sustains the humanity ever since. This said, the work does create a broader historical framework within which it will be easier to understand and appreciate our key achievements. “In a vivid, fully accessible narrative, Norwich recounts history of nations that rose and fell on the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea . The waters of which nurtured three of the most dazzling civilizations of antiquity, witnessed the birth of the three of our greatest religions,” and provided the principal means of communications that are only parallel to today's internet. The story that starts in ancient Egypt and ends at Versailles . It is reminiscent of the best of Channel 13's documentary series (a bit more raiser thanks to the private escapades of ancient and not so ancient rulers) that one thoroughly enjoys and can't wait for the next part to be entertained and learn something important. When in paperback, The Middle Sea will not be too heavy for the subway commute, meanwhile it is a great bedtime read.

The Mediterranean history and culture is an inexhaustible fountain of inspiration and here are a few more recent titles that tapped into that source.

Reviews by Norman N. Brown

CARRIER BATTLES: Command Decision in Harm’s Way by Douglas V. Smith- Naval Institute Press - hard cover - 346 pages - illustrations & maps - November 2006- $32.95
An Excerpt, for a Full Article please visit Going Coastal Book List

Douglas V. Smith has an extensive background as a career naval officer and scholar. He holds a Ph.D. in military history and was at one time, just two decades ago, Head of War Planning for the U.S. Naval forces based in Europe. It is on his knowledge of war planning that he has mostly drawn upon to write “Carrier Battles”, an examination of the five major battles of the Pacific War that involved that type of ship. Smith has opted to grade the performance of the commanders in the five major aircraft carrier clashes as a college professor would do, with A’s, A pluses, B’s, B minuses, etc., on the strength of their understanding of the tactical and strategic problems posed to them, their speed and decisiveness in acting and reacting to the realities of combat. It is quite interesting to become aware of these novel evaluations of figures of naval brass who have become part of the pantheon of American naval heroes. Knowledgeable readers may agree or not with Smith’s grades, but they are evidently given with fairness on the basis on which they are judged. In reaching these evaluations, Smith provides an adequately detailed chronicle of the five major naval actions involving aircraft carriers. His descriptive style is direct and succinct, and even readers who are familiar with the actions involved will not tire from going over them once again. “Carrier Battles” provides much matter for thought and interesting conclusions. Also, extensive notes and indexes which definitively assert that this book is a naval history heavyweight, easy to read and to learn from.

BLUE & GRAY NAVIES: The Civil War Afloat by Spencer C. Tucker - Naval Institute Press - hard cover - 426 pages - illustrations & maps - 2006- $34.95
An Excerpt, for a Full Article please visit Going Coastal Book List

Seasoned historian and prolific writer Spencer C. Tucker, author of 25 books, gives the reader in “Blue & Gray Navies” a general view of the American Civil War insofar as ships were employed during its duration for diverse belligerent purposes. Although this books runs to 426 pages –including glossary, bibliography and notes– and affords remarkably extensive and varied coverage of the navies of the Union and the Confederacy, it is by no means a ponderous, complex work. It is direct and agile in its language, facts which contribute to make an interesting subject even more so.