Sons of the Waves

“No other book resurrects the wooden world of Jack Tar in such captivating and voluminous detail.”—A. Roger Ekirch, Wall Street Journal

“[A] rollicking narrative. . . . [An] absorbing and original book. . . . Superb.”—Ben Wilson, Times (UK)

“There is much in Taylor’s book. It is interesting to see how pragmatically humane the navy could be, particularly in peacetime.”—David Mills, Sunday Times

“Sons of the Waves is the heir apparent to [John] Masefield’s book as the best introduction for the general reader to the lives of eighteenth-century British seamen. . . . Using the full range of available sources, Taylor has brought out the authentic, rarely heard, voice of Jack Tar.”—John B. Hattendorf, Times Literary Supplement

“Engrossing . . . suffused with a dark Dickensian melancholy.”—Roger Lewis, Daily Mail, Book of the Week

“Fascinating and satisfying. . . . A kaleidoscope of individual personalities and adventures.”— N. A.M. Rodger, London Review of Books

“Episodes [are] gripping to read and fascinating in their particulars.”—Ian Garrick Mason, Spectator

“Taylor is masterful, capturing moments or sensations in a way that few historians can equal. . . . Sons of the Waves will become a classic. Beautifully written and easy to read, based on original, virtually unknown memoirs, it is filled with insights and experiences of the common sailor that both confirm and defy modern assumptions.”—Frederick C. Leiner, US Naval Institute History Magazine

“The ongoing conflict between the majesty and misery of seafaring in the Age of Sail is at the heart of Sons of the Waves, Stephen Taylor’s engaging and readable new book on the lives of common British seamen.”—Jake Lundberg, WoodenBoat

Certificate of Merit, Mounbatten Book Prize awards, 2020

“An excellent book, combining an original approach to the subject with original research. Jack Tar, the quintessential British hero, emerges from this collective biography as a self-confident fellow, part of the collective body that sustained national prosperity, security and power.”—Andrew Lambert, author of Nelson

“The Royal Navy had some great leaders but what made their achievements possible was the thousands of unknown and unheard-from seamen who manned these vessels. This book starts the exploration of those fascinating lives.”—Sir Robin Knox-Johnston

“This enthusiastic account gives a vivid picture of life below decks in the era of the sailing navy. It is a classic of its kind, brimful with riotous episodes and gripping anecdotes anchored in detailed research.”—Margarette Lincoln, author of Trading in War