Publisher: Chatham Publishing, this ed., 2001 1 86176 178 3 £ 18.00

Having been an avid reader of Hornblower and similar yarns, your reviewer approached this publication with similar expectations. However, this is quite different to anything previously read from this famous author.

Peppered with often unexplained references to personalities and naval incidents that might be confusing to anyone other than the student of maritime history, the very detailed and highly researched account of Lord Nelson¹s life, loves and career is a most comprehensive biography. Nelson¹s complex character is brought to life in this 1929 account. Published just three years after Forester's first novel, the story unfolds with reference to the numerous sources and yet does not grip as a yarn in the manner expected. That is a criticism of the reader rather than the book and a better understanding of history would certainly enhance one¹s appreciation of this narrative. For the student of the man and the period, this is a comprehensive and authoritative reference source. - JDC

Page prepared 27 November 2001