Two hundred years ago admirals had no staff; yet, more time. In addition to his duties of leading his fleet, an admiral was also his nation's roving ambassador. Correspondence took months to get anywhere, so he was the 'man on the spot' who made political decisions and commitments wherever his ships happened to call. Riding their flagships around for months—even years—at sea, admirals spent much of their days hunched over a desk reading correspondence and writing letters with goose-quill pens; letters to everyone: their superiors, their families, other captains, government officials high-and-low—officials of their own nation as well as of the various ports in which their ships might call. One of these most famous, and victorious, admirals was Horatio Nelson—and he was an admiral who had a way with words. Historian Steven E. Maffeo has mined his voluminous correspondence to give us the nuggets in this book—the best of Nelson; or, if you will, Nelson unexpurgated. You will find this book a great read and a reference you will return to often, in the years ahead, when you need just the right phrase. I recommend it to you.
Stephen Coonts, New York Times best-selling author of Flight of the Intruder, Fortunes of War, Combat, Deep Black, and America It is excellent that we have so much of the thoughts and words of Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.
Royal Navy and Maritime Book Reviews
...a fascinating compendium...an essential reference...
Naval History Magazine, Vol. 21, No. 5 (October 2007)
Maffeo (US Air Force Academy Library, Colorado) has prepared a large collection of the most famous remarks by iconic British Admiral Nelsen (1758-1805). Drawing from letters and other documents in a number of sources, he chose quotations for their interesting turn of phrase and their insight into his thoughts on a particular topic. Following the short quotations are several longer famous passages and other documents.
Reference and Research Book News, May 2007
[It] does provide a conveniently arranged single collection of quotations from his letters, a good introduction for those who are beginning to explore the subject, and who will, it is hoped, be sufficiently enthused to explore the letters Nicolas and White have edited, and read the biographies for the full context, as the author makes plain. . . . To supplement the quotations there is a very detailed chronology of Nelson's life, useful to beginners and experts alike, [and] brief biographies of Nelson's principal correspondents provide a quick, helpful reference.
War in History, July 2009
...an invaluable reference tool.
Rob Jerrard's Royal Navy Website
This unusual but especially valuable anthology has collected and collated a large and significant part of Nelson's often ptiy literary outpourings. While, of course, carefully selected, these writings are a pleasure to read-all 600 plus pages of them!. They are also very effective in painting a very personal portrait of the great man himself.
Ausmarine, July 2010