'I can resist everything except temptation.'
Lord Darlington,
LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN (1892)
by Oscar Wilde
LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN (1892)
by Oscar Wilde
On Sunday Sue and I went to Bluewater, and after having something to eat, I wandered into Waterstones, the only bookshop in the whole shopping centre. Idly looking at the rack of Osprey books that was on display, my eyes set upon one of their most recent publications, BRITISH IRONCLADS 1860-75: HMS WARRIOR AND THE ROYAL NAVY'S 'BLACK BATTLEFLEET'.
Now I already own numerous books about early British ironclads and certainly don't need another ... but like Lord Darlington, I could not resist the temptation ... and I bought a copy.
The book is divided into eight chapters, arranged as follows:
- Introduction
- Design and Development
- Warrior
- Broadside ironclads
- The wooden conversions
- Central battery ironclads
- Turret ships
- Tactical Requirements
- Armour
- Ordnance
- Shell guns
- Other weapons
- Propulsion
- Trunk engines
- Other engines
- Life on board
- Further Reading
BRITISH IRONCLADS 1860-75: HMS WARRIOR AND THE ROYAL NAVY'S 'BLACK BATTLEFLEET' was written by Angus Konstam, illustrated by Paul Wright, and published in 2018 by Osprey Publishing (ISBN 978 1 4728 2689 3) as part of their New Vanguard series (No.262).
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Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteI had seen this a couple of weeks ago as Mr Fox picked up a copy. I am positive you have more detailed information in your library but then one can never have too many books about ironclads....
Absolutely a good primer though and a handy title to have alongside Gridded Naval Wargames.
All the best,
DC
David Crook,
DeleteAs I have a copy of Oscar Parkes' BRITISH BATTLESHIPS (which is a very detailed history of British battleship design) amongst the numerous book about ironclads on my shelves, I really did not need to buy this book ... but it is such an excellent primer that I just had to buy it!
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested to learn a bit more about the "more detailed" books in your library to see what I might have missed (other than Parkes' of course). I've a number of these Osprey warship titles but have tended to limit my choices to more obscure or non British subjects precisely because I already have more detailed information in bigger - and much more expensive - works.
I can understand your inability to resist buying in this case but I'm trying to train myself not to buy books I don't really need. Of course "need" is a fairly elastic concept and with my birthday and Christmas coming I have added a few nice naval titles to my Wishlist (purely to keep my wife happy of course).
Mike Hall,
DeleteRather than trying to answer your request as a reply to your comment, I'll try to write a specific blog entry about the relevant ironclad-related books on my shelves in the very near future.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks Bob. I would find that very interesting reading.
DeleteWilliam Stewart,
DeleteWith luck, I hope to write this blog entry over the forthcoming weekend.
All the best,
Bob
I might just possibly be forced to use this book as a suggested Xmas present. Possibly. Might. Well, OK then.
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteA companion book about foreign ironclads is in the pipeline.
Perhaps that will be next year's birthday present?
All the best,
Bob
Fighting the urge as I have Conway's ;)
ReplyDeleteBut only just .. would be a nice stocking filler
Geordie and Exile FoG,
DeleteYou cannot beat good old Conway's ... but it doesn't have nice colour images, and it would be an ideal Christmas present.
You know it makes sense ...
All the best,
Bob