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mattm7n's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed it, but it tried awfully hard to paint the British in the best light possible. Lots of “colonialism wasn’t that bad” vibes.
mollye1836's review against another edition
4.0
The title is a bit much but don’t let that deter you. For the most part, this was a really engaging narrative of the British navy. I thoroughly enjoyed all the anecdotes and learned more about military history, something that usually doesn’t grab my interest (I’m more interested in the social and cultural implications of the Royal Navy, although that may sound odd). The author is a bit of an Anglophile (he did devote a book to promoting British naval supremacy) and although he delicately sidesteps most mentions of Britain’s colonial legacies (convenient) to talk about Britain’s more benevolent police actions...pax britannica etc...it is still a very engaging read. There is an undeniable romanticism there but that too is fairly true to the Royal Navy, or what it used to be, anyway. If nothing else I am grateful to Mr. Herman for reminding us that there are fine Navy men (and women) other than Nelson. Steady on.
codalion's review against another edition
2.0
Needed some serious attention from both a copyeditor and a fact-checker -- and some serious introspection about its own love affair with imperialism. Details on the early (pre-19th century) Navy were interesting.
melbsreads's review
4.0
Trigger warnings: war and everything that goes along with it.
3.5 stars.
If you're interested in naval history, read this book. If you're not SUPER DUPER interested in naval history, go ahead and bypass this one. Because, like, it's interesting. But it's also A LOT. It's nearly 600 pages (not including references) of "And then Britain built some battleships and blew everyone up".
Basically, it covers British naval history from the time of Edward III to the Falklands (though it does jump from World War II to the Falklands with no mention of what happened in between). I think the subtitle here is slightly misleading - it really doesn't explain how the Royal Navy shaped the modern world so much as it discusses events that shaped the modern world in which the Royal Navy was involved.
At times, it's a little on the dry side, but it's definitely comprehensive and easy to understand. So...there's that.
3.5 stars.
If you're interested in naval history, read this book. If you're not SUPER DUPER interested in naval history, go ahead and bypass this one. Because, like, it's interesting. But it's also A LOT. It's nearly 600 pages (not including references) of "And then Britain built some battleships and blew everyone up".
Basically, it covers British naval history from the time of Edward III to the Falklands (though it does jump from World War II to the Falklands with no mention of what happened in between). I think the subtitle here is slightly misleading - it really doesn't explain how the Royal Navy shaped the modern world so much as it discusses events that shaped the modern world in which the Royal Navy was involved.
At times, it's a little on the dry side, but it's definitely comprehensive and easy to understand. So...there's that.
sarahmcsarah's review against another edition
2.0
If you like reading about naval battles, then you will love this book. I don't, so I didn't. However, it did establish for me a timeline of the British empire, and I appreciate that.
mepitts's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Thoughtful, well-researched history of the British Navy. The lessons Britain learned as it declined in power and influence are worth US notice. Highly recommended.