The destination for history
Maritime
Our diverse maritime and inland waterways list will please any enthusiast, intrepid cruiser or armchair traveller. The sea is a vital aspect of our island nation’s heritage, and many of our books pay homage to this. Take to the ocean with one of our Royal Navy or Merchant Navy histories, or stay closer to the shore with our ever-popular books on fishing vessels and the fishing industry.
If you long for the elegance of the classic liners, you will enjoy our range of stunning photographic books, from RMS Lusitania and Mauretania to SS Normandie or the United States, or you could explore the passenger steamers once so prevalent around Britain, from the Bristol Channel to the Clyde.
Those who love to cruise are well catered for: the beautiful Photographic Journey series offers extensive tours of Cunard’s magnificent Queens from QE2 to Queen Victoria, alongside company histories of great shipping lines from P&O to the Union Castle Line.
Titanic enthusiasts can choose from a vast collection of Titanic and Olympic-class titles, including photographic histories, biographies, scientific studies, and the memoirs of survivors. And for lovers of canals and waterways, we offer a variety of histories and guides to Britain’s navigation network, whether your interest is in narrowboats, the industrial past or the restoration work of today.
Learn more about maritime history
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Canals of the British Isles: A history
The complicated, confusing and convoluted history of waterways in Britain
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Leviathans’ revenge: Whales that attacked ships
Graham Faiella, author of Thrilling Tales of the Sea series, recounts five tales of ships that were attacked by whales
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The call of the water: Life on Britain’s rivers and canals
Julian Dutton on why he wrote about living afloat in Britain
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A short history of Sheerness Dockyard
The first ever secretary of the Admirality, Samuel Pepys, helped establish Sheerness Dockyard in the 17th century
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MS Pilsudski: The largest shipwreck off the Yorkshire coast
A tragic end to MS Pilsudski’s first wartime voyage
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Terrible true tales of life at sea
The many perils of life at sea in the age of the sailing boat
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The craziest things overheard on a cruise ship
Some examples of the sort of crazy things passengers say on a cruise ship
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10 facts about Blackbeard
10 little-known facts about the infamous pirate Blackbeard
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Seven things you (probably) didn’t know about Portsmouth Dockyard
How much do you really know about the long history of Portsmouth Dockyard?
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Diving the wreck of Carpathia
Sunk in 1918, Carpathia’s wreck was first explored by divers in 2001
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Wonders of the UK’s waterways
Exploring the rich heritage of the UK’s canal network
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The sinking and raising of the Mary Rose
The Mary Rose was one of Henry VIII’s favourite warships until she sank in 1545
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Salsette: 100 years under the sea
The P&O liner Salsette was torpedoed in 1917 and is now a popular wreck dive
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The progression of transatlantic liners through history
Tracing major evolutions in passenger ship design
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Top tips for narrowboat life
A helpful guide for those choosing whether or not to live on the waterways
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The Falkirk Wheel: Building a waterway wonder
An exceptional feat of modern engineering and an inspirational sculpture for the twenty-first century
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The brief but glorious career of SS Normandie
The luxurious Art-Deco French passenger liner Normandie ended her brief career after a devastating fire
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RMS Mauretania: Cunard’s most luxurious ocean liner
Mauretania interior designs: from opulent to practical
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The Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916
The battle that won the war
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The sinking of the RMS Lusitania
An eyewitness account
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The romance of the high seas
The Boat Deck proved the perfect backdrop for Cupid’s endeavours
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Day-trip to disaster: the Zeebrugge tragedy
The Herald of Free Enterprise story
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Q&A with Simon Mills, owner of the HMHS Britannic wreck
Simon answers questions about the wreck and the importance of conserving history...
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Sea devils: Pioneer submariners
How WWI secured the presence of the submarine
