The Real Hornblower
The Life and Times of Admiral Sir James Gordon
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
The Real Hornblower
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Ron Bottitta
-
By:
-
Bryan Perrett
About this listen
Ever since C. S. Forester's fictional hero Horatio Hornblower began to delight audiences, there has been speculation that his adventures were based on the career of a real naval officer. Several names were suggested, but the general conclusion was that Hornblower was a composite character. In this thoroughly researched book the author argues convincingly that Forester's model was Adm. James Gordon, a flesh-and-blood hero of Nelson's navy.
Gordon entered the Royal Navy as a semi-literate eleven-year-old and rose to become Admiral of the Fleet. He took part in major sea battles, frigate actions, single-ship duels, and operations far behind enemy lines. It was the fire of Gordon's ships against Fort McHenry that inspired the American national anthem. When he died, after more than 75 years of service in the navy, The Times called him "the last of Nelson's captains".
To support his claim, Bryan Perrett points to The Commodore and Hornblower's venture into the Baltic to harass the seaward flank of Napoleon's army during its retreat from Moscow as a remarkable parallel to Gordon's invasion up the Chesapeake in 1814 and his return down the Potomac with 21 prizes. He explains that Forester lived in the United States at the time he wrote The Commodore and fearful of offending his American readers, studiously obscured the identity of the real Hornblower. In telling the largely unknown story of Admiral Gordon's active service career, the book will be appreciated not only by the thousands of fans who have enjoyed the adventures of Hornblower, but also by those interested in the naval warfare of the Napoleonic period. Listeners who enjoy biography will find that they have the added bonus of an absorbing literary and historical detective story.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2014 Bryan Perrett First published 2013 Pen & Sword Books Limited (P)2014 Audible Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Mr. Midshipman Easy
- By: Frederick Marryat
- Narrated by: Michael Healy
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 31
At fourteen, the unworldly, idealistic Jack Easy leaves the luxury of his father's estate in England and sails into a world of action and adventure aboard the sloop of war HMS Harpy. At first, Jack finds it hard to stomach the discipline of naval life and, with his mischievous sense of humor, is always getting himself into scrapes. But soon he is bravely taming a band of mutinous seamen, outwitting a wily and murderous Sicilian nobleman, and breathing the smell of gunpowder and raw steel as the Harpy chases Spanish ships on the Mediterranean.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The crazy father
- By Michael on 01-17-24
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,911
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,712
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,696
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Good Shepherd
- By: C.S. Forester
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,683
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,465
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,460
A convoy of 37 merchant ships is ploughing through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas during the most critical days of World War II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses. In charge is Commander George Krause, an untested veteran of the US Navy. Hounded by a wolf pack of German U-boats, he faces 48 hours of desperate peril trapped the bridge of the ship. Exhausted beyond measure, he must make countless and terrible decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Good Shepherd
- By BookReader on 07-16-20
By: C.S. Forester
-
Midshipman Bolitho
- By: Alexander Kent
- Narrated by: Michael Jayston
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 263
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 264
October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
This is *not* the book advertised.
- By Robert Bolin on 08-26-16
By: Alexander Kent
-
Brewer's Luck: Hornblower's Legacy
- By: James Keffer
- Narrated by: Nigel Peever
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 92
After gaining valuable experience as an aide to Governor Lord Horatio Hornblower, William Brewer is rewarded with a posting as first lieutenant on the frigate HMS Defiant, bound for American waters. Early in their travels, it seems as though Brewer’s greatest challenge will be evading the wrath of a tyrannical captain who has taken an active dislike to him. But when a hurricane sweeps away the captain, the young lieutenant is forced to assume command of the damaged ship, and a crew suffering from low morale.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lots of Action and Fun on the High Seas
- By Spooky Mike on 11-11-19
By: James Keffer
-
The Turning of the Tide
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
- Length: 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
Few authors are as closely associated with sea stories as C. S. Forester, creator of Horatio Hornblower. In this rare venture into the short-story genre, a lawyer thinks he has formulated the perfect way to dispose of a body, but it backfires in an amusing, ironic fashion.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Ripoff
- By Philip E Davis Jr on 08-28-20
By: C. S. Forester
-
Mr. Midshipman Easy
- By: Frederick Marryat
- Narrated by: Michael Healy
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 31
At fourteen, the unworldly, idealistic Jack Easy leaves the luxury of his father's estate in England and sails into a world of action and adventure aboard the sloop of war HMS Harpy. At first, Jack finds it hard to stomach the discipline of naval life and, with his mischievous sense of humor, is always getting himself into scrapes. But soon he is bravely taming a band of mutinous seamen, outwitting a wily and murderous Sicilian nobleman, and breathing the smell of gunpowder and raw steel as the Harpy chases Spanish ships on the Mediterranean.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
The crazy father
- By Michael on 01-17-24
-
Mr Midshipman Hornblower
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Christian Rodska
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,911
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,712
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,696
Shaking off this label, a shy and lonely 17-year-old, Horatio Hornblower, embarks on a memorable career in Nelson's navy on HMS Justinian. In action, adventure, and battle he is forged into one of the most formidable junior officers in the service.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First rate historical fiction
- By Jason on 04-30-17
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Good Shepherd
- By: C.S. Forester
- Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini
- Length: 7 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,683
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,465
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,460
A convoy of 37 merchant ships is ploughing through icy, submarine-infested North Atlantic seas during the most critical days of World War II, when the German submarines had the upper hand and Allied shipping was suffering heavy losses. In charge is Commander George Krause, an untested veteran of the US Navy. Hounded by a wolf pack of German U-boats, he faces 48 hours of desperate peril trapped the bridge of the ship. Exhausted beyond measure, he must make countless and terrible decisions as he leads his small fighting force against the relentless U-boats.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The Good Shepherd
- By BookReader on 07-16-20
By: C.S. Forester
-
Midshipman Bolitho
- By: Alexander Kent
- Narrated by: Michael Jayston
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 311
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 263
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 264
October 1772, Portsmouth. Sixteen-year-old Richard Bolitho waits to join the Gorgon, ordered to sail to the west coast of Africa and to destroy those who challenge the King's Navy. For Bolitho, and for many of the crew, it is a severe and testing initiation into the game of seamanship.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
This is *not* the book advertised.
- By Robert Bolin on 08-26-16
By: Alexander Kent
-
Brewer's Luck: Hornblower's Legacy
- By: James Keffer
- Narrated by: Nigel Peever
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 105
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 92
After gaining valuable experience as an aide to Governor Lord Horatio Hornblower, William Brewer is rewarded with a posting as first lieutenant on the frigate HMS Defiant, bound for American waters. Early in their travels, it seems as though Brewer’s greatest challenge will be evading the wrath of a tyrannical captain who has taken an active dislike to him. But when a hurricane sweeps away the captain, the young lieutenant is forced to assume command of the damaged ship, and a crew suffering from low morale.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lots of Action and Fun on the High Seas
- By Spooky Mike on 11-11-19
By: James Keffer
-
The Turning of the Tide
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
- Length: 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
Few authors are as closely associated with sea stories as C. S. Forester, creator of Horatio Hornblower. In this rare venture into the short-story genre, a lawyer thinks he has formulated the perfect way to dispose of a body, but it backfires in an amusing, ironic fashion.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Ripoff
- By Philip E Davis Jr on 08-28-20
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Last Kingdom
- By: Bernard Cornwell
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 9,999
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 9,036
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,984
The story is seen through the eyes of Uhtred, a dispossessed nobleman, who is captured as a child by the Danes and then raised by them so that, by the time the Northmen begin their assault on Wessex, Alfred's kingdom and the last territory in English hands, Uhtred almost thinks of himself as a Dane.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great series of books
- By Joshua on 10-02-15
By: Bernard Cornwell
-
The African Queen
- By: C. S. Forester
- Narrated by: Michael Kitchen
- Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 340
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 289
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 287
Upon her brother's death, missionary Rose Sayer and Charles Allnutt, disreputable skipper of the African Queen, become allies as, marooned in German Central Africa during World War I, they fight their old launch downriver 'to strike a blow for England'.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Book & movie
- By Astrid on 11-25-15
By: C. S. Forester
-
The Colonial Post-Captain
- Carlisle and Holbrooke Naval Adventures Series, Book 1
- By: Chris Durbin
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 108
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 108
Captain Carlisle hails from Virginia, a loyal colony of the British Crown. As the clouds of war gather, Carlisle's small frigate is ordered to Toulon on a reconnaissance mission. If battling the winter weather in the Gulf of Lions is not a sufficient challenge, Carlisle must also juggle the delicate diplomatic issues in this period of pre-war tension while contending with an increasingly belligerent French frigate. But Carlisle has additional problems unique to his colonial origins.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A prelude to the Master and Commandeer Series
- By James R. Ellis on 05-06-23
By: Chris Durbin
-
Undersea Warrior
- The World War II Story of "Mush" Morton and the USS Wahoo
- By: Don Keith
- Narrated by: David de Vries
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 37
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 33
Mush Morton was a warrior without peer. At the helm of the USS Wahoo he completely changed the way the submarines fought in the Pacific War. He would relentlessly attack the Japanese at every opportunity, burning through his supply of torpedoes in record time on every patrol. Over the course of only nine months and five patrols, Morton racked up an astounding list of achievements, including being the first American skipper to wipe out an entire enemy convoy single-handedly.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Enter Text Here
- By Lady Pamela on 06-04-24
By: Don Keith
-
Pacific Crucible: War at Sea in the Pacific, 1941-1942
- By: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 22 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,956
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,530
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,515
On the first Sunday in December 1941, an armada of Japanese warplanes appeared suddenly over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and devastated the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Six months later, in a sea fight north of the tiny atoll of Midway, four Japanese aircraft carriers were sent into the abyss. Pacific Crucible tells the epic tale of these first searing months of the Pacific war, when the U.S. Navy shook off the worst defeat in American military history and seized the strategic initiative.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Astonishingly good.
- By Mike From Mesa on 09-01-12
By: Ian W. Toll
-
The Cruel Sea
- By: Nicholas Monsarrat
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,264
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,148
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,143
Darting back and forth across the icy North Atlantic, Compass Rose played a deadly cat-and-mouse game with packs of German U-boats lying in wait beneath the ocean waves. Packed with tension and vivid descriptions of agonizing U-boat hunts, this tale of the most bitter and chilling campaign of the war tells of ordinary men who had to master their own fears before they could face a brutal menace - one that would strike without warning from the deep.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Hard Edged Historical Fiction
- By CLR on 01-20-18
-
Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates
- The Forgotten War That Changed American History
- By: Brian Kilmeade, Don Yaeger
- Narrated by: Brian Kilmeade
- Length: 4 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,863
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 2,581
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,565
When Thomas Jefferson became president in 1801, America faced a crisis. The new nation was deeply in debt and needed its economy to grow quickly, but its merchant ships were under attack. Pirates from North Africa's Barbary coast routinely captured American sailors and held them as slaves, demanding ransom and tribute payments far beyond what the new country could afford.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting history - terrible narrator
- By CJF on 12-08-15
By: Brian Kilmeade, and others
-
The Sea and Civilization
- A Maritime History of the World
- By: Lincoln Paine
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 29 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 161
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 134
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 136
A monumental retelling of world history through the lens of maritime enterprise, revealing in breathtaking depth how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, lake and stream, and how goods, languages, religions, and entire cultures spread across and along the world's waterways, bringing together civilizations and defining what makes us most human.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Comprehensive
- By Than on 12-29-19
By: Lincoln Paine
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 94
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
The Guardship
- Brethren of the Coast Series, Book 1
- By: James L. Nelson
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 26
Shortly after Thomas Marlowe's arrival in Williamsburg, Virginia, all in that newfound capital city are speaking his name. With the bounty from his years as a pirate—a life he intends to renounce and keep forever secret—he purchases a fine plantation from a striking young widow, and soon after kills the favorite son of one of Virginia's most powerful clans while defending her honor. But it is a daring feat of remarkable cunning that truly sets local tongues wagging: a stunning move that wins Marlowe command of Plymouth Prize, the colony's decrepit guardship.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
EPIC. NELSON BRINGS OUT MARLOWE'S BEST.
- By GravelGertie on 06-17-24
By: James L. Nelson
-
Bunker Hill
- A City, a Siege, a Revolution
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,058
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,813
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,810
In the opening volume of his acclaimed American Revolution series, Nathaniel Philbrick turns his keen eye to pre-Revolutionary Boston and the spark that ignited the American Revolution. In the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party and the violence at Lexington and Concord, the conflict escalated and skirmishes gave way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was the bloodiest conflict of the revolutionary war, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another Fantastic Story by Philbrick
- By Rick on 09-30-13
-
The French Prize
- A Novel
- By: James L. Nelson
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 42
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 42
Jack Biddlecomb has much to live up to, being as he is the eldest son of the esteemed Captain Isaac Biddlecomb, wealthy merchant captain, leading light of the War for American Independence, and newly minted congressman. Jack finds himself off to a promising start, however, when he’s given command of the merchant vessel Abigail bound from Philadelphia for Barbados. But even before the dock lines are cast off, the voyage, which should have been routine, begins to look like a stormy passage indeed.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
wtf is John Lee doing with this American accent
- By Kevin on 10-28-24
By: James L. Nelson
Related to this topic
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 94
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
Cochrane
- The Real Master and Commander
- By: David Cordingly
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 111
Nicknamed le loup des mers ("the sea wolf") by Napoleon, Thomas Cochrane was one of the most daring and successful naval heroes of all time. In this fascinating account of Cochrane's life, historian David Cordingly unearths startling new details about the real-life "Master and Commander", from his daring exploits against the French navy to his role in the liberation of Chile, Peru, and Brazil, and the shock exchange scandal that forced him out of England and almost ended his naval career.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
There is a better book on Lord Cochrane
- By Mark G on 07-20-15
By: David Cordingly
-
Valcour
- The 1776 Campaign that Saved the Cause of Liberty
- By: Jack Kelly
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
During the summer of 1776, a British incursion from Canada loomed. In response, citizen soldiers of the newly independent nation mounted a heroic defense. Patriots constructed a small fleet of gunboats on Lake Champlain in northern New York and confronted the Royal Navy in a desperate three-day battle near Valcour Island. Their effort surprised the arrogant British and forced the enemy to call off their invasion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
well written, well read story
- By wylie smith on 04-09-22
By: Jack Kelly
-
Sons of the Waves
- The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now, Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words. In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Navy Guy Recommends this Title
- By Lexcast on 06-17-20
By: Stephen Taylor
-
The War for All the Oceans
- From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo
- By: Roy Adkins, Lesley Adkins
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 21 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 144
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 84
Roy Adkins, with his wife, Lesley, returns to the Napoleonic War in The War for All the Oceans, a gripping account of the naval struggle that lasted from 1798 to 1815, a period marked at the beginning by Napoleon's seizing power and at the end by the War of 1812. In this vivid and visceral account, Adkins draws on eyewitness records to portray not only the battles but also the details of a sailor's life: shipwrecks, press-gangs, prostitutes, spies, and prisoners of war.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good material, horrid narration
- By SC Visel on 01-03-08
By: Roy Adkins, and others
-
The Indispensables
- The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware
- By: Patrick K. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 307
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 305
On the stormy night of August 29, 1776, the Continental Army faced annihilation after losing the Battle of Brooklyn. The British had trapped George Washington’s army against the East River, and the fate of the Revolution rested upon the shoulders of the soldier-mariners from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Serving side-by-side in one of the country’s first diverse units, they pulled off an “American Dunkirk” and saved the army by navigating the treacherous waters of the river to Manhattan.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Great Content
- By Elizabeth on 06-13-21
-
Nelson's Trafalgar
- The Battle That Changed the World
- By: Roy Adkins
- Narrated by: John Telfer
- Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 103
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 94
In the tradition of Antony Beevor's Stalingrad, Nelson's Trafalgar presents the definitive blow-by-blow account of the world's most famous naval battle, when the British Royal Navy, under Lord Horatio Nelson, dealt a decisive blow to the forces of Napoleon. The Battle of Trafalgar comes boldly to life in this definitive work that recreates those five momentous, earsplitting hours with unrivaled detail and intensity.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
kiss me hardy!!!!
- By frank on 05-09-23
By: Roy Adkins
-
Cochrane
- The Real Master and Commander
- By: David Cordingly
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 111
Nicknamed le loup des mers ("the sea wolf") by Napoleon, Thomas Cochrane was one of the most daring and successful naval heroes of all time. In this fascinating account of Cochrane's life, historian David Cordingly unearths startling new details about the real-life "Master and Commander", from his daring exploits against the French navy to his role in the liberation of Chile, Peru, and Brazil, and the shock exchange scandal that forced him out of England and almost ended his naval career.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
There is a better book on Lord Cochrane
- By Mark G on 07-20-15
By: David Cordingly
-
Valcour
- The 1776 Campaign that Saved the Cause of Liberty
- By: Jack Kelly
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
During the summer of 1776, a British incursion from Canada loomed. In response, citizen soldiers of the newly independent nation mounted a heroic defense. Patriots constructed a small fleet of gunboats on Lake Champlain in northern New York and confronted the Royal Navy in a desperate three-day battle near Valcour Island. Their effort surprised the arrogant British and forced the enemy to call off their invasion.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
well written, well read story
- By wylie smith on 04-09-22
By: Jack Kelly
-
Sons of the Waves
- The Common Seaman in the Heroic Age of Sail
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 56
British maritime history in the age of sail is full of the deeds of officers like Nelson but has given little voice to plain, "illiterate" seamen. Now, Stephen Taylor draws on published and unpublished memoirs, letters, and naval records, including court-martials and petitions, to present these men in their own words. In this exhilarating account, ordinary seamen are far from the hapless sufferers of the press gangs.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Navy Guy Recommends this Title
- By Lexcast on 06-17-20
By: Stephen Taylor
-
The War for All the Oceans
- From Nelson at the Nile to Napoleon at Waterloo
- By: Roy Adkins, Lesley Adkins
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 21 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 144
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 84
Roy Adkins, with his wife, Lesley, returns to the Napoleonic War in The War for All the Oceans, a gripping account of the naval struggle that lasted from 1798 to 1815, a period marked at the beginning by Napoleon's seizing power and at the end by the War of 1812. In this vivid and visceral account, Adkins draws on eyewitness records to portray not only the battles but also the details of a sailor's life: shipwrecks, press-gangs, prostitutes, spies, and prisoners of war.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Good material, horrid narration
- By SC Visel on 01-03-08
By: Roy Adkins, and others
-
The Indispensables
- The Diverse Soldier-Mariners Who Shaped the Country, Formed the Navy, and Rowed Washington Across the Delaware
- By: Patrick K. O'Donnell
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 307
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 305
On the stormy night of August 29, 1776, the Continental Army faced annihilation after losing the Battle of Brooklyn. The British had trapped George Washington’s army against the East River, and the fate of the Revolution rested upon the shoulders of the soldier-mariners from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Serving side-by-side in one of the country’s first diverse units, they pulled off an “American Dunkirk” and saved the army by navigating the treacherous waters of the river to Manhattan.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Great Content
- By Elizabeth on 06-13-21
-
Commander
- The Life and Exploits of Britain's Greatest Frigate Captain
- By: Stephen Taylor
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 124
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 111
Edward Pellew, captain of the legendary Indefatigable, was quite simply the greatest British frigate captain in the age of sail. Left fatherless at age eight, with a penniless mother and five siblings, Pellew fought his way from the very bottom of the navy to fleet command. Victories and eye-catching feats won him a public following. Yet he had a gift for antagonizing his better-born peers, and he made powerful enemies. Redemption came with his last command, when he set off to do battle with the Barbary States and free thousands of European slaves.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
OK
- By peter on 02-02-21
By: Stephen Taylor
-
Six Frigates
- By: Ian W. Toll
- Narrated by: Stephen Lang
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,400
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,150
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,148
Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military had become the most divisive issue facing the new government. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect American commerce against the Mediterranean pirates, or drain the treasury and provoke hostilities with the great powers? The founders, particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams, debated these questions fiercely and switched sides more than once.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
BE ADVISED THIS BOOK IS ABRIDGED
- By George Carpenter III on 09-11-08
By: Ian W. Toll
-
Broadsides: The Age of Fighting Sail, 1775-1815
- By: Nathan Miller
- Narrated by: David Rapkin
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 226
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 202
In the late 18th century, it was widely thought that to be a sailor was little better than to be a slave. "No man will be a sailor," wrote Samuel Johnson, "who has contrivance enough to get himself into jail. A man in jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company." If that were true, historian Nathan Miller suggests, then the record of sailing in the age of tall ships would likely be distinguished by few heroes and fewer grand narratives.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Misleading description, solid historical summary
- By M J Mills on 08-10-14
By: Nathan Miller
-
The Rules of the Game
- Jutland and British Naval Command
- By: Andrew Gordon, Sir John Woodward - foreword
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 34
When published in hardcover in 1997, this book was praised for providing an engrossing education not only in naval strategy and tactics, but in Victorian social attitudes and the influence of character on history. In juxtaposing an operational with a cultural theme, the author comes closer than any historian yet to explaining what was behind the often-described operations of this famous 1916 battle at Jutland.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely fascinating dissection of naval strategy
- By A personal on 09-25-21
By: Andrew Gordon, and others
-
Bunker Hill
- A City, a Siege, a Revolution
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,058
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,813
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,810
In the opening volume of his acclaimed American Revolution series, Nathaniel Philbrick turns his keen eye to pre-Revolutionary Boston and the spark that ignited the American Revolution. In the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party and the violence at Lexington and Concord, the conflict escalated and skirmishes gave way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was the bloodiest conflict of the revolutionary war, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another Fantastic Story by Philbrick
- By Rick on 09-30-13
-
A Rage for Glory
- The Life of Commodore Stephen Decatur, USN
- By: James Tertius de Kay
- Narrated by: John McDonough
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
Acclaimed author James Tertius de Kay recounts the lifeof Commodore Stephen Decatur in the first new biography of the great naval hero in almost 70 years. De Kay draws on material unavailable to previous biographers to explore Decatur’s extraordinary life. From his burning of the Philadelphia to his capture of the HMS Macedonian, Decatur demonstrated his legendary bravery at every turn.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent writing and exciting story
- By mikey on 08-02-19
-
Give Me a Fast Ship
- The Continental Navy and America's Revolution at Sea
- By: Tim McGrath
- Narrated by: Don Hagen
- Length: 19 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 80
America in 1775 was on the verge of revolution - or, more likely, disastrous defeat. After the bloodshed at Lexington and Concord, England's King George sent hundreds of ships westward to bottle up American harbors and prey on American shipping. Colonists had no force to defend their coastline and waterways until John Adams of Massachusetts proposed a bold solution: The Continental Congress should raise a navy. Meticulously researched and masterfully told, Give Me a Fast Ship is the definitive history of the American Navy during the Revolutionary War.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
I learned so much
- By William on 05-08-17
By: Tim McGrath
-
To the Uttermost Ends of the Earth
- The Epic Hunt for the South's Most Feared Ship—and the Greatest Sea Battle of the Civil War
- By: Tom Clavin, Phil Keith
- Narrated by: Joe Knezevich
- Length: 8 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 47
On June 19, 1864, just off the coast of France, one of the most dramatic naval battles in history took place. On a clear day with windswept skies, the dreaded Confederate raider Alabama faced the Union warship Kearsarge in an all-or-nothing fight to the finish, the outcome of which would effectively end the threat of the Confederacy on the high seas.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
description of battle
- By Amazon Customer on 10-26-24
By: Tom Clavin, and others
-
Struggle for Sea Power
- A Naval History of the American Revolution
- By: Sam Willis
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 110
The American Revolution was a naval war of immense scope and variety, including no less than 22 navies fighting on five oceans - to say nothing of rivers and lakes. In no other war were so many large-scale fleet battles fought, one of which was the most strategically significant naval battle in all of British, French, and American history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic perspective on American Revolution
- By J. Mar on 04-20-21
By: Sam Willis
-
Blackbeard
- America's Most Notorious Pirate
- By: Angus Konstam
- Narrated by: Eric G. Dove
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 160
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 136
Of all the colorful cutthroats who scoured the seas in search of plunder during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century, none was more ferocious or notorious than Blackbeard. As unforgettable as his savage career was, much of Blackbeard's life has been shrouded in mystery - until now. Drawing on vivid descriptions of Blackbeard's attacks from his rare surviving victims, pirate expert Angus Konstam traces Blackbeard's career from its beginnings to his final defeat in a tremendous sea battle near his base at Ocracoke Island
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
It’s alright
- By B. Williams on 02-26-21
By: Angus Konstam
-
Jutland
- The Unfinished Battle
- By: Nick Jellicoe
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 97
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 82
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 82
More than a century later, historians still argue about this controversial and misunderstood World War I naval battle off the coast of Denmark. It was the 20th century's first engagement of dreadnoughts - and while it left Britain in control of the North Sea, both sides claimed victory and decades of disputes followed. This book not only retells the story of the battle from both a British and German perspective based on the latest research, but also helps clarify the context of Germany's inevitable naval clash and the aftermath after the smoke had cleared.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Well done
- By William on 03-30-20
By: Nick Jellicoe
-
Seize the Fire
- Heroism, Duty, and the Battle of Trafalgar
- By: Adam Nicolson
- Narrated by: Adam Nicolson
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 122
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 90
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 91
Adam Nicolson takes the great naval battle of Trafalgar, fought between the British and Franco-Spanish fleets in October 1805, and uses it to examine our idea of heroism and the heroic. A story rich with modern resonance, Seize the Fire reveals the economic impact of the battle as a victorious Great Britain emerged as a global commercial empire. Nicolson not only vividly describes the brutal realities of battle but enters the hearts and minds of the men who were there.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
great narration
- By Tito on 12-06-17
By: Adam Nicolson
What listeners say about The Real Hornblower
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- AirborneVet
- 12-01-20
An Interesting History
This is an interesting history, from the British point of view, but it only loosely connects Gordon to Hornblower.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Byron
- 03-27-19
Missing final chapter
you didn't include the final chapter. Disappointed with the lack of closure and left me wanting.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Lady Pamela
- 07-05-20
Title Here....
Dull book about a Brit/Scot Admiral that not many Americans have ever heard about. RN fans will get something from Royal Naval practice and activity. A lot about imperial England will be shown, too. However, I just couldn't get into the obscure (to US readers) people and history. The listen is horrid and the sound just doesn't resonate. Got about one hour into a six hour book. DNF.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!