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A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O'Brian's Seafaring Tales
by Dean King, John B. Hattendorf, J. Worth Estes
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Little Brown and Company (1995-04)
ISBN: 0805038167
EAN: 9780805038163
Dewey Decimal #: 823.914
Binding/Media: Paperback - 411 pages
Edition: First Edition
SKU: PT-MN6H-5NGK
Condition: Very Good
Comments: Trade paperback from Henry Holt and Co. (NY:1995), this is - A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion for Patrick O'Brian's Seafaring Tales by Dean King, with John B. Hattendorf and J. Worth Estes. Clean and tight, with a little tanning from age. Cover curls up a bit. Very nice copy.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
A companion reference for fans of the popular historical fiction series includes more than two thousand cross-referenced terms, diagrams, maps, and accompanying short essays. Original. 25,000 first printing.
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Customer Reviews
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More Translation Needed
Rating  (4)
Date: 2010-07-27
An American, and so impressed by the movie "Master and Commander...,"and of some experience in sailing, I've used this book. But, it does not go far enough. Mr. King, the author, has stated that any such book will be short of the ideal. Well, it is far short, and I can't supply all the individual instances where the book does fall short. I'm into the sixth volume of the O'Brian series, and have enjoyed them very much and look forward to the rest. However, I've spent as much time going to atlases, this book, etc., trying to follow Aubrey's & Maturin's adventures, as I have in reading the novels.
This book is woefully lacking in well-illustrated maps. There could have been a section of well-illustrated maps for each of the novels. The maps included are terrible. The sections on the background of early 18th Century politics and medical practices are fine. This work should have been in 2 volumes, because there are far more terms, expressions, etc., than this book includes. I sense some cost cutting.
The book is indispensable for understanding O'Brian to some degree, and that gets to a larger point: The O'Brian series should have been translated for American audiences, while preserving as much as possible O'Brian's excellent gift for language. Someone once mentioned that the biggest division between the Americans and the British is the English language. The O'Brian novels confirm this. Oh, I'll press on to the end, like Aubrey & Maturin, but, god! What a difficult cruise!
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Excellent addition to your O'Brian collection
Rating  (5)
Date: 2009-06-20
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
All the words and phrases to fully understand the meaning behind the words of O'Brian. Also insight into the world of the Royal Navy in Aubrey's time including the ships and the surgeon's life. I highly recommend this book!
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Valuable reference, could use more contextual quotes
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-09-30
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Second Edition.
A valuable companion for O'Brian's books that would be even better if included more contextual quotes or explanations of how O'Brian used some of the terms in the books.
Pair this with Harbors and High Seas, 3rd Edition : An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Complete Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O'Brian, Third Edition on your reference shelf if you are a real fan.
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An Excellent Companion Volume For The Series
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-09-20
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
Covering all of the arcane terms and characters from the age of Napoleonic Fighting Sail, this book makes an excellent companion for the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. From an "Able Seaman" to a "Younker", "a Sea Of Words" covers the terms needed to understand this lost age. A vital reference for any arm-chair Admiral.
Unless you are an expert in the subject of square-rigged sailing ships, this book should be purchased along with the first book of the series "Master and Commander" and remain at one's side. It will serve the reader in good stead throughout the entire series.
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A Sea of Words
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-07-14
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
An excellent book, I found all the words I could not find in other nautical terms compilations, well described too!
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