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The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (Oxford Reference) | 
 enlarge | Creator: Peter Kemp
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy Used: $3.77
You Save: $26.18 (87%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 779081
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 978
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3.9
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.8
ISBN: 0192820842
Dewey Decimal Number: 387.503
EAN: 9780192820846
ASIN: 0192820842
Publication Date: February 24, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy!
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Product Description
"I beg my dear will not be uneasy at my staying out so long," wrote Admiral Boscawen to his wife in 1756. "To be sure I lose the fruits of the earth, but then I am gathering the flowers of the sea." Filled with 3,700 entries and covering a span of over 5,000 years, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea offers readers the opportunity to gather also the many flowers of the world's bountiful waters. From the days when man first ventured on the waters in his primitive canoe to the modern age of the nuclear submarine, the hydrofoil, and the ultra large crude oil carriers of half a million tons, this comprehensive Companion brings together the immense field of marine terminology in one easily accessible volume.
International in scope, the Companion ranges from the ships and the men who opened up the world with their voyages into the unknown, through the struggle of nations as they developed and recognized that power and prosperity depended on the excercise of sea power, to those who wrote about and painted the sea scene. And within this wide compass lie all sorts of maritime specialties such as the changing designs of ships to meet particular needs, the huge growth of yachting as modern men and women continue to find more and more delight, relaxation, and challenge in the wide spaces of the sea, and the modern developments in navigation which so greatly simplify the art of finding one's way at sea. Also covered is the rich language of the sea, developed over centuries into a well-recognized and accepted vernacular that binds together seamen of many countries making them a breed whose colorful language quickly identifies their trade. Terms such as mizen-mast (the mast of a square-rigged sailing ship or of a three-masted schooner), bucko'mate (the mate of a sail ship who drove his crew by the power of his fists), and six water grog (a punishment in the British Navy often inflicted on seamen found guilty of neglect or drunkeness in which their daily tot of rum was diluted with six parts of water instead of the normal three) are just a few examples of the sea's unique and diverse language. Definitions, and the derivation where known, are given for most words and terms used everyday at sea, and those which have fallen into disuse through technological development are also included, as they appear so frequently in the literature of the sea. Included as well are helpful appendices on naval ranks, international signal codes, rules of the sea (important lights, daymarks, and fog signals), buoys and buoyage, and equivalents of some common units of measure, making this is an invaluable reference tool for both land and sea.
Illustrated throughout, The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea is the definitive reference of the seafaring history of the world. From biographies of those who left their mark upon the sea to accounts of naval battles and histories of famous ships to lore, language, and customs of the sea, this outstanding volume will provide hours of pleasure for all those with a love of the sea and all things nautical.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Ahoy, you landlubbers! July 18, 2007
If you want the history and particulars about seafaring since time began then this is just the book. Rag sailors to plastic pushers, it's all in there. A serious research source for writers, teachers, etc. I give them away as gifts to my psuedo-seafaring friends (hoping they will learn the difference from port and starboard).
 Disappointment January 15, 2007
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Oxford's earlier paperback of this title had larger type, larger page size, better pictures. I had expected the same book. Now I think the hardbound is a much better buy.
When you're landlocked, this will ease your days... February 3, 2006
I keep a copy of this around for those empty moments when I am bored. Opening this book to any page, I can become absorbed for a minute or an hour. ChockaBlock full of interesting tidbits. If you know any mariners, real or pretend, this book will make an excellent gift to them.
An Encyclopaedia of Ships and the Sea. January 16, 2005
Every time I pick up this book I find myself being drawn into reading far more than was either planned or expected. It is a beguiling book because each fact explained seems to lead to another which must also be found and read. But, in turning the pages one is constantly hijacked by something of interest which has simply caught the eye - and so it continues.
Laid out in true encyclopaedic form, this book contains almost one thousand pages of facts - many of which are supported by black and white graphics or photographs. The only exception is the colour used right at the end to show; Ships flags, ships lights, Buoys and Buoyage - all of which are, of course, wholly dependant on colour in order to be fully explained.
The bookshelf of anyone engaged in the research of ships and shipwrecks would be empty without a copy of this excellent and most useful publication.
NM
Best possible reference April 3, 2000
11 out of 17 found this review helpful
With an encyclopedic format, this book provides the reader with a wide array of very well written definitions, explanations and anecdotal references to all things nautical. It also includes a significant amount of biographical information on sailors of historical renown and those of more recent times. It is written in such a way as to be captivating on its own - I often find myself looking up a nautical reference and then spending many more minutes or even hours engrossed in the book because of the other items I see when looking up the first. In each entry, the terms used to describe the entry are asterisked if those terms are further defined elsewhere in the book. I found this extremely useful for knowing where else to look for more information related to the particular entry reading. An excellent reference book for novice and expert.
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