Fifty Ships that Changed the Course of History is a delight for both lovers of the sea and anyone with a curiosity for what lies on the horizon. Discover the nuances and history behind some of the world’s most iconic ships, including Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour and Greenpeace’s once flagship Rainbow Warrior.
From the Stone Age to the present day, no technology has had a more profound impact on mankind than watercraft. Boats and ships made possible the settlement and conquest of new worlds. They determined the victors of history-changing wars and aided the spread of new philosophies, technologies, and religions. Even today, virtually everything we purchase and consume—from petroleum and consumer electronics to the clothes we wear and much of the food we eat—depends upon seaborne trade.
Fifty Ships that Changed the Course of History is more than just a delight for lovers of the sea—it’s a virtual history of the world told through the boats and ships that influenced how and where people lived, with whom they traded, the ideas they exchanged, and how they won and lost the battles that set the course of later generations and millennia. Fifty Ships that Changed the Course of History contains not only maritime marvels from ages past, but also some of the most iconic Australian and New Zealand watercraft. Included are the likes of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour and Greenpeace’s once flagship Rainbow Warrior. Beautifully illustrated with historic artwork and modern photography, it’s also a guide to how men and women went to sea or down the river in every age and place.
"With great colour illustrations it is a fascinating look at how ships have changed and how they have changed humanity". The Daily Telegraph
"British author, Ian Graham, has brought to life the profound impact the technology of watercraft has had on mankind." Australian National Maritime Association Newsletter
"All aboard for a fascinating journey through nautical history" Australian Boat Magazine
"a beautiful guide to fifty water vessels that played a key role in world history and had a great impact on human civilization. The text is highlighted by an excellent selection of photographs, paintings and ship plans." Australian Warship
"Stories of the sea are steeped in romance and terror in equal measure...For every voyage that discovered exotic places, another ended on the sea bottom. Yet the ocean has long held an irresistible lure for pleasure, for food, for war and trade – and this handsome book charts 50 key vessels that have marked the progress of this passion. Just naming them evokes world changing events, for better or worse: Columbus’s Santa Maria, the Pilgrim Fathers’ Mayflower, Cook’s Endeavour, Darwin’s Beagle. Ian Graham assembles an impressive fleet that takes us from oars to sail, coal-fired to nuclear powered, and propellers to pods.." Adelaide Advertiser
"Ridiculously absorbing - even for those who wouldn't know a clipper from a carrack ... A fascinating potted history of the world of ships." North & South Magazine
"Stories of the sea are steeped in romance and terror in equal measure...For every voyage that discovered exotic places, another ended on the sea bottom. Yet the ocean has long held an irresistible lure for pleasure, for food, for war and trade – and this handsome book charts 50 key vessels that have marked the progress of this passion. Just naming them evokes world changing events, for better or worse: Columbus’s Santa Maria, the Pilgrim Fathers’ Mayflower, Cook’s Endeavour, Darwin’s Beagle. Ian Graham assembles an impressive fleet that takes us from oars to sail, coal-fired to nuclear powered, and propellers to pods ..." Oceans Magazine
Ian Graham has written and co-written over 200 books on popular science, technology and history.
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