The Island Nation: A History of Britain and the Sea
As we continue through this bicentenary year of Admiral Lord Nelsons famousvictory at Trafalgar and his death in action, this handsome book has beenpublished as the official book of SeaBritain 2005, a year long festivalinspired by Nelson and intended to celebrate Britains long love affair with thesea.
As an island and as a nation of seafarers, the sea has shaped and continues to shape British history and culture.
Britain became for awhile the most successful maritime nation of all time, creating the largest empire of all time, backed for more than 200 years by the strongest navy an the largest merchant fleet.
Britain remains a maritime nation and this volume explores its rich and complex relationship with the sea through several thousand years of history. The sea has given the British people protection whilst reinforcing a sense of separateness and isolation. The island geography has defined the national character, shaping perceived national traits such as insularity, individualism, eccentricity, and a distinctness from European neighbours.
Author Brian Lavery, curator of the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, moves skilfully between topics as diverse as the rise of the Royal Navy and the development of specialised fisheries, the motives behind exploration and emigration to the protection of British shores from invasion.
The book captures the British seafaring spirit, remembered not only in legendary figures such as Drake and Cook but continuing into the present with British sailing successes at the Athens Olympics and epitomised by Ellen MacArthur’s inspirational record breaking, single handed, round the world voyage.
The sea has also been a vital source of inspiration to British artists and writers over the years, reflected in the wealth of paintings from the collection of the National Maritime Museum used to illustrate this book.
Additional photographic imagery comes principally from the picture archives of VisitBritain and Conway Maritime Press.
Each chapter includes features on preserved ships, classic boats, museums and other notable sites such as lighthouses and canals. The volume concludes with a Gazateer listing 150 maritime attractions, all of which are part of the SeaBritain 2005 festivities.
The Island Nation: A History of Britain and the Sea
By Brian Lavery.
Published by Conway Maritime Books
ISBN 1 84486 016 7.
Hardback, 176 pages.
Price £20.
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