I. Basics
- Gosse, Phillip: The History of Piracy, The Rio Grande Press, Inc. (1988) (a
reprint of 1932 edition).
The BEST one-volume history of piracy available. Most more recent
books paraphrase, crib and rip-off this one. Covers lots of pre-1600 and
pre-Elizabethan piracy. Get this one (and Esquemeling), a
bottle of port and you're off to a good start.
- Kemp, Peter The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea, Oxford University Press
(1976) Really useful for defining all those bizarre sailor words. See:
Yarblockouse, Frapping-steads, Squinch-knees.
- Landstrom, Bjorn: The Ship: An Illustrated History, Doubleday and Company,
Inc. (no date given, but many editions exist). One of the best books on the
development of ships from logs to liners. Profusely illustrated.
- Parry, J. H. The age of Reconnaissance, The World Publishing Co. (1963) Good
solid 1 volume history of 1400-1600 maritime exploration.
|
II. Good and reasonably findable books covering period nautical and piratical
history in more depth
- Beeching, Jack: The Galleys at Lepanto, Charles Scribner's Sons (1983).
Narrative history at its best. An excellent read, and excellent history.
- Bradford, Ernle: The Sultan's Admiral, Harcourt, Brace and World (1968).
Those evil infidels !
- Conway's History of the Ship: Cogs Caravels and Galleons. The Sailing Ship
1000-1650. Unger, R (editor) UK Publisher: Conway Maritime press. USA
- Publisher: Naval Institute Press, (1994) One of the best possible references
for this stuff !
- Conway's History of the Ship: The Age of the Galley. Mediterranean Oared
Vessels since Pre- Classical Times Morrison, J. (editor) UK Publisher:
Conway Maritime press. Us Publisher: Naval Institute Press (1994)
- Friel, I. The Good Ship - Ships, shipbuilding and Technology in
England, 1200-1520 British Museum Press (1995)
"Hale how and rumbylowe/Steer well the good ship and let the wind blow"
(authentic period nautical gibberish)
- Hargreaves, R. The Narrow Seas - A history of the English Channel 400 BC-1945
Sidgewick and Jackson Ltd. UK (1959)
- Haywood, J. Dark Age Naval Power. Subtitle: A reassessment of Frankish and
Anglo-Saxon Seafaring Activity Routledge Press (1991)
- Lane, F.C. Venice: A Maritime Republic. Johns Hopkins University Press (1973)
Lots of information on the ships and the economy of shipping in the med.
Plus, and excellent history of that most maritime state, Venice !
- Morison, Samuel Eliot: The European Discovery of America (2 vols.: The
Northern Voyages and The The Southern Voyages), Oxford University Press
(1971).
- Phillips-Birt: A History of Seamanship, Doubleday and Company, Inc. (1971).
- Scammell J.V. The World Encompassed: The European Maritime Empires c.
800-1650 University of California press, 1981
- Taylor, E.G.R.: The Haven-Finding Art, American Elsevier Publishing Co.,
Inc. (1971). Very well written and researched study of the evolution of
navigation. Blows up lots of myths.
- Unger, Richard W.: The Ship in the Medieval Economy 600-1600, McGill-Queens
University Press (Montreal) (1980). This is a very in depth study of the
development of the merchant ship plus the development of the medieval
maritime economy.
|
III. Specifically Elizabethan Lace-and-Culvern period
- Quinn, David, B. and Ryan, A.N. England's sea Empire 1550-1642 George Allen
and Unwin (1983)
- Roche, T.W.E.: The Golden Hind, Praeger Publishers (1973)
- Thomas, David A.: The Illustrated Armada Handbook, HARRAP, UK (1988).
- Williams, Neville: The Sea Dogs, Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. (1975).
|
IV. More hard-core, often hard to find for sale, worth finding in a library!
- Clowes, William L.: The Royal Navy: A History from the Earliest Times to the
Present, Vol. 1, 55 BC-1600 AD, Sampson, Low Marstone and Co. (UK) (1897).
Reprinted by AMS Press, Inc., NY
(1966). Lots of period documents. My most SCA-useful source.
- Corbett, Julian S.: Drake and the Tudor Navy (2 vols.), Longman, Greens and
Co. (1898). Lots of pre-Elizabethan history, too.
- Hakluyt, Richard: The Principal Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the
English Nation. Various publishers and editions since 1600 (10 vols.). A
patriotic (and period) compilation of primary source reports and documents
pertaining to english sea exploration and adventures since saxon times
through the end of the Elizabethan era.
- Plus: The Hakluyt Society Reprints--175+ volumes of reprints of primary
sources! Ask Admiral Corwyn da Costa to get you subscription information!
They still exist!!
- Oppenheim, M.: The Naval Tracts of Sir William Monson (several volumes),
Navy Record Society (1913). Sailed and pirated in period, wrote and lectured
out of it.
|
V. Maps, Charts and Whatnot
- Havrey, P.D.A.: Medieval Maps, University of Toronto Press (1991).
- Nebenzahl, Kenneth: Atlas of Columbus and the Great Discoveries, Rand
McNally (1980). About 20.00. Still available at cut-out bookstores. A
tremendously good book, lots of color. Reproductions of maps, etc. from 1400
onwards. Buy it NOW!!
- Norden Skiold, A.E.: Facsimile-Atlas: Dover Press reprint (1973).
- Toovey, R.V.: Maps and Map Makers, Dorset Press (New York) (1990, 8th
edition).
|
VI. And finally, for now, MUST READS !! (not period, but rated "utterly
great"! by the Admiral)
- Esquemeling, John (or Alexander): The Buccaneers of America, Corner House
Publishers, Williamstowns, Mass. (1976). Really great. Start with part II,
then later read part I; written by a buccaneer who traveled with Morgan.
This is THE one to get. My ultimate favorite. PRIMARY SOURCE.
- Frasier, George MacDonald: Pyrates Knopf (1984) The pirate novel that thinks
it's an MGM movie with Doug and Errol. Wow.
- Gosse, Phillip: The Pirates Who's Who, The Rio Grande Press, Inc. (1988) (a
reprint of 1932 edition). Yes, no kidding, "Burke's Peerage" for
buccaneers...
- Harland, John: Seamanship in the Age of Sail, Naval Institute Press (1984).
Want to learn how to handle a full-rigged three-masted square rigger??
- Johnson, Captain Charles (reputed to be a pen name of Daniel Defoe): A
General History of the Pyrates, University of South Carolina Press (1972).
Hard to find, long and wordy but worth it. Includes Blackbeard's poetry.
- Knill, Harry: Pirates, Bellevophon Books (1975). A pirate coloring book for
the wee cabin lads! Plus good basic info. Some even in period.
- Any of the Captain Blood Books by Rafael Sabatini.
|
| By the way, both of the Gosse books, as well as many others both listed and
not listed, can be found at the San Francisco Maritime Museum Bookstore, Hyde
Street Pier. Well worth the trip for GOOD nautical books, all periods. And
a good cause to contribute to...
|