Ship History

People love mysteries, which is a good thing since history is so replete with them. This is especially true among seafaring people, and of all the mysteries of the deep, few rise to the level of the Mary Celeste. In many ways, it is a story more suited for an episode of The X-Files than it is for any history book. There is the unlucky ship that began her sailing career under a cloud of bad fortune and accident.

The riveting story of one of the most calamitous voyages in Australian history, the plague-stricken sailing ship Ticonderoga that left England for Victoria with 800 doomed emigrants on board. For more than a century and a half, a grim tale has passed down through Michael Veitch’s family: the story of the Ticonderoga, a clipper ship that sailed from Liverpool in August 1852, crammed with poor but hopeful emigrants - mostly Scottish victims of the Clearances and the potato famine. A better life, they believed, awaited them in Australia.

Explore the captivating history of the Titanic. When thinking about the worst known maritime disaster in history, it is impossible not to think about all of the lives lost in a single night. One of the wealthiest men alive (and the wealthiest passenger aboard the ship) died in the same accident that took the life of a baby younger than five months old in steerage. More than 100 years after the disaster, the survivors have passed on, but they left behind harrowing stories that remind us that every day is something to appreciate.

Historical novel based in Ireland and Spain during the period from 1640 to 1923. It tells the story of the Moore family who are part of the landed gentry while being Catholic. Follow the trials and tragedies of four generations as they navigate their way through turbulent Irish history, family and religious allegiances, while walking the fine line between sworn loyalty to the King and sympathy to growing Irish Nationalism.

In 1968, a small, dilapidated American spy ship set out on a dangerous mission to pinpoint military radar stations along the coast of North Korea. Packed with advanced surveillance equipment and classified intelligence documents, the USS Pueblo was poorly armed and lacked backup by air or sea. Its crew, led by a charismatic, hard-drinking, ex-submarine officer named Pete Bucher, was made up mostly of untested sailors in their teens and twenties.

Severely wounded, the puppy escapes his cruel masters. Driven by instinct, he faces death-defying perils as he wanders aimlessly into the unknown… To “protect” her from having epileptic seizures, Emily Jones is locked in her room. Alone and depressed, all seems hopeless until... Devastated by the tragic death of his son, Oregon lumber baron Henry “Hap” Jones becomes a recluse until a mysterious telephone call threatens what he holds dearest... After a chance encounter, Spud and Eddie fight evil as they attempt a heroic rescue... When he receives a desperate call for help, Police ...

In July 1862, Confederate Captain Raphael Semmes took command of a secret new warship. At the helm of the Alabama, he became the most hated and feared man along the Union coast, as well as a Confederate legend. Now, with unparalleled authority, depth, and a vivid sense of the excitement and danger of the time, Stephen Fox describes Captain Semmes's remarkable wartime exploits.

The Bismark was the greatest warship ever built, with guns so powerful and accurate it could destroy an enemy ship while safely staying outside the line of fire. But the Allies had to sink it...or risk losing the war. William Shirer, famed World War II correspondent and author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, captures every suspenseful moment of the perilous mission.

Built of titanium and a chrome-nickel alloy known as Inconel X, the X-15 was the fastest plane ever built, streaking through the lower reaches of outer space even before the first space capsules reached orbit. First tested in 1959, the X-15 proved to be a crucial testing ground for the astronauts and hardware in the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and even the Space Shuttle programs. Celebrated reporter Richard Tregaskis spent time with the pilots, engineers, and other key personnel involved in the project.

Listeners will learn over 100 facts about military sea and military air vehicles, such as helicopters, bombers, and stealth flighters, as well as submarines, mammoth ships, and militarized barges.

In 1858, a ship destined for the goldfields of Australia is wrecked on a reef on the outer quarter of the Solomon Islands. What happens next is a tale of courage, resilience, and adventure that will have one man questioning all that he thought he knew. A bold decision to change the route of the Elizabeth May ends in tragedy when the ship is wrecked near Heron Island. Many of the crew and the 300 Chinese laborers onboard perish and for the stricken survivors, the future looks dire. After a series of calamitous events, a longboat carrying the captain, a few crew members, and young Matt Jones ...

Starting not with the United States but with the Corsican constitution of 1755, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen moves through every continent, disrupting accepted narratives. Both monarchs and radicals play a role, from Catherine the Great of Russia, with her remarkable Nakaz, to Sierra Leone's James Africanus Horton, to Tunisia's Khayr-al-Din, a creator of the first modern Islamic constitution. Throughout, Colley demonstrates how constitutions evolved in tandem with warfare, and how they have functioned to advance empire as well as promote nations.

Embark on a riveting journey through the annals of maritime history with "The Olympians," a captivating non-fiction exploration of the legendary trio: the Titanic, Olympic, and Britannic. Uncover the untold stories and shared destinies of these magnificent White Star Line sisters as they navigate the tumultuous waters of the early 20th century. Delve into the meticulous details of the construction process, the technological advancements that set these vessels apart, and the human stories that unfolded within their steel confines.

On Monday, August 30, 1920, the S-Five, the newest member of the U.S. Navy's fleet of submarines, departs Boston on her first cruise. Two days later, as part of a routine test of the submarine's ability to crash dive, her crew's failure to close a faulty valve sends 75 tons of seawater blasting in. Before the valve can be jury-rigged shut, the S-Five sits precariously on the ocean floor under 180 feet of water. They have little air, no water, and only the dimmest of light by which to plan their escape.

For nearly 200 years huge wooden warships called “ships of the line” dominated war at sea and were thus instrumental in the European struggle for power and the spread of imperialism. Foremost among the great naval powers were Great Britain and France, whose advanced economies could support large numbers of these expensive ships. This book, the first joint history of these great navies, offers a uniquely impartial and comprehensive picture of the two forces - their shipbuilding programs, naval campaigns, and battles, and their wartime strategies and diplomacy.

Kurofune is a powerful and moving novel that explores the human cost of war and the resilience of the human spirit. This gripping story sheds light on a lesser known chapter of the Pacific theatre of World War Two, one that will leave readers with a deeper understanding on the complexities of war and its impact on individuals and communities. With its richly drawn characters, vivid battle scenes and themes of love, sacrifice and redemption, Kurofune is a must read for fans of historical fiction or anyone interested in the human cost of war.

Sixty-five thousand tons, 280 metres long. A flight deck the size of 60 tennis courts. A giant piece of Sovereign British territory that's home to up to 50 aircraft. HMS Queen Elizabeth in the biggest ship in the Royal Navy's history and one of the most ambitious and exacting engineering projects ever undertaken in the UK. But it's her ship's company of 700, alongside an air group of 900 air and ground crew, that are Big Lizzie's beating heart. And How to Build an Aircraft Carrier tells their story.

300,000 years ago a planet called Mars is dying, once a rich planet full of life, now it's quickly heading towards extinction as the magnetic field fails hundreds of feet above the planet. To restore Mars' core to how it once was a rare element called Raidem must be found, because it's the only element that can jumpstart Mars' core and reignite its atmosphere to help save all life on Mars. Captain Franz (Mar) Leir will have to pilot his starship through dangers in deep space to attempt to get the resources that could save Mars. If he can get back in time it's possible that the planet could ...

Just before midnight on April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic, the largest ship in the world, hit an iceberg, starting a chain of events that would ultimately make it history's most famous, and notorious, ship. In the over-100 years since it sank on its maiden voyage, the Titanic has been the subject of endless fascination, as evidenced by the efforts to find its final resting spot, the museums full of its objects, and the countless books, documentaries, and movies made about the doomed ocean liner.

After Sir John Franklin and his ships disappeared in the Arctic while seeking the Northwest Passage, thirty-nine rescue missions were launched, including one by the Resolute, the Royal Navy’s finest vessel. In 1854, it became locked in the ice and was abandoned. A year later, a Connecticut whaling ship discovered it drifting 1,200 miles away, a 600-ton ghost ship. The whalers boarded the Resolute and steered it through a ferocious hurricane back to Connecticut.