Looking for the best Naval History books? Browse our list to find excellent book recommendations on the subject.
- Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy (2008)
- The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 (Dodo Press) (2008)
- The Sea and Civilization: A Maritime History of the World (2015)
- Mission Beyond Darkness (2019)
- The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery (2017)
- Sink the Bismarck! (A Bantam book) (1959)
- The Naval War of 1812: A Complete History (2017)
- American Naval History: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (2018)
- Destroyer Squadron 23: Combat Exploits of Arleigh Burke’s Gallant Force (Bluejacket Books) (2012)
- The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649-1815 (2006)
- Naval Air Station Pensacola (Images of Aviation) (2014)
Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy (2008)
“A fluent, intelligent historygive[s] the reader a feel for the human quirks and harsh demands of life at sea.”―New York Times Book Review Before the ink was dry on the U.S. Constitution, the establishment of a permanent military became the most divisive issue facing the new government. The founders―particularly Jefferson, Madison, and Adams―debated fiercely. Would a standing army be the thin end of dictatorship? Would a navy protect from pirates or drain the treasury and provoke hostility?
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 (Dodo Press) (2008)
Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914) was a United States Navy officer, geostrategist, and educator. His ideas on the importance of sea power influenced navies around the world, and helped prompt naval buildups before World War I. Despite his success in the Navy, his skills in actual command of a ship were not exemplary, and a number of vessels under his command were involved in collisions.
The Sea and Civilization: A Maritime History of the World (2015)
A monumental retelling of world history through the lens of the sea—revealing in breathtaking depth how people first came into contact with one another by ocean and river, lake and stream, and how goods, languages, religions, and entire cultures spread across and along the world’s waterways, bringing together civilizations and defining what makes us most human. The Sea and Civilization is a mesmerizing…
Mission Beyond Darkness (2019)
Yet this is exactly what sixty-four men did in the twilight hours of June 19th, 1944.Not one of the pilots or their crew hesitated as they got into their planes. “They did what their commanders and their country told them to do. They carried out a ‘mission beyond darkness.’” Robert M. Citino, Navy TimesMission Beyond Darkness by Lt. Commander J.
The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery (2017)
Paul Kennedy's now classic book traces Britain's rise and fall as a sea power from the Tudors to the present day.
Sink the Bismarck! (A Bantam book) (1959)
Series: A Bantam book Paperback: 118 pages Publisher: Bantam Books (1959) Language: English ASIN: B0007DN3FO Package Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.9 x 0.4 inches Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars 22 customer reviews Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,242,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #10502 in Naval Military History #40878 in World War II History (Books) Wou…
The Naval War of 1812: A Complete History (2017)
Although only 23 years old at the time of publication, Theodore Roosevelt made his mark as a military scholar with this detailed analysis of naval combat between the United States and Great Britain from 1812–15.
American Naval History: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) (2018)
This fast-paced narrative charts the history of the US Navy from its birth during the American Revolution through to its current superpower status.
Destroyer Squadron 23: Combat Exploits of Arleigh Burke’s Gallant Force (Bluejacket Books) (2012)
Called one of the most inspiring stories to come out of World War II when first published in 1959, this epic account of Arleigh Burke’s legendary Destroyer Squadron 23 is much more than a story of ships and their tactical deployment.
The Command of the Ocean: A Naval History of Britain, 1649-1815 (2006)
“The Command of the Ocean” describes with unprecedented authority and scholarship the rise of Britain to naval greatness, and the central place of the Navy and naval activity in the life of the nation and government.
Naval Air Station Pensacola (Images of Aviation) (2014)
A sign at the gate of Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) welcomes visitors to “The Cradle of Naval Aviation.” And, indeed it is. The world’s first naval aeronautical station, it came into being when the USS Mississippi (BB-23) arrived in Pensacola on January 20, 1914, with seven aircraft, nine officers, and 23 men. Today, NASP is a dynamic, active station, hosting several schools and several branches of the US military.
Best Naval History Books You Must Read
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some naval history books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
The Battle of Tsushima: The History and Legacy of the Decisive Naval Battle that Ended the Russo-Japanese War
Author(s): Charles River Editors
ID: 3198393, Publisher: Charles River Editors, Year: 2022, Size: 1 Mb, Format: epub
At the Dawn of Airpower: The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps' Approach to the Airplane, 1907-1917
Author(s): Laurence M. Burke II (author)
ID: 3313796, Publisher: Naval Institute Press, Year: 2022, Size: 10 Mb, Format: pdf
Destruction of the Steamboat Sultana: The Worst Maritime Disaster in American History
Author(s): Gene Eric Salecker
ID: 3320482, Publisher: Naval Institute Press, Year: 2022, Size: 8 Mb, Format: epub
Please note that this booklist is not errorless. Some books are absolutely chart-busters according to USA Today, others are drafted by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant links you could recommend? Drop a comment if you have any feedback on the list.