Over the past few days, I read Diane Carey’s Banners, a novel about the War of 1812, published last year by Koehlerbooks, presumably to commemorate the 200th-anniversary of the attack on Fort McHenry and the writing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Last night I finished the book. Carey was a prolific Star Trek novelist, publishing twoContinue reading “Francis Scott Key and the War of 1812: Diane Carey’s novel Banners”
Tag Archives: Fighting Sail
On the BBC’s HMS Surprise
For people, like myself, enchanted with the Age of Fighting Sail, the BBC is broadcasting online a radio dramatization of HMS Surprise, the second book in Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey and Maturin series of novels, on Afternoon Play. It’s 1804, the Napoleonic Wars are in full swing, and Lucky Jack Aubrey is back at sea! It’sContinue reading “On the BBC’s HMS Surprise”
On Reading Naval History
Laid low as I am by this foul sickness, I’ve occupied my bed-ridden time by watching Tudor costume dramas (The Tudors and Elizabeth: The Golden Age; expect a post on both in the next day or three) and reading naval history. Specifically, the Age of Fighting Sail. So, roughly 1600 to 1850. I’m not sureContinue reading “On Reading Naval History”