The Great Admirals

Combining scholarship with readability, this collection of nineteen biographical essays examines admirals of many navies - from the advent of the gun-armed sailing ship onward, through nearly four centuries - who gave naval combat a recognizably modern form. The theme is leadership in war at sea.

Each essay explores the combination of personal attributes and professional experience that shaped the given commander's style of conduct, while analyzing a battle in which that leadership can be observed in action.