"Sons of the Waves" is a history of the common British sailor during 1740-1840. This period witnessed the rise of the sailing ship to prominence up to the beginnings of steamships. The author quoted from the journals, memoirs, and letters of the common sailor and double checked these with the official records of the time, like ship logs and court records. He often picked vivid descriptions of exciting or unique events. He covered both merchant and Navy ships, wars, scientific voyages, shipwrecks, mutinies, trading, and topics like privateering, ship food, gear, and discipline, battle procedures and experiences, ship boys, press gangs, sailor's first visits to China, India, and various islands, disease, living conditions, shore leave, sailor's families, wages and reforms, pensions, and the naval battles against the slave trade. Overall, this book was both informative and interesting to read. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in this topic.

Taylor offers a detailed account of the lives of the ordinary men who went to sea, those who sought adventure, some attracted by better pay than jobs on land, and others who were pressed into service against their will.


Taylor explains the paradoxical nature of a man who was physically capable, tough, confident and used to self-control at sea but often became vulnerable, drunk, and violent on shore. He also highlights how it was relatively common (and simple) to desert a ship for one with better conditions and/or a preferred captain, proving that seaman could employ self-interest.


Taylor conveys the excitement, speed and chaos of battles at sea and the contrasting spells of monotony and boredom. He shows how diverse and tolerant a ship's company could be, with the crew fully aware of the need for cooperation. We see the plight of families left waiting at home for long periods without news, struggling in poverty. Taylor discusses the mythology and superstitions that could combat dread and inspire courage during storms and wrecks.


Historical events - war, mutiny, voyages of exploration - are explored but always through the prism of how they impacted on the ordinary men working on board the vessels.