What I’m Reading – Trafalgar

Trafalgar by Nicholas Best (2018) – One of the greatest sea battles in history is placed within its full historical context and introduces us to the actors in very human terms

I will get my only quibble with this book out of the way first. The subtitle, “The Untold Story” borders on the absurd. I can’t imagine that any sea battle has been more examined more often or in greater detail than this one. I would be hard-pressed to come up with another naval engagement that gets the attention this one has over the years. There’s good reason for it. If Napoleon and his allies had won this battle, or even damaged Nelson’s fleet seriously, the change in the history of Europe is profound. He might have been able to complete an invasion of England (although, as the author points out, there were still many problems to overcome).

While I’m not sure it offers much that is “untold”, the telling of the story here is a good as any I’ve ever read. Best doesn’t restrict his focus to the action on the sea. Instead, he places the battle into the larger context of what was going on in England, France, and Spain that brings those powers into conflict in the waters of the Atlantic. He also sidesteps two bits of lazy history in the telling. Napoleon is shown in both his brilliance and egotism (and at his actual height, an ongoing historical canard that has always annoyed me). The same for Nelson. The admiral’s story, especially those written by hero-worshiping English authors, too often falls into hagiography. Both men were brilliant in the ways that led them to greatness, but also bore flaws that created complications throughout their lives.

Best of all, this is history presented almost in the format of a thriller. This is not a linear repetition of the facts. It is a well-told story that weaves together the many characters and events surrounding the action at Trafalgar. Thus, this book is readable to an extent you rarely get in military history.

If you love history, military history, naval history or European history, this book will fit comfortably on your “To Be Read” list. Combining the attention to detail that history buffs demand with the kind of storytelling that makes those details accessible to mainstream readers, “Trafalgar” is an early star in my reading in 2019.

Rating – **** Recommended

(I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book.  The review is consistent with my published Review Policy)