The United States Navy's first ironclad warship rose to glory during the Battle of Hampton Roads on March 9; 1862; but there's much more to know about the USS Monitor. Historian John Quarstein has painstakingly compiled bits of historical data gathered through years of research to present the first comprehensive picture of the lives of the officers and crew who served faithfully in an iron ship unlike any vessel previously known."The Monitor Boys;" a moniker the men gave themselves; is a reflection of how these hundred-odd souls were bound together through storms; battles; boredom and disaster. Just living aboard the ironclad took uncommon effort and fortitude. Their perseverance through the heat; stress and un-seaworthiness that defined life on the ship makes the study of those who dared it a worthy endeavor. Many recognized that they were part of history. Moreover; the Monitor Boys were agents in the change of naval warfare.Following Quarstein's compelling narrative is a detailed chronology as well as appendices including crew member biographies; casualties and statistics and dimensions of the ship. Readers can dive into the world of the Monitor and meet William Flye; George Geer and the rest of the men who risked everything by going to sea in the celebrated "cheesebox on a raft" and became the hope of a nation wracked by war.
#2200187 in Books 2013-12-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 10.00 x 1.00 x 10.00l; .0 #File Name: 1459719492152 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Lost.By LisaUltimately; this book ended up being unsatisfying for me. I purchased this on my kindle; so maybe the hardcover book was better. The story was too abbreviated for me. Very condensed. I wanted to know more about the daily happenings of this crew and their years aboard ship. It must have been one heck of a story! Besides it being condensed; I could find no maps or photos; and it just annoys me when I have to pull out my own maps. Instead of putting maps and photos where you would expect them to be; I instead discovered them at the very end of this e-book. I was happy to see them; I do wish they had been in their proper places though. The e-book was only worthy of one star; but those stunning pictures and documents at the end are worthy of 5. Truly beautiful photos and paintings! As an e-book; I wouldn't recommend this; but I'm betting the hardcover is excellent. Now I'm going to have to look for a more in-depth story.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. For those of a nautical history persuasionBy Michigan ReviewerThis book had me at hello. With all due credit to Jerry McGuire. A most beautiful cover photograph lured me in. The book deals with a British ship trapped in the ice in what is now northern Canada back in 1851. The ship and its crew were searching for the much sought after Northwest Passage. Members of a team from Parks Canada had an idea they would be able to locate the Investigator if they were to go to the approximate last known location of the vessel. The book begins with a great mini lesson as to the story behind the Investigator and her crew. The balance of the book is fantastic photos of the expedition (2010) and short captions explaining the photos. If you are a maritime history buff or a Canadian/British history buff you will probably find this book to be quite captivating. The story itself is fascinating. The efforts made by Parks Canada are also quite interesting. A fantastic way to explore from the comfort of your sofa.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Ship frozen in IceBy druidgirlThis is a story about a ship the HMS Investigator was sent on a mission to find Sir John Franklin who was lost at sea.The Investigator's Captain Robert McClure had his own agenda; he never found Sir John but he did find the Northwest Passage. This book tells the story of the hardships suffered by the Investigators crew and officers; while they were stuck in the ice for three winters.The ship remained a mystery for a century and a half until in 2010 when the Parks Canada sent a team to find it. This was a well told story and the research was excellent.Thanks to Net Galley and Dundurn for allowing me to read this book.
