Description
The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy is the first book to chart the culture of the sea - an entertaining desk reference for all those with an interest in things nautical. Robert McKenna avoids both the overly trivial and the overly familiar. Consequently, unlike other nautical dictionaries, which tend to concentrate exclusively on defining parts of a ship and sailor slang, The Dictionary highlights significant (and sometimes humorous) ideas, events, and individuals, and explains their relevance in maritime culture. Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd, Admiral Nelson, Davy Jones's locker, the Loch Ness monster, Little Toot, scurvy, sea legs, and zebra mussels - it's all here.
Read More
The nautical world is a distinctive subculture with its own art, traditions, lore, literature, history, idioms...even its own legal canon. While the body of knowledge associated with the sea is vast, there is a core of information that is essential to understanding maritime history and popular culture. The first book to fully chart the culture of the sea, The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy is a must-have reference for absolutely anyone with a nautical inclination—from professional mariners and serious students to the millions of casual sailors and fans of authors such as Patrick O’Brian, Alexander Kent, Sebastian Junger, and William F. Buckley, Jr. Written by one of the most respected names in nautical journalism, The Dictionary is formidable in scope and scholarship, featuring more than 3500 concise entries covering the full spectrum of nautical knowledge in the categories of language, geography, history, engineering, commerce, warfare, sociology, law, literature, and art. Unlike other nautical dictionaries that focus on defining parts of a ship and sailor slang, this book also identifies critical ideas, events, and individuals and explains their significance in maritime culture.
Read Less