Description

A vivid and visceral portrayal of the most famous naval battle in history, focusing on the human cost of war, by a brilliant military historian

‘A gripping read, full of fascinating insights … deeply moving … Brilliant’ Adam Zamoyski

‘A striking success’ The Times

‘Fresh, original and brilliantly vivid’ Telegraph

At about 1.15 in the afternoon of 21 October 1805, Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson was struck by a 15-millimetre French musket round fired from of the Redoutable, a distance of some 70 feet to HMS Victory’s quarter deck. It fractured his left shoulder, pierced his lung and emerged to sever the spine.

In this fresh and vibrant retelling of the battle of Trafalgar, Paul O’Keeffe traces the course of events both prior and subsequent to that fatal shot: from 6.30 in the morning, as the British ships began their approach towards the enemy fleet, until the cessation of firing that followed the apocalyptic destruction of the French 74-gun Achille at 5.45 in the afternoon.

We also learn about the battle’s dramatic aftermath: how a violent storm destroyed the surviving French and Spanish ships; how news of victory travelled and was celebrated in London; how Nelson’s body was brought home and given a spectacular funeral.

Paying meticulous attention to little explored details, O’Keeffe gives us a front-row view of events. Gripping and immersive, this is a unique account of Trafalgar for a new generation of readers.

‘If you think you know it all about the battle of Trafalgar, think again. Paul O’Keeffe’s new book is full of fascinating information … His book is a must’ Nicholas Best, author of Trafalgar

Publisher Review

A gripping read, full of fascinating insights into the skills and mechanisms involved as well as deeply moving vignettes of the heroism and tragedy played out on that fateful October day. Brilliant — Adam Zamoyski If you think you know it all about the battle of Trafalgar, think again. Paul O’Keeffe’s new book is full of fascinating information that few readers will have come across before … His book is a must for Trafalgar fans — Nicholas Best, author of Trafalgar A captivating and comprehensive read. The reader is immersed in the brutal moment by moment action of the battle itself, whether it’s on the deck dodging tumbling ropes and blast fragments, or below at the shoulder of the surgeon and all his raw work saving lives almost blasted to pieces. We ride with the messengers who bring the tidings of victory from the coast to the heart of London and beyond. And then the creation of memorials, as complex a process then as it is today, each one reminding us that we still live in the aftermath of Trafalgar — Emily Mayhew, author of Wounded I was gripped by the wealth of detail and humanity in the book… This is how the tales of battles should be told, whatever the time, place or outcome * Emily Mayhew on Waterloo * It is all here – and all told with the same verve, eye for anecdote and command of the material. This is a very good book, and a model of how narrative history should be written… anybody remotely interested in the battle should read * The Spectator on Waterloo * A tremendous tale – one of the most dramatic in our island’s history – and O’Keeffe tells it beautifully * The Times on Culloden * Fascinating, meticulously researched, often brutally detailed … without being there, those times could not be more vividly brought to life than in this tremendous book * Daily Mail on Culloden * A vibrant and vivid tale, of victory, defeat, savage retribution and ‘high’ art … In our field one is often inclined to think or say, ‘Do we really need another book on Culloden?’ However, if they are written as well and as excitingly as Paul O’Keeffe’s…then the answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’ * Robert Woosnam Savage FSA on Culloden *