Brian Lavery, an established authority on the Napoleonic Wars and World War II, articulates the parallels and defining features of these tumultuous periods in our history. He looks at the style and competence of politicians and military commanders and the leadership and example of great men such as Horatio Nelson and Winston Churchill and examines unexplored official papers. He also considers the war situation as seen by such literary greats as Jane Austen and Evelyn Waugh, as well as the opinions of volunteers and servicemen. It provides a unique insight into two distinct periods during which the British national identity was forged and strengthened....

One of Britain's top naval historians takes on a previously unexplored area of Churchill's wartime efforts in this much anticipated follow on to a successful study last year of Churchill's navy. Entirely original in his approach, Lavery considers the practicalities of transporting a prime minister through dangerous skies and across hostile oceans in a time of global war. Readers learn that like most of the British war effort, Churchill's voyages were under-planned and improvised. The many firsthand accounts that are included offer an intimate portrait of the man through the eyes of his traveling companions, ministers and top military officers, and secretaries and typists, as well as the ship and aircraft crews responsible for his safety. The book concludes with an examination of the legacy of the voyages, especially with regard to air travel and developing world statesmanship....

Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) was undoubtedly Britain's greatest naval leader and perhaps the greatest sea commander of all time. Although his complex character often made him enemies and led to mistakes in both his public and private life, he was an unrivaled seaman, an original and brave tactician, and a charismatic leader.

Brian Lavery, a renowned expert in naval history, charts Nelson's career from his first naval posting in peacetime, at the age of just 12, to his rapid rise through the ranks, his command of the Mediterranean Fleet in HMS Victory, the transformation of his reputation during the Nile Campaign and his heroic death at Trafalgar. The book examines the forces and events which shaped Nelson's life—the victories and defeats, and the successes and failures—to discover the reasons for his extraordinary fame, both in his own time and to this day. Lavery sets the events of Nelson's maritime career against the backdrop of his personal life—his marriage and the scandal of his ménage-a-trois with the Hamiltons—to reveal a man of determination, courage, and daring.

The Battle of Trafalgar continues to represent an ideal of complete and uncompromising victory from the age of the sailing ship, and Horatio Nelson, the hero and victim of that battle, has similarly secured his place as a legend in naval history. Illustrated throughout with contemporary maps, paintings, and letters and original battle plans in Nelson's hand, this book in the Historic Lives series provides a concise and valuable insight into the achievements and life of Lord Horatio Nelson....