Portsmouth Point: The British Navy in Fiction, 1793–1815

By: C. Northcote Parkinson

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Synopsis: Portsmouth Point—or &“Spice Island,&” as it was informally called—has always been associated with British naval history. In this classic work, the Point serves as the backdrop for British naval historian and author C. Northcote Parkinson&’s chronicle of life in His Majesty&’s Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars (1792–1802) and the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). The captivating stories, while semi-fictitious, use excerpts from the writings of men who personally served in the British Navy during these periods, and each entry covers a distinct aspect of everyday life aboard England&’s &“wooden walls,&” from the daily lives of Jack Tars and ships&’ officers to the complexities of rigging to the barbarity of naval warfare. Originally published in 1949, Parkinson&’s collection is an illuminating companion perfect for those who enjoy naval history and fiction, including Patrick O&’Brian, Alexander Kent, and Parkinson&’s own Richard Delancey novels.