shipboard or battle injury. The problems of provisioning and feeding hundreds of men at sea could overwhelm an otherwise crack ship. These assertions are backed with quotes from primary sources: "God sends food, but the Devil provides the cook." (40) "Hungry, thirsty, unhealthy seamen rarely [made] for successful voyages." (198) "Their bread was musty and mouldie Bisker, their beere sharpe and sower like vinegar, their water corrupt and stinking, their best drink [half wine and putrefied wate r] mingled togither, and yet a very short and small allowance, their beefe and porke was likewise, by reason of the corrup tio n thereof, a most loathsome and filthy taste and saur, insom uch that they were constrained to stop their noses, when they eate and drinke thereof." (194) The Social H istory of English Seamen 1485-1649 is a preeminent contribution to maritime history literature. A minor problem is that some authors refer to or quote each other's work, thus making some of the book redundant. That noted, it is extremely well done, a distinguished compendium of maritime and scientific thought, historical records, and co llected resource material of an important period. Lours ARTHUR NORTON West Simsbury, Connecticut
a man known for writing the history of seafarers. Subheadings range from big topics: "What I learned in the US Navy" and "What I learned from Horatio Nelso n and John Paul Jones," to more perso nal reflections about his experiences on the Hudson River in a ten-foot sai lboat. In keeping with his refrain of the ocean-as-schoolhouse is the emblematic story of his five-day service crewing aboard a reproduction ofJames Cook's Endeavour. The au th or recollects how an assignment to pen an article on the ship and its program serendipitously became one of many valuable learning experiences under sail. In some regards, The Sea l\las Always There is reminiscent of Norman Maclean's conclusion that "all things merge into one, and a river runs thro ugh it." In Callo's case, all things merge into one, and an ocean encompasses it. It should be noted that far too many typographical errors survived the copyediting process, frustrating this reader; hopefully these will be smoothed o ut in any future editi ons. Nonetheless, if one is searching for a story of how the ocean has shaped and enriched a man's li fe, then The Sea l\las Always There sho uld prove more than a satisfying read. CHUCK STEELE
Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Sea Wlls Always There by Joseph F. Callo (Fireship Press, LLC, Tucson, AZ, 20 12, 353pp, illus, appen, notes, ISBN 9781-6 1179-207-2; $ 19.95pb) A reti red US Naval Reserve rear admiral and a lifelong sailor, Joseph F. Callo both entertains and enlightens in his lates t book, The Sea Was Always There, while also offering something unexpected. His memoir not on ly has val ue as a chronicle of one man's life and his interesting interactions with th e sea, but it also offers thoughtful reflections from a keen observer of his surroundings. Ind eed, the book could be viewed as a combinati o n autobiography/travelogue tempered with a good dose of lessons learned, as Callo progresses from a young naval officer to seaso ned yachtsman. Callo, an award-winning maritime historian and prolific author, offers a sympathetic acco unt of how his life has been shaped by al l things connected with the ocean. C hapter subheadings offer a clear indication of what readers can expect from SEA HISTORY 141 , WINTER 20 12- 13
Disaster Off Martha's Vineyard: The Sinking of the City of Columbus by Thomas Dresser (The History Press, Charleston, SC, 2012, 160pp, illus, notes, index, ISBN 978-1-60949-510-7; $ 19.99pb) On a cold night in January 1884, the passenger steamer City of Columbus struck a ledge off the western end of Martha's Vineyard and met its doom. One hundred and three people lost their lives in the tragedy, including every wom an and child aboard, despite the rescue efforts of volunteer Massachusetts Humane Society lifeboat crews from Gay Head (now Aquinnah) and the crew of the United States Revenue C utter Service's Samuel Dexter. Dresser's retelling of this story follows George H ough's D isaster on D evil's Bridge (1963). The author of the newer book delves deeply into several specific topics, including the lives of the passengers and crewmembers prio r to the disaster. Individuals are profiled, although in som e cases the greater details
JUST PUBLISHED
The Sea Was Always There by Joseph Callo Foreword by Hon. John Lehma n
ADVANCE PRAISE: "Your writing is gripping." "Leaves as clean an impression as a sharply cut seal pressed into liquid wax." This is one man's story about learning from th e sea. It includ es the joy, pain, victory, defea t, surprises, and humor involved in the process. The narrative sweeps from the Indian Ocean's east coast, across the Pacific, Caribbean, Atlantic, and into the Mediterra nea n. The stories are true. Joe Callo is the author of the awa rdwinningjohn Paul ]ones: America's First Sea Warrior and three books about Britain's Admiral Nelso n. He was U.S. author/editor for Who's Who in Naval History, and he writes for magazin es and newspapers. He also is a Naval History Author of the Year.
At Amazon.com, bookstores and e-book sellers.
www.JosephCallo.com 53