A History of Ships from Log Rafts to Luxury Liners; A History of Inventions from Abacus to Atomic Power

As the author tells us in her opening sentence, ships have one basic purpose - to carry loads through water. A ship-history is therefore fairly simple to compile, being a chronicle of the development and diversification of the floating log. In this title, each spread is illustrated with annotated, dated examples of this arranged strictly in date order, and complemented by a text germane to some of them. At about six examples per spread that is a fair-sized fleet, so amongst the nine dozen there is room for the Vasa and Mary Rose (too top-heavy to leave harbour), Monitor and Novgorod (ineffective circular ironclads) and Turtle and Nautilus (hand-powered submarines) as well as more mainstream developments. The relationship of hull design to propulsion method, intended load, destination and waters is well shown, as is the powerful influence of military expediency.

Lafferty has drawn the short straw here. Inventions, unlike ships, have been mothered by myriad needs and often originate from spontaneous inspiration so they are hard to put into order chronologically. Nonetheless they get the same 'panorama' treatment as the ships and the consequent cavalcade does produce some picturesque examples. The toothless of Europe had only nine years to wait before they too could enjoy a sandwich (1761) thanks to hippo-bone false teeth (1770), but I cannot believe - and neither would Ulysses - that the crossbow ('1100') predated the longbow ('1250'). Overall this story lacks the developmental propulsion of Ships and so-wottery pervades its pages.