As featured in
Biggleswade Chronicle

Jim Hawkins of Treasure Island is probably the most famous boy to go to sea. Less is known about his real life counterparts - the boys who joined the Georgian Navy. Many were orphaned, delinquent or just seeking adventure and saw a life at sea as an escape from a bleak and miserable existence on land. Roland Pietsch shows us the lives of boys who typically ended up as ships' servants.
Seafarer, Autumn 2010

Differing from mainstream naval histories of this period, this work is definately one for naval historians, amateur or professional, Recommended.
Nautical Magazine - Sept 09

The book is lavishly illustrated, with some very impressive double-page spreads. Hardly any page is without a picture or diagram of some sort, each well chosen to illustrate the text. This is a very impressive piece of work – a high quality monograph that does full justice to its subject. Kirsch has produced an essential read for anyone interested in naval warfare in the age of sail.
www.historyofwar.org

Those interested in naval history have much to thank Nicholas Tracey for. Few historians can have a greater knowledge of sailing, naval tactics and the events in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Nelson's Battles is an updated version of the book he published in 1996 incorporating subsequently discovered material, in particular, Nelson's fascinating tactical Trafalgar sketch discovered by Colin White in the British Library. Four of the five chapters are specifically devoted to Nelson's Battles, his professionalism and leadership, and not surprisingly, the tactics involved. Whilst the narrative broadly follows well trodden paths, it is written with authority. However the fifth, the most interesting and longest chapter makes a valuable contribution to the understanding of British naval philosophy and its implementation over the sailing navy years. It offers detailed explanations of the many aspects that comprise trade protection and power projection, and the art and development of tactics.. Read more
The Naval review - May 2009