Dugout canoes, skin-covered curraghs, Nelson's ships-of-the-line, battleships, ocean liners, container ships, aircraft carriers, and supertankers are among the vessels described and illustrated in drawings, paintings, and photographs. Seafarer and nautical adventure writer Woodman follows the change in technology, and sets the design and use of ships into political and economic contexts. He includes a glossary with substantial articles, but no guide to pronunciations. Conway Maritime Press, London also published the volume in 1997. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.