Product Description

Few things are more terrifying to a seagoing captain than the specter of mutiny or more riveting to readers than a tale of mutinous deeds. In this fascinating book, Leonard Guttridge takes us on a tour of mutinies that have occurred over the past two hundred years. He examines such famous mutinies as the uprisings aboard the Bounty and the Potemkin, the racial disturbances on the Constellation, the rebellion at the Nore, and the hijacking of the Storozhevoy, along with some not-so-famous insurrections that fill his book with suspense and colorful characters to bring the dramatic events to life. Throughout his investigation, Guttridge asks what these incidents, occurring in vastly different navies and different ages, have in common. His findings are both startling and illuminating. First published in 1986, this book is lauded as a unique study of law, discipline, and morale as they interact as sea. Alternately exciting our horror and arousing our sympathy, its meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy assures its lasting appeal not only to the naval and legal communities but also to readers looking for entertaining nonfiction.

Product Details

• Published on: 2006-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 318 pages

About the Author
LEONARD F GUTTERIDGE, a resident of Alexandria, Virginia, is the author of numerous books, including the widely acclaimed Icebound: The Jeannette Expedition's Quest for the North Pole.

Customer Reviews

A serious & informative account of naval insurrections.
"Mutiny...Heard of it, but never run across it." Ahh, but you will run across it here. Mr. Guttridge takes us from the "Bounty" in 1787 to the "Storozhevoy" in 1975 with stops in between to observe those disturbances afloat and ashore which have plagued naval establishments of several nations over the years, the United States Navy included.

This book deserves wider appeal than it will probably enjoy, most likely because the subject of mutiny seems to be only popular in fictional literature where authors employ their literary license to create events to enhance dramatic effect. Mr. Guttridge, on the other hand, provides several factual accounts of mutinies in a historical perspective. Letting the facts of the events speak for themslves he allows us to form our own opinions as to who are the villains and who are the heroes, if any. Mr. Guttridge has clearly disabused those notions of mutinies as being exemplified by the violent, bloody overthrowing of authority figures which have as their cause truamatic acts of punishment and physical abuse. While those kind of conditions did occur, they are by no means the norm in terms of conditions which provoke or result from a mutiny. Mr. Guttridge presents such causes and effects in individual instances in the context of the times and the personalities of the protaganists. He discusses aspects of the greater and lesser known mutinies with which most have little or no knowledge, often including the legal difficulties in wrestling with a universally accepted definition of what constitutes a mutiny.

I selected this book because it contained information about a particular event I was curious about. Certainly the subject matter has a limited audience but if if you have at least a passing interest in the subject, or are considering organizing or joining a mutiny, you might also consider adding this book to your collection.