The World Encyclopedia of Submarines: An Illustrated Reference to Underwater Vessels of the World Through History, from the Nautilus and Hunley to Modern Nuclear-powered Submarines

From Aristotle's description of a submersible chamber and Alexander the Great's experiments with an underwater capsule, mankind has long pursued the dream of travel beneath the waves. This fully illustrated book traces that dream to the present day and beyond, beginning with illustrations of the earliest attempts to travel underwater to the latest incredible machines under construction for service in the 21st century, and the future possibility of unmanned craft permanently roaming the seas. Split into two sections, the book begins with a detailed history of the submarine and charts a century of submarine development, a period that saw global production for two World Wars and, latterly, the threat posed by the Cold War arms race. The section concludes with an overview of modern nuclear-powered vessels, which are capable of circumnavigating the world 40 times without having to refuel, and may carry in a single boat more explosive power than all the bombs dropped during World War II. A country-by-country guide to over 100 submarines from around the world provides an in-depth look at the amazing inventiveness and genius of the submarine builders. Specification panels for each submarine detail each vessel's country of origin, length, displacement, speed, armament, propulsion and complement. Together, both sections combine to present an inspiring record of courage and achievement. Illustrated with over 500 historical and modern photographs showing submarines in action, as well as a selection of colour artworks showing vessels' main features, this authoritative volume provides both enthusiasts and historians with key, up-to-date information about the world's submarines, and is an essential reference for everyone interested in naval history.

About the Author :
John Parker, a writer and journalist all his working life, has authored three dozen books and published more than 75 editions worldwide in his long career, including many acclaimed military and investigative projects, as well as numerous high-profile biographies. His interest in military and naval subjects, however, has consumed much of his working life in recent years, inspired not so much by the examination and recording of past events, vital though that is, but in seeking greater insight into the heroic efforts and sheer creative steadfastness of the lifeblood of any military activity: the men (and latterly women) and their machines. His books have been noted for their wealth of personal recollections of those at the sharp end of military activity and he has relied upon their testimony, gathered from either personal interviews or documentary and tape-recorded accounts recovered from regimental and national archives in Britain, Europe and America, acquiring in the process an outstanding personal record of human endeavour and inventiveness that has abounded, wherever and whenever the need became pressing. Of particular interest was the unprecedented access he was given on approval from the Ministry of Defence for his history of the security-conscious Special Boat Service, for which he as able to interview many former and existing members of that organization which famously combined the use of Special Forces and submarines during World War II and beyond. Other titles in his published list include The Silent Service: The Inside Story of the Royal Navy's Submarine Heroes; Royal Marines Commandos; Royal Navy Task Force; Royal Air Force Strike Command; The Black Watch; Desert Rats; The Paras; Inside the Foreign Legion; Total Surveillance; The Killing Factory: The Top Secret World of Germ and Chemical Warfare; and Death of A Hero: Captain Robert Nairac GC and the Undercover War in Northern Ireland.