Books written by Patrick O'Brian

Joseph Banks: A Life

... he tells Mr Knight for example that at Spring Grove his bone manure " had exceeded his most sanguine hopes ; while he had sent Knight's wasps and combs to the British Museum , which admitted the difference of the two species " .
The Surgeon's Mate (Vol. Book 7) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

May I say, sir,' he added in a low voice, 'that my name is Wallis? Mr Falkiner is in command of the prize.' 'Just so, just so,' said the Admiral. 'A bloody business, Mr Wallis, a cruel business: but worth it.
The Fortune of War (Vol. Book 6) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

Wallis was an old, tried colleague, with no vices but the parsimony, meanness, and cold lechery so usual in intelligence; it was clear that he was acquainted with nearly all the essentials; it was also clear that as Stephen Maturin had ...
The Nutmeg of Consolation (Vol. Book 14) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

It was a cousin on his mother's side discovered it, Admiral Carteret, who sailed round the world with Byron and then again with Wallis, but this time as captain of the Swallow, a rather small ship that became separated from Wallis in ...
The Fortune of War

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin tales are widely acknowledged to be the greatest series of historical novels ever written.
Hussein: An Entertainment

“This is all wrong,” said Gill. “We are miles out. This river isn't shown at all on the map.” “It is the Jhelunga, huzoor,” said Hussein. “You're right; i remember it now; I was here for pig-sticking some time ago.
The Far Side of the World

The Surprises were very kind to Mr Gill , as well they might be , since he had done them no sort of harm , while his trusting nature had , with no great pains on their part , delivered them a prize , deep - laden with white - oil and ...
Desolation Island (Vol. Book 5) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

He gazed about the black streaming crags, the slopes between them covered with coarse matted grass, yellow viscous cabbages, many of them in a state of slow decay, or raw spewy earth, the dung of seabirds every- where, and the whole ...
The Mauritius Command (Vol. Book 4) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

However, come and look at my cabbages. I am quite proud of them.' They passed through a wicket-gate and came to a plot at the back of the cot- tage: a sea of greenery, with a noble steaming dunghill beyond it.
Treason's Harbour

Wittles is up , ' said Killick , appearing in the doorway together with the homely reek of boiled cabbage . And now I come to think of it , ' went on Jack , emptying his glass , ' perhaps you may be mistaken about tropes and parallels ...
Master and Commander (Vol. Book 1) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

'Just so.' 'Yes ... Allow me to give you a slice of this cold beef. Pray reach me a sharp knife – beef, above all, must be cut thin, if it is to savour well.' 'There is no edge on this one,' said Stephen. 'Try the catling.
The Hundred Days (Vol. Book 19) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

Stephen was uniformly successful with the scalpels, but he had to return the largest catling, a heavy, double-edged, sharp-pointed amputating knife, to the coarse stone again and again. 'No sir,' cried Harris, who could bear it no ...
Master and Commander

Yes ... Allow me to give you a slice of this cold beef . Pray reach me a sharp knife - beef , above all , must be cut thin , if it is to savour well . ' “ There is no edge on this one , ' said Stephen . " Try the catling .
Den første kommando

I løbet af natten begyndte der at rejse sig en levantine fra øst; det var den vind, som spaniolerne bad for at få, den vind, der ville føre dem lige ud af Kattetarmen, når de først havde klaret Cabrita Point, og som ville bære dem op ...
Kommandør

Stephen sad ganske stum i sine egne mørke tanker, og det var først, da de var på vej ind til landingspladsen at synet af Pullings, der ventede på ham, tændte en gnist af munterhed i Jacks sind. Der stod den unge mand med sine forældre ...
Men-of-War: Life in Nelson's Navy

The author of the acclaimed Aubrey/Maturin historical sea novels presents a concise, profusely illustrated description of daily life in Nelson's navy, including anecdotes about the battles and commanders that established Britain's naval ...
Post Captain (Vol. Book 2) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

Even under this noonday sun they were toiling like ants – boats pulling from the Arsenal to the Petite Rade, from the Petite Rade to the Grande Rade, from the ships to the quays and back again, men swarming over the fine great ships on ...
Post Captain

... but the brilliant clarity of the air was still undimmed , so that a telescope from the hills behind the town could pick out even the names of the seven line - of - battle ships in the Petite Rade : the Formidable and Indomptable ...
H. M. S. Surprise (Vol. Book 3) (Aubrey/Maturin Novels)

The French nearly always had these captured ships in the outer Rade; they did it to annoy, and they always succeeded. Twice every day it vexed him to the heart, for every morning and every afternoon he went aloft to peer into the Rade.
The Unknown Shore

Tomorrow, Mr B?” Tobias nodded, and the carpenter shook his head. “Not tomorrow, you won't, Mr B,” he said, “not if you have any bowels of compassion. Don't you know there is sixteen men ordered for flogging, in consequence of the ...