The product of seven years research, during which the author read "every copy of The Times, Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury, Plymouth and Dock Telegraph and the Annual Registers for the years 1793-1815", (Shipwrecks, dustcover) this book lists over 1500 naval incidences which, contrary to the volume's title, aren't all shipwrecks: notable events like heroic defences are also included. Military, merchant and civilian craft of all sizes have been reported, and the resulting text is far more interesting than the title may suggest. Rather than being a dry list of shipwrecks - a simple set of statistics - Grocott had included contemporary accounts which wrap most events in context and narrative. Although the size of each entry varies from a few lines to over a page, and the tone is one of considered distance, each 'shipwreck' is a tiny story and Shipwrecks itself is a massive patchwork of life, adventure and death.

Grocott states a wish to illuminate the life and dangers faced by seaman, as well as reveal much about British society and its numerous connections to the sea. He succeeds, for while the varied accounts involve more drowning than you'd normally wish to contemplate, the events are many and varied, highlighting the plethora of natural disasters and human mistakes which could doom a ship, the rules and lore of the sea and the attitudes of the time. Some activities may seem odd by today's standards - boys served on battleships - but others are recognisable: "A spectator [of a ship sinking] who leaned too far over the cliff lost not only his footing his life also."(Shipwrecks, pg. 178) Indeed, there are so many details that anyone with an interest in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic era should read it, even if they entirely ignore the nautical element!

From a research point of view, the book is far from exhaustive, although it's difficult to ascertain how complete it is. There is a definite bias towards British craft and, although Grocott gives thanks to libraries in Holland and France, he rarely reveals which sources he's used from them. However, the author admits that an all-encompassing work would be huge - if it's even possible - citing an estimate of over 2000 shipwrecks a year during the end of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Instead, Shipwrecks is perfect for normal readers, people who simply don't need anything of that size: historians should be using the sources. In addition, Grocott's selection balances run of the mill shipwrecks with more bizarre events, maintaining a sense of mundane risk and saving the reader from the feelings of ghoulish voyeurism generated by other, less academic, books on disasters. Grocott has added a good introduction on the nature of seafaring with full references to the main text, several appendices - including 50 causes of a loss of ship at sea - and a glossary.

Of course, there are a few problems. Despite the glossary, anyone new to sailing will be perplexed by some of the technical details: diagrams detailing the names of each mast and sail would have been appreciated. Equally, although the book is divided up well - entries occur chronologically, are subdivided into three clear periods and indexed by ship - there is no thematic apparatus or depth to the index. Admittedly, it would have been hard work, but when Grocott finishes his introduction by mentioning some of the snippets to come - "the fate of the oldest Freemason in Britain" (Shipwrecks, p.xvi) - and there's no way to quickly find him, you can feel frustrated. Overall, this is fascinating book on a grim subject, and Grocott has admirably illustrated the life and activity on the oceans by examining the losses and death.