Spain's Men of the Sea: Daily Life on the Indies Fleets in the Sixteenth Century

The ships and men of Spain's Atlantic fleets, crucial to the country's empire in the New World during the 16th century, are discussed in lively detail in this prodigiously researched book. Each chapter of Spain's Men of the Sea focuses on a particular aspect of the fleets, from the sailors' backgrounds and motivations for going to sea to their life onboard the great galleons, the most complex machines of the day. The author writes well, often showing a sense of humor, and, besides providing careful documentation, deftly brings the Spanish sailors and their unique nautical society to life. Voyages on the galleons were always dangerous, with looming threats from disease, pirates, tropical storms, and even shipboard brawls--and the book concludes with a fascinating look at the superstitions and religious rituals practiced by those who sailed the Spanish Main. --Robert McNamara