Vasa

Each page is beautifully illustrated with color photographs and images of the artifacts, places, people, and documents....All the visual material reinforces and enhances the narrative to provide readers with a more comprehensive understanding of this warship and her importance in history.
Fred Hocker, an archaeologist and historian, has written a compelling and riveting account of this famous warship. He also spins a fabulous story that brings to life the seventeenth century and the people who built, crewed, and raised the Vasa. He dispels some of the myths that have surfaced over the years as to why she sank, and he explains how guns were cast and battles were fought in this period of history. Hocker understands his principal audience, for his explanations on various aspects of ships and shipbuilding are crisp, clear, and succinct so the general layman can quickly grasp the content. As readers absorb the wealth of material found within the pages of this book, they gain a better understanding of the importance of the Vasa and a king who understood how naval warfare would change long before those alterations occurred.' ~Cindy Vallar, Pirates and Privateers, 2012