Great British Shipwrecks

Rod Macdonald uses his encyclopaedic knowledge and an intimate understanding of shipwrecks, gleaned from a lifetime's diving, to provide a snapshot in time of some of the best-known and most revered shipwrecks around the UK.

Reviews

• '... I very much like the look of the book, the design and layout are modern and easy on the eye. ...what makes this more than just another wreck book is the painstaking and thorough research Rod provides. He goes to extraordinary lengths to uncover details about the ships from their builders, owners, crew and the circumstances of their sinking. ... This book is both good to look at and a good read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.' Scottish Diver

• 'Great British Shipwrecks, the latest publication from internationally acclaimed wreck driver Rod Macdonald is one more fascinating, easy-going read that comes with sketches and well-shot pictures. ...covers battleships, submarines, ocean liners, along with different equipment, machinery and cargo including Bayern 15-inch gun turrets and Sherman tanks. ... One of the most attention-grabbers of Great British Shipwrecks is the quality of illustrations; really good job done by marine artist Rob Ward. This comes hand in hand with its landscape A4 format, which allows better display for bigger pictures and illustrations. Good choice!' Tech Diving Mag

• '...a beautifully produced landscape format book... the real magic of a book that makes fascinating reading even for the non-divers among us. ...give a very clear impression of what some of the finest shipwrecks around our coasts actually look like... ...The third factor that makes this book so special is the author's very evident interest in and sympathy for the ships he includes and the people who sailed in them...' Undiscovered Scotland click here to see the full review

• Also featured in The Herald.

• '...pulls together thirty-seven of the UK's finest diveable wrecks into one tome, complete with their history, illustrations and photographs. ...is a gripping coffee table read in its own right... His accounts of diving the Justicia, HMS Audacious and Empire Heritage off Ireland's north east coast can't fail to deliver schoolboy-like excitement. ...the book is excellent'. British Diver

• 'A fascinating book, full of maps, drawings and photographs, which will enthral even non-divers.' Cornwall Life

• '...Great British Shipwrecks' is a fascinating new guide to the greatest shipwrecks around our coasts... It's a "must have" for anyone with an interest in what lies beneath our seas.' Derry Journal

• 'There's something irresistible about a wreck to boat owners. ...is bound to be a must have for all that spare cash slopping around in yachtsmen's pockets after Christmas. ...a superb work by internationally renowned wrecks diver Rod Macdonald...While his words bring detail to the stories it's the book's rich colour illustrations that add great interest to the wreck sites... This is a book for the yachtsmen's library, fascinating and beautiful at the same time.' Yachting Life

• 'An illustrated tour of the UK's best-known wreck sites... ...feature in a new book highlighting almost 40 of the most famous wrecks around the UK coastline. ... This is a beautifully illustrated and definitive guide... ...and will be an enlightening and unmissable book for many people interested not only in the shipwrecks themselves, but also maritime history in general.' The Orcadian

• 'I am really taken by this book. The underwater photographs are amazingly clear...This is another great coffee table book and a definitive guide to the greatest shipwrecks around the UK.' Fiona Outdoors

• '...a fascinating read for non-divers. What makes Macdonald's work even better are the illustrations of the wrecks...' Fairplay

• '...this is a revealing and absorbing read. Written by hugely experienced diver Rod Macdonald, the book highlights almost 40 of the best known wrecks around the UK - including the remains of the German High Seas Fleet scuttled at Scape Flow. ... The level of detail is such that it's not surprising that the book is a result of several decades' worth of dives. ... Fascinating stuff - with an appeal for divers and non-divers alike.' Scotland Outdoors

• '...the sheer number of wrecks to be found makes the country unmissable for many divers, and this book is a showcase of some of the best. ... The book opens with a chapter on the Scapa Flow... ...and provides a great story of how the fleet came to be sunk and the salvage operation that followed. ... Diving freezing waters of the British coastline may not be a pastime that appeals to everyone, but buy this book and you have enough facts to convince anyone you were tough enough to do it!' Nautilus Telegraph

• ...is very much a recommended book for your collection if you are a keen wreck diver of our British waters. ...he brings together a wealth of knowledge and research when writing about the history behind each wreck, its demise and how it lies in the water today. The detail that Rod goes into will definitely ensure that the reader gets the most out of their dive should they plunge into any chosen wrecks from this book. ...there are a number of historical and more recent photographs, maps and key wreck information to ensure that this book is a excellent guide for divers and those simply interested in our maritime history.' Tanked Up

• 'This visually stunning and definitive guide to the greatest shipwrecks around the UK will appeal to divers and anyone interested in what lies beneath Britain's seas. The graphics alone make it a well worth purchase. I would recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in these wrecks.' Shipping Today and Yesterday

• 'I found the book a fascinating one. The author Rod Macdonald has surveyed and researched shipwrecks around the world building up an impressive reputation. ...a vivid picture of some of the best shipwrecks around the UK. ... An excellent book.' Sea Breezes

• 'Plenty of detailed historical background accompanies each vessel, and Macdonald's immensely thorough research offers up some fascinating insights on both lives, and deaths, of these mighty vesels. ... This book will surely appeal not only to the divers and salvors amongst you, and to those interested in maritime and military history, but also to anyone simply curious about the hidden mysteries of our oceans'. International Tug & OSV