When gays had to be closeted, ships were the only places where homosexual men could not only be out but also camp. And on some liners to the sun and the New World, queens and butches had a ball. They sashayed and minced their way across the world's oceans.

Explore the glory and tragedy of the Titanic in a fascinating book that traces the events leading up to her fateful end.

Warship Development, 1860-1905

The ideal guide to Nelson's navy for those with an interest in the workings of a great fleet.

It’s a thorough work with useful charts and graphs, an interesting selection of photos and a good index. In addition to the facts and figures, Ireland provides analysis and insight, notably arguing provocatively that ‘the situation was never as parlous nor the struggle so evenly balanced as was perceived at the time and has consistently been described since’. It’s a stance that may not prove popular in the Merchant Navy community, but the book is worth a read nevertheless, and readers can make up their own minds after giving Ireland’s arguments a hearing.

Simon Quail’s Gangway stands out for the quality of its writing as well as its tales of maritime adventure. This well-crafted fourth edition now comes with photographs and technical details of all the ships on which the author sailed, so it’s a good moment to pick up a copy if you haven’t read the memoir before.