A maritime stroll through time
River Thames Dockland Heritage, by Malcolm Batten
It's not often at the Telegraph that we see two books arrive from two different publishers that are by the same author, but Malcolm Batten has broken the mould. As well as his Pen & Sword title Shipping on the Thames, Batten has also recently released River Thames Dockland Heritage with Amberley.
In this work, rather than shipspotting, Batten engages the reader in a different kind of spotting, looking out for remnants of London's maritime heritage in buildings between London Bridge and Greenwich.
There are also a few vessels along the route – some historic, like HMS Belfast – and the author takes the odd side excursion up the canals and river tributaries that meet the Thames in London.
It's a recipe for a great day out (or several), and the book is well presented with high-quality colour images to help you with your maritime archaeological adventure.
River Thames Dockland Heritage
By Malcolm Batten
Amberley, £15.99
ISBN: 978 13981 08769
Buy this book in the Nautilus Bookshop
While you're there, why not browse the rest of the titles in our unique maritime bookshop, which sells all the books reviewed on these pages.
Buy nowMore Books
Well-informed story of 1960s seafaring
c/o Cunard House: 88 Leadenhall Street, London EC3 by Bill FergusonFormer seafarer Bill Ferguson has come up with an intriguing book in c/o Cunard House, which blurs the lines between memoir and novel, reflecting his time with Port Line, a Cunard cargo liner subsidiary.
Shining a light on our maritime past
Lightships by Anthony Lane and Martin AugustusIn their new illustrated guide, Anthony Lane and Martin Augustus, showcase a crucial, but often forgotten part of British maritime history.
Legendary Lusitania brought to life
Lusitania: Life of a Greyhound, by J. Kent Layton et alNo less than five authors, Titanic experts and artists have come together to create two definitive (and rather beautiful) coffee table books about the Lusitania.
New edition of cargo-handling classic
Thomas' Stowage 10th edition, revised by Captain Graham PepperThe weighty textbook Thomas' Stowage has become the bible of cargo handling, with fresh editions periodically issued to take account of new legislation, new commodities and improved methods of handling and carriage.