Sign-In
Cart
Engines of Empire: Steamships and the Victorian Imagination
Hardcover
BoatingGeneral United States HistoryGeneral World History
ISBN13: 9780804798068
Publisher: Stanford University Press
Published: May 4 2016
Pages: 352
Weight: 1.30
Height: 1.10 Width: 6.10 Depth: 9.10
Language: English
In 1859, the S.S. Great Eastern departed from England on her maiden voyage. She was a remarkable wonder of the nineteenth century: an iron city longer than Trafalgar Square, taller than Big Ben's tower, heavier than Westminster Cathedral. Her paddles were the size of Ferris wheels; her decks could hold four thousand passengers bound for America, or ten thousand troops bound for the Raj. Yet she ended her days as a floating carnival before being unceremoniously dismantled in 1889.
Steamships like the Great Eastern occupied a singular place in the Victorian mind. Crossing oceans, ferrying tourists and troops alike, they became emblems of nationalism, modernity, and humankind's triumph over the cruel elements. Throughout the nineteenth century, the spectacle of a ship's launch was one of the most recognizable symbols of British social and technological progress. Yet this celebration of the power of the empire masked overconfidence and an almost religious veneration of technology. Equating steam with civilization had catastrophic consequences for subjugated peoples around the world.
Engines of Empire tells the story of the complex relationship between Victorians and their wondrous steamships, following famous travelers like Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, and Jules Verne as well as ordinary spectators, tourists, and imperial administrators as they crossed oceans bound for the colonies. Rich with anecdotes and wry humor, it is a fascinating glimpse into a world where an empire felt powerful and anything seemed possible--if there was an engine behind it.
Also in
Boating
Titanic: The Ship Magnificent - Volume Two: Interior Design and Fitting Out
Braunschweiger, Art
Hall, Steve
Beveridge, Bruce
Hardcover
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (National Book Award Winner)
Philbrick, Nathaniel
Paperback
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Sobel, Dava
Paperback
In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
Sides, Hampton
Paperback
The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism
Bacon, John U.
Paperback
Island of the Lost: An Extraordinary Story of Survival at the Edge of the World
Druett, Joan
Paperback
Ashley Book of Knots: Every Practical Knot--What It Looks Like, Who Uses It, Where It Comes From, and How to Tie It
Ashley, Clifford
Hardcover
Modern Marine Weather: From Time-honored Traditional Knowledge to the Latest Technology
Burch, David
Paperback
Long Term Almanac 2000-2050: For the Sun and Selected Stars With Concise Sight Reduction Tables, 2nd Edition
Kolbe, Geoffrey
Paperback
Ghost Ship: The Mysterious True Story of the Mary Celeste and Her Missing Crew
Hicks, Brian
Paperback
On a Sea of Glass: The Life & Loss of the RMS Titanic
Layton, Kent
Fitch, Tad
Wormstedt, Bill
Paperback
The Band That Played on: The Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic
Turner, Steve
Paperback
Shipwrecks and Lost Treasures: Great Lakes: Legends and Lore, Pirates and More!
Varhola, Michael
Paperback
The Lost Boys of Montauk: The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind
Fairbanks, Amanda M.
Paperback
The Captain, The Missionary, and the Bell: The Wreck of the Steamship Atlantic
Larsson, Eric
Paperback
Into the Raging Sea: Thirty-Three Mariners, One Megastorm, and the Sinking of El Faro
Slade, Rachel
Paperback
Shipwrecks of the Pacific Northwest: Tragedies and Legacies of a Perilous Coast
Maritime Archaeological Society
Hardcover
Deadliest Sea: The Untold Story Behind the Greatest Rescue in Coast Guard History
Thompson, Kalee
Paperback
American Small Sailing Craft: Their Design, Development and Construction
Chapelle, Howard I.
Hardcover
The Loss of the Ship Essex, Sunk by a Whale: First-Person Accounts
Chase, Owen
Nickerson, Thomas
Paperback
We, the Navigators: The Ancient Art of Landfinding in the Pacific (Second Edition)
Lewis, David
Paperback
Navigation Rules and Regulations Handbook
Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
Hardcover
Fifty Ships That Changed the Course of History: A Nautical History of the World
Graham, Ian
Paperback
Secrets of the Viking Navigators: How the Vikings Used Their Amazing Sunstones and Other Techniques to Cross the Open Ocean
Karlsen, Leif K.
Paperback
Inland and Coastal Navigation: For Power-driven and Sailing Vessels, 2nd Edition
Burch, David
Paperback
Fatal Forecast: An Incredible True Tale of Disaster and Survival at Sea
Tougias, Michael J.
Paperback
Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction (Revised)
Chapelle, Howard I.
Hardcover
Navigation Rules And Regulations Handbook (Color Print): Containing International & Inland Rules
Department of Homeland Security
United States Coast Guard
Paperback
Navigation Workbook 1210 Tr: For Power-Driven and Sailing Vessels
Brandt, Larry
Burch, David
Paperback
Fatal Treasure: Greed and Death, Emeralds and Gold, and the Obsessive Search for the Legendary Ghost Galleon Atocha
Smith, Jedwin
Paperback
The Star Finder Book: A Complete Guide to the Many Uses of the 2102-D Star Finder
Burch, David
Paperback
Too Much Sea for Their Decks: Shipwrecks of Minnesota's North Shore and Isle Royale
Schumacher, Michael
Paperback
The Great Lakes Ships of Frank E. Kirby: America's Greatest Naval Architect
Gebhart, Richard
Paperback
The Death Ship: Recovering the Bodies of Titanic's Dead
Victoria Brown, Victoria
Brown, Victoria
Hardcover
Long Term Almanac 2000-2050: For the Sun and Selected Stars With Concise Sight Reduction Tables, 2nd Edition (Hardcover)
Kolbe, Geoffrey
Hardcover
The Complete Yachtmaster 11th Edition: Sailing, Seamanship and Navigation for the Modern Yacht Skipper
Cunliffe, Tom
Hardcover
Instrument Flying Handbook (2026): Faa-H-8083-15b
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
U S Department of Transportation
Paperback
The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II
Watson, Robert P.
Paperback
Starpath Celestial Navigation Work Forms: For All Sights and Tables, with Complete Instructions and Examples
Burch, David
Paperback
Sailing a Serious Ocean: Sailboats, Storms, Stories and Lessons Learned from 30 Years at Sea
Kretschmer, John
Hardcover
Shipwreck Rescues of the Outer Banks: Sensational Wrecks and Heroic Rescues by the United States Life-Saving Service
Charlet, James D.
Hardcover
Nagato-Class Battleships 1920-46: The Imperial Japanese Navy's Super-Dreadnoughts
Draminski, Stefan
Paperback
The Troller Yacht Book: How to Cross Oceans Without Getting Wet or Going Broke - 2nd Edition
Buehler, George
Hardcover
Submarine Aircraft Carriers: From World War I to the Age of Drones
Polmar, Norman
Gunnarson, Jacob
Hardcover
Advanced Marine Electrics and Electronics Troubleshooting: A Manual for Boatowners and Marine Technicians
Sherman, Ed
Hardcover
From Novembers to Sierras: Soviet Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarines
Vilches Alarcón, Alejandro A.
Paperback
101 Things You Thought You Knew about the Titanic . . . but Didn't!
Maltin, Tim
Aston, Eloise
Paperback
The Boatowner's Guide to Corrosion: A Complete Reference for Boatowners and Marine Professionals
Collier, Everett
Paperback
Guardians of the North: Canadian Warships and Maritime Aircraft, 1910-2025
Gimblett, Richard H.
Gagnon, Karl
Hardcover
Blackbeard's Sunken Prize: The 300-Year Voyage of Queen Anne's Revenge
Wilde-Ramsing, Mark U.
Carnes-McNaughton, Linda F.
Paperback
Navigation Workbook 18465 Tr: For Power-Driven and Sailing Vessels
Burch, David
Brandt, Larry
Paperback
The Wreck of the Portland: A Doomed Ship, a Violent Storm, and New England's Worst Maritime Disaster
Conway, J. North
Paperback
The HERO Way: The Untamed Life and Enduring Legacy of an Iconic Antarctic Research Vessel
Lagerbom, Charles H.
Hardcover
Wreck of the Carl D.: A True Story of Loss, Survival, and Rescue at Sea
Schumacher, Michael
Paperback
Barons of the Sea: And Their Race to Build the World's Fastest Clipper Ship
Ujifusa, Steven
Paperback
Hawaii by Sextant: An In-Depth Exercise in Celestial Navigation Using Real Sextant Sights and Logbook Entries
Burch, David
Miller, Stephen
Paperback
Auto Repair Made Simple: Step-by-Step Maintenance and Expert Tips for Every Driver
The Books of Pamex
Paperback
A Storm Too Soon: A True Story of Disaster, Survival, and an Incredible Rescue
Tougias, Michael J.
Paperback
Modern Marine Weather: From Time-honored Traditional Knowledge to the Latest Technology
Burch, David
Hardcover
The Shipwright and the Schooner: Building a Windjammer in the New England Tradition
Burnham, Harold
Paperback
The Aristocrat and the Able Seaman: The Countess of Rothes, Thomas Jones, and the Tragedy of Titanic
Young, Angela
Hardcover
Ten Hours Until Dawn: The True Story of Heroism and Tragedy Aboard the Can Do
Tougias, Michael J.
Paperback
Instant Boatbuilding with Dynamite Payson: 15 Instant Boats for Power, Sail, Oar, and Paddle
Payson, Harold H.
Paperback
The American Turtle Submarine: The Best-Kept Secret of the American Revolution
Lefkowitz, Arthur
Paperback
Dangerous Shallows: In Search of the Ghost Ships of Cape Cod
Takakjian, Eric
Peffer, Randall
Paperback
The Complete Canvasworker's Guide: How to Outfit Your Boat Using Natural or Synthetic Cloth
Grant, Jim
Paperback
From the Center of America: Steamboats and Shipyards Along the Lower Ohio River
Swenson, Robert H.
Paperback
Boat Crew Seamanship Manual (COMDTINST M16114.5C)
United States Coast Guard
U. S. Department of Homeland Security
Paperback
Inland and Coastal Navigation: For Power-driven and Sailing Vessels, 2nd Edition
Burch, David
Hardcover
Faith and Fortune: Henry and Amelia Champlin and America's Maritime Ascendancy
Ujifusa, Steven
Paul, Geoffrey
Hardcover