The Naval War Of 1812

The Naval War of 1812 (1999) by Theodore Roosevelt – Da Capo Press
ISBN: 9780306809101 | Condition: Good (like new) | From Crappy Old Books

Before he was charging up San Juan Hill or wrangling moose into political cartoons, Theodore Roosevelt was a bespectacled 23-year-old with far too much energy and an obsession with naval history. The result: The Naval War of 1812, first published in 1882, a book so detailed, so brimming with youthful bravado, that it shocked the scholarly world into admitting, “This Roosevelt fellow might be going places.”

In it, young Teddy dissects the War of 1812 ship by ship, broadside by broadside. He compares American frigates to their Royal Navy opponents with a meticulous eye, praising seamanship where it’s due and demolishing national myths where they don’t hold water. The prose is scholarly yet passionate, the arguments sharp enough to cut sailcloth, and the patriotism unmistakable. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the salt spray and smell the gunpowder while simultaneously attending a very intense dinner lecture, this is your book.

This 1999 Da Capo Press edition comes with the benefit of hindsight, modern typesetting, and a sturdy paperback binding that won’t fall apart mid-battle. Our copy is in good, like-new condition—which in Crappy Old Books parlance means it looks as if it’s never been near a rucksack, library, or actual ocean spray. No bent pages, no cracked spine, no underlining from over-zealous midshipmen. Honestly, if Roosevelt himself had kept this copy, it would have survived his rough-riding years intact.

For historians, this remains a classic study—still cited for its rigour. For Roosevelt fans, it’s the origin story of a man who turned historical footnotes into political destiny. And for readers who just love a good sea yarn told with intellectual gusto, it’s as lively now as it was in 1882.

So here it is: The Naval War of 1812, Roosevelt’s maiden voyage into print, preserved in a like-new 1999 reissue—because even a century later, the war of words and warships still sails on.

Crappy Old Books: rescuing unread masterpieces so you can finally give them the voyage they deserve.

Condition like new.

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