Well, even though our traditional start date is tomorrow, I confess I'm not quite finished.
That being said, while I enjoyed the book --
issybird is right, Bradford can sure spin a yarn -- I am ultimately disappointed in the book, and can barely give it a 3 out of 5. This was one of the most important battles in history, and had it gone the other way, things might have been very different. But there really isn't any discussion about the importance of this tiny nation, or why it's important, or what role it plays in maritime history. I read history to understand the forces that drive the world, not to understand the tactics and strategy of a battle. (There can be important lessons in those, certainly, but they're not what I'm in it for.)