Unfortunately with books of this type, they tend to try to bite off a lot more than they can convenient chew! While there are certainly a number of ships of different time periods presented, it can hardly be called anything like a full compendium. Whole classes of ships are missing, including a number of significant Russian, American, German, French and British classes of battleships, armored cruisers, cruisers, etc. This book is particularly bad for the time period 1860-1914, with very little information presented (half of Admiral Togo's battlefleet is missing, let alone the Russians of the time, and virtually NONE of the many American pre-WWI armored cruisers are discussed at all). Even WW2 is missing a number of different heavy cruiser classes, both Japanese and American with no explanation. Finally, many comments are made about different ship types with very little basis of support, and would be better not mentioned at all. All that said, for eleven bucks, it is a handy little guide.

Fantastic directory! I have many naval books (about 200) and this is the first one that covers 141 years and I can take with me where ever I go! Imagine doing this with Conway's All the Worlds Fighting Ships (this is a 4 book series covering the same period, and big books at that).It doesn't cover every ship of the period but for its size and price its superb! As for the missing classes Mr. Corwin notes, I agree but its O.K., except for one, the Talwar class entered service in 2003, the book was published in 2001. In mine oppinion there is only one serious mistake: the Hydra class where battleships not cruisers, I know I am Greek!