Wolf of the Deep

May 14, 2007
W
hen you think of Confederate Civil War heroes, the names Lee, Jackson, Stuart and Longstreet, among others, come to mind. Historian Fox (The Mirror Makers
, et al.) makes a convincing case that Confederate Navy Capt. Raphael Semmes should be added to that list, at least because of his brilliant seafaring skills. Fox's fact-filled, cleanly written account of Semmes's life focuses on his amazing 22-month stint as captain of the most famous Confederate privateer, the Alabama
. Under Semmes's command, the Alabama roamed the world's waterways for nearly two years, seizing or sinking nearly 70 Union merchant schooners, whalers and other commercial ships to counteract the Yankee blockade of Southern ports, until June, 1864 when the Alabama
was sunk by the U.S.S. Kearsage
. Born in 1809 into a slave-owning, tobacco-farming family in southern Maryland, Semmes was orphaned at an early age, grew up in Washington, D.C. and joined the U.S. Navy at 17, remaining a staunch Southern partisan who espoused racist views and strongly believed in slavery. After serving without any particular distinction for 35 years, he made his mark with the Confederate navy. This well-conceived and executed military biography will have extra appeal for those who are familiar with nautical terms.

September 24, 2007
Whitener is the perfect choice to bring to life the exciting yet tragic adventures of Confederate raider Capt. Raphael Semmes, captain of the top secret warship Alabama
. Whitener knows how to switch subtly from the voice of Fox's straightforward narrator to the Southern accent of the Maryland-born Semmes. Sounding like a Civil War veteran himself, Whitener tells how Semmes went from Southern hero—feared by the North because of his highly effective slash-and-burn raids on their shipping—to an outcast who found himself in charge of a sinking ship, unable to get desperately needed repairs at foreign ports. With Whitener's expert reading, listeners can relive Semmes's seagoing triumphs and disasters. And Civil War enthusiasts will have a chance to hear about the conflict's lesser-known episodes. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, May 14).

June 1, 2007
For those of a romantic bent, much of the naval conflict during the Civil War might seem dreary. Close-order battles between gunboats on the Mississippi and its tributaries lack the epic sweep of battles on the open sea. So Fox has provided a healthy dose of excitement in this swashbuckling account of the exploits of an extraordinary naval commander. A native of Maryland, Raphael Semmes served honorably for the U.S. in the Mexican War and then practiced law in Alabama. When Alabama seceded, he served the Confederacy as a blockade runner and had great success raiding Union merchant vessels in the Caribbean and Atlantic. But his greatest exploits began when he assumed command of the CSS Alabama in 1862. For the next two years, Semmes and his crew carried out depredations over thousands of miles from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean. Foxs account is filled with exciting battles, daring escapes, and interesting insights into the diplomatic wrangling between Britain and the U.S. Civil War and naval warfare aficionados will treasure this book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)