Rating: 
Summary: too much of some, not enough of the other
Review: This biography makes too much of the "enemies" that Cochrane made in his career, and how they brought him down. But frankly, I was left thinking that like many heroes throughout the ages, he too had feet of clay - fabulous at sea, and an idiot on land, (and undoubtably a crook too).As the title of the book is the "life and exploits of a fighting captain" I would have appreciated more of the exploits (and flavour) of his expeditions than were laid out. However, it did introduce me to someone besides Nelson (and his Captains etc) who was lionized (then forgotten at home) and who may be more famous today in Chile and Brazil than England. Worth the read, but don't expect too much depth.
Rating:
Summary: too much of some, not enough of the other
Review: This biography makes too much of the "enemies" that Cochrane made in his career, and how they brought him down. But frankly, I was left thinking that like many heroes throughout the ages, he too had feet of clay - fabulous at sea, and an idiot on land, (and undoubtably a crook too). As the title of the book is the "life and exploits of a fighting captain" I would have appreciated more of the exploits (and flavour) of his expeditions than were laid out. However, it did introduce me to someone besides Nelson (and his Captains etc) who was lionized (then forgotten at home) and who may be more famous today in Chile and Brazil than England. Worth the read, but don't expect too much depth.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like Thesis
Review: Thomas Cochrane must be a fasinating person, but you will not discover it from this book. It is deadly dry--just like a thesis. The man does not live and leap from these pages. The author gives us a recitation of his accomplishments but not any detail behind the man. He does not come across as a living, human. I have a feeling that the author did not do a very good job researching this man--surely there are diaries from his wife Kitty or Cochrane, himself, that can give us insight into how he thought. I am still looking for a good biography on this complex man.
Rating:
Summary: Reads like Thesis
Review: Thomas Cochrane must be a fasinating person, but you will not discover it from this book. It is deadly dry--just like a thesis. The man does not live and leap from these pages. The author gives us a recitation of his accomplishments but not any detail behind the man. He does not come across as a living, human. I have a feeling that the author did not do a very good job researching this man--surely there are diaries from his wife Kitty or Cochrane, himself, that can give us insight into how he thought. I am still looking for a good biography on this complex man.
Rating: 
Summary: The greatest sailor - EVER
Review: What an excellent book, both the content and the delivery! This reads more like a novel than a biography, understandably, as it is the basis for almost all of the Aubrey/Maturin series.
The descriptions of the naval exploits almost defy belief, if they weren't so patently true - and the land-based politicking, double-dealing and chicanery are incredible, only to be corrected half a century later in the Great Reform Act.
The intuitive brilliance of Cochrane as a sea-commander is totally at odds with the gullible naivety of his political career; his devout moral ethics made it very difficult for him to ignore wrongs or slights against himself or any defenseless group (specifically Jack Tar), and he carried his attempts to redress the balance to extremes, putting himself in very real danger, both physically and financially.
His moral stance was such that he was abstemious, never had a man flogged, never lied, never used his position to personal advantage and never philandered (although counter claims have been made in that direction, but it is hard to believe that a man made of such high moral fibre would cuckold another man or his own wife).
This brilliance also extended to inventions, all (I believe) of which he failed to patent, leaving the kudos to others; the Admiralty failed him in ignoring his suggestions and it was only off his own bat that the advantages were seen (explosive ships, steam vessels etc). Mr.Harvey covers all this in a very readable style, elaborating in detail on some of the more important episodes in Cochrane's life, but never boring us. He includes snippets from Cochrane's autobiography, where we see his droll, laconic prose used to great effect (particularly in antagonising the Admiralty against him).
In contrast to Nelson, whose claim to fame was by some very suspect naval maneuvres with huge losses of life and parading himself round Britain & Europe, Cochrane stands out head and shoulders higher, in terms of naval brilliance, invention, support for the underdog, attacking jobbery, and humility.
He deserves to be re-instated as the finest sailor EVER. *****
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