The nautical world is a distinctive subculture with its own art, traditions, lore, literature, history, idioms...even its own legal canon. While the body of knowledge associated with the sea is vast, there is a core of information that is essential to understanding maritime history and popular culture. The first book to fully chart the culture of the sea, The Dictionary of Nautical Literacy is a must-have reference for absolutely anyone with a nautical inclination - from professional mariners and serious students to the millions of casual sailors and fans of authors such as Patrick O'Brian, Alexander Kent, Sebastian Junger, and William F. Buckley, Jr. Written by one of the most respected names in nautical journalism, The Dictionary is formidable in scope and scholarship, featuring more than 3500 concise entries covering the full spectrum of nautical knowledge in the categories of language, geography, history, engineering, commerce, warfare, sociology, law, literature, and art. Unlike other nautical dictionaries that focus on defining parts of a ship and sailor slang, this book also identifies critical ideas, events, and individuals and explains their significance in maritime culture.