The history of steam navigation

A vivid chronicle of the birth of steam‑powered travel, this volume guides listeners from the earliest experimental engines to the first commercial vessels that reshaped commerce and leisure. Drawing on newspapers, journals, and contemporary reports, the author weaves together the stories of inventors, daring captains, and the bustling ports that first welcomed these iron leviathans, all brought to life with detailed illustrations.

The narrative follows landmark voyages—Fulton’s Clermont on the Hudson, the daring Atlantic crossing of the Savannah, and the rapid spread of steam routes across the Clyde, the Mediterranean, and even the Pacific. Along the way, it reveals how steamships altered trade, prompted fierce competition, and sparked new connections between continents. Listeners will come away with a clear picture of how a handful of bold experiments ignited a global transportation revolution.