Brian Lavery returns with the second volume of his engaging social history of the Royal Navy's 'lower deck.' Able Seamen addresses a range of issues central to the evolution of the seaman through 89 years of change. Readable, engaging and authoritative, it chronicles an important stage in the history of the Royal Navy and illuminates the inherent adaptability of the lower deck, as new technologies demanded increased professionalism, specialization, and training. The book also examines the changing social structure of the Navy, and the great demands made on the Service throughout the British Empire.