Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Only Life That Mattered | 2001 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
| 2 | Reign of Iron | 2004 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
| 3 | Benedict Arnold’s Navy | 2006 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
| 4 | George Washington’s Secret Navy | 2008 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
| 5 | George Washington’s Great Gamble | 2010 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
| 6 | With Fire and Sword | 2011 | James L. Nelson | Buy |
James L. Nelson has written six non-fiction books on American maritime and military history, published between 2001 and 2011. The Only Life That Mattered (2001) covers the lives of real pirates, while Reign of Iron (2004) tells the story of the Monitor and Virginia, the first ironclad warships to fight each other.
His later non-fiction focuses on the Revolutionary War at sea: Benedict Arnold’s Navy (2006), George Washington’s Secret Navy (2008), and George Washington’s Great Gamble (2010) recover forgotten chapters of the naval war for independence. With Fire and Sword (2011) rounds out his non-fiction catalog.