Horatio Nelson by Tom Pocock

From The Week of June 20, 2010

In the waterfall of history, there are some events which, when they descend upon us, make a far larger splash than others, events which change the whole future of our world. If this is true, and it is, then it follows that the men and women who have a hand in these great events stand as close to the nexus points of history as it's possible for anyone to get. These giants make choices and the world shifts:Hitler into Moscow, Julius Caesar across the Rubicon, Churchill deciding that England would fight them on the beaches. Horatio Nelson is absolutely among these legends, a man who changed his century and probably died without even knowing it.

Mr. Pocock's biography of Britain's greatest, naval war hero of the 17th and 18th centuries is more than just a catalogue of the man's great deeds; it's the examination of a life spent in search of dignity and status in an England that was often far from kind to social climbers. Born into a modest home, the great captain struggled for many years to find his proper due. And in fact, his was not a name that caused much remark until, in 1798, he was given the opportunity to catch out and destroy the great French fleet Napoleon was using to invade Egypt. This decisive, English victory brought to him the fame he had always hoped for, but not the fortune. That remained elusive to him for the remainder of his seven years on Earth. But Lord Nelson never concerned himself with frugality. And why should he have? Reveling in fame, he threw off his first wife for the greatest beauty of her day, Emma Hamilton, sparking a scandalous love affair which would set England afire. But the devoted lovers did not seem to care much as they went about building a life together, first in Italy and then later in England which is where we find Lord Nelson frustrated by his inability to penetrate the highest levels of society. And it is here that history comes calling, tapping lord Nelson to lead a fleet of British ships against a new Napoleonic fleet, this time at Trafalgar, in a battle which defined the 19th century. For it was so decisive, it secured Britain's safety from Napoleon. And after Waterloo, well, England practically fell into possession of an empire which, at its apex, spanned the globe. None of that would have been possible without Trafalgar, where Lord Nelson's name was permanently etched in lore.

It's easy enough for a historian to cover off the major events of a famous man's life. It's another thing entirely to capture his hopes and fears, his dreams and nightmares. It's difficult to reach back through centuries of history to tap into the motivation of someone who can only come down to us through letters. And yet Mr. Pocock does an admirable job of painting a portrait of a surprisingly insecure man with far more talent than was expected from one of his class, a man of almost epic ugliness, a man of hunger and passion for greatness. A most complex and fascinating hero who comes alive in the hands of a quality historian. (4/5 Stars)