With Milley's pronouncement that we are a maritime nation, I thought I'd compile a seapower reading list for those casually interested and seeking to transition to being thoroughly obsessed.

1) Six Frigates, by @IanWToll

2) The Safeguard of the Sea, by N.A.M. Rodger

3) Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, by @navy1944 (Bonus reading: Neptune's Inferno)

4) Red Star Over the Pacific: China's Rise & the Challenge to U.S. Maritime Strategy, Toshi Yoshihara & James Holmes (Bonus Reading: Mayday, by Seth Cropsey)

5) Dreadnought, by Robert K Massie

If you get through that list, you'll understand where we came from, you'll visit the mountaintop in book three, then by the end of 4 and 5 you'll be dropping "great power competition" in cocktail chatter (over Zoom, I guess) like a boss.

Oh, and to understand the US Navy, and indeed every major Navy from the U.S. to the PLAN to India, you absolutely must understand the Royal Navy.

Now, the list isn't chronological, if you need that sort of thing in your life go with Safeguard, Six Frigates, Dreadnought, Last Stand and Red Star. But I organized it for focus areas.

I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure there is a better book for understanding the CRUDES Navy than Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.

Pairs well with Greyhound, once you finish.