Nick Collins read history at Magdalene College Cambridge, was pressed to continue academic research and writing but chose to go into maritime trade with H Clarkson& Co, now Clarkson-Plateau, the largest company in the field with world-wide connections. He was director of of the main company and of subsidiary companies in Asia including the Far East and India, Dubai and the USA. So he has done business with many of the countries in the regions featured in the book and brings practical hands-on experience to academic research to produce a unique work.

Shortlisted for the Mountbatten Maritime Literary Prize‘History with a capital H’ Prof Geoffrey Till‘Clearly a most important book’ Dr Ronald Hyam'Fascinating and convincing;’ Prof Malcolm Falkus‘An epic tome.’ Nautilus International

Nick Collins read history at Magdalene College Cambridge, was pressed to continue academic research and writing but chose to go into maritime trade with H Clarkson& Co, now Clarkson-Plateau, the largest company in the field with world-wide connections. He was director of of the main company and of subsidiary companies in Asia including the Far East and India, Dubai and the USA. So he has done business with many of the countries in the regions featured in the book and brings practical hands-on experience to academic research to produce a unique work.

Shortlisted for the Mountbatten Maritime Literary Prize‘History with a capital H’ Prof Geoffrey Till‘Clearly a most important book’ Dr Ronald Hyam'Fascinating and convincing;’ Prof Malcolm Falkus‘An epic tome.’ Nautilus International