A starting book for the Dreadnought era

What is a good starting book on the pre-dreadnought to Dreadnought transition and the Anglo-German naval race?

Start with Robert K. Massie's Dreadnought, then move into specialized ship and design studies.

Massie's Dreadnought is recommended as an accessible starting point for the transition from pre-dreadnoughts and the Anglo-German naval race. It provides the foundation for more technical studies such as Norman Friedman's ship histories. The sequence builds context before specialist design literature.