A practical shelf of strong naval-history sources

Which naval-history sources and authors are especially useful?

Start with specialists such as John Lambert and Norman Friedman, the Warship annuals, and strong authors including John Jordan, Harry Bennett, Andrew Lambert, and Nicholas Rodger.

John Lambert's work is recommended, especially for torpedo boats and motor torpedo boats, along with much of the Osprey series. Norman Friedman is consistently worth consulting, and the annual Warship volumes offer another route into the literature. John Jordan, Harry Bennett, Andrew Lambert, and Nicholas Rodger are also likely to provide substantial work. Even trusted names should still be read critically.