What books offer a good introduction to marine engines and their theory?
Short answerBegin with technical reprints such as Modern American Marine Engines, Boilers and Screw Propellers, then add modern marine-engine and warship-structure references.
NotesA new reader can begin learning how marine engines work with Modern American Marine Engines, Boilers and Screw Propellers, a reprint of a nineteenth-century technical work. A modern marine-engines volume and a companion book on the structural design of warships offer further reading. These books provide technical explanations to complement operational histories.