France, early summer 1794. The French Revolution has been hijacked by the extreme Jacobins and is in the grip of The Terror. While the guillotine relentlessly takes the heads of innocents, two vast French and British fleets meet in the mid-Atlantic following a week of skirmishing. After fierce fighting, both sides claim victory. In The Glorious First of June Sam Willis not only tells, with thrilling immediacy and masterly clarity, the story of an epic and complex battle, he also places it within the context of The Terror, the survival of the French Revolution and the growth of British sea-power.

'One of the things that makes Willis such a joy to read is the blazing clarity of his explanations. By the time you've finished his book you'll appreciate every nuance of naval tactics' Mail on Sunday. * Mail on Sunday *
'His portrayal [...] serves as a model for future studies' International Journal of Maritime History. * International Journal of Maritime History *
'With his great gift for making complex events exceptionally clear, and an authentically salty understanding of the workings of wind, sea, sail and rig, this is a brilliant and subtly nuanced account' Sunday Times. * Sunday Times *
'Those who would attempt to explain a great battle at sea in the age of sail need salt water in the veins and a skilled pen. In this marvellous book Dr Sam Willis proves that he has both' BBC History Magazine. * BBC History Magazine *
'Willis brings a welcome pace and energy to what might otherwise have been a dry account of a rarely remembered sea battle' Glasgow Sunday Herald. * Glasgow Sunday Herald *
'Willis's matchless grasp of historical detail brings it vividly to life' Mail on Sunday. * Mail on Sunday *

Dr Sam Willis is one of the world's leading authorities on the sailing navy. He is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Exeter's Centre for Maritime Historical Studies and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He is the author of several books on naval and maritime history including the highly successful Fighting Ships series. He lives in Exeter.