Why is Nelson a hero? Because he was a captain before he was 21, a man who shaped the course of history from the decks of his ships, hailed as a savior of the nation, a hero killed in action at the moment of his greatest victory at the Battle of Trafalgar and immortalized ever since. What lies beneath the romantic legend? What did he do before he became famous? Why did he fall from grace twice? Did he really put a telescope to his blind eye? What made his leadership special? This book traces Nelson’s spectacular and often controversial career.