The culinarily-minded should also pick up "Lobscouse and Spotted Dog" by Grossman and Thomas[1]. This a cookbook by a mother and daughter team who cooked every single dish mentioned in the series with period recipes and techniques. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in its fruit.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Lobscouse-Spotted-Dog-Gastronomic-Com...

If you're interested in old-fashioned cooking and/or nautical history, this is a fascinating read: https://www.amazon.com/Lobscouse-Spotted-Dog-Gastronomic-Com...