The Book, Cruisers, An Illustrated History 1880-1980, provides a concise yet authoritative review of the development of this category of naval vessel from 1880 to 1980.  While "Cruisers" have always been a difficult type of ship to categorize, the author defines a cruiser "as the smallest ocean-going warship but largest which could be built in numbers".  The term originated in the eighteenth century when a "cruizer' was any warship on detached duty.  After World War I an international treaty defined both a heavy and light cruiser category that did not exceed a 10,000-ton maximum weight.  The primary difference centered on a heavy cruiser carrying a primary armament of 8 inch guns while a light cruiser more typically carried a primary armament of 6 inch guns.  "Cruisers, An Illustrated History 1880 - 1980" succinctly untangles the complexities of defining this category of ship and highlights their importance during this timeframe within the context of naval history.  The major sections of "Cruisers, An Illustrated History 1880 - 1980" are as follows: 1) Early Cruizers; 2) On the High Seas; 3) Home Waters 1914-18; 4) After Jutland; 5) Cruisers and Washington; 6) Between the Wars; 7) War Clouds; 8) The Pacific and Far East; 9) The Decline of the gun; 10) A New Generation; 11) Epilogue; 12) Index and 13) Acknowledgements.  In addition to an informative narrative, this book includes the following features: 1) Approximately 190 black and white vintage photographs; 2) About 15 color photographs; 3) 2 black and white illustrations; 4) Approximately 15 color illustrations and 5) About 19 maps.  Note: this book was originally owned by a public library but was discarded via a public book sale.  This book is 192 pages and is in very good condition.  The author is Antony Preston.  Edition published in 1980.