A great book
- Thread starter Ken Cross
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Anything by James L. Nelson. Great read. Nautical fiction and non fiction from around the time of the Revolution. He sailed on Lady Washington (aka The Interceptor of Pirates of the Caribbean) for years.
Why? I created my first hangover in his mom's living room . . . while she wasn't home.
Why? I created my first hangover in his mom's living room . . . while she wasn't home.
Moby Dick, I read it about every 10 years or so, every time I get more out of it, such a sophisticated classic.
I always do a lot of reading and a few books about sailing that really stand out above all the rest are...
my old man and the sea, by hays and hays
gypsy moth circles the world...
along the clipper way, both by sir francis chichester
adrift...
ice, both by tristan jones
a voyage for madmen, by peter nichols
my old man and the sea, by hays and hays
gypsy moth circles the world...
along the clipper way, both by sir francis chichester
adrift...
ice, both by tristan jones
a voyage for madmen, by peter nichols
Several books by Farley Mowat. "Grey Seas Under", "The Serpent's Coil", and "The boat that wouldn't float". The first two are gut grabbing, hair raising, wide eyed, tales of men, salvage tugs, and the fearsome North Atlantic in winter. The last is a humorous rendition of a boat that defied all known best maintenance practices.
Of the untold amount of books I've read, I can't decide on any one for the exception of one I read a couple of years ago about Shackleton's voyage, and can not find it now. I'm sure that there are dozens of "renditions" of this, but no sea story is more fascinating. Or maybe Magellan's.
Anyway, if you want to read something riveting online, go to Ericsonyachts.org, and go to the stories at the end of the forums, and one titled "Knockdown" is too far out. I read it late one night while bored, and thought, "OK, a knockdown story, whatever". I won't begin to spoil it, just read it. Holy crap!
And I'd rather be caught in a cowboy bar as read fiction. To me, it's a monumental waste of time. "Escapes" are fine I suppose, but there is just too much factual information out there that tends to be enlightening.
It's one reason I didn't even comment on the t.v. thread. We could have impeached the president and I wouldn't know about it..
Anyway, if you want to read something riveting online, go to Ericsonyachts.org, and go to the stories at the end of the forums, and one titled "Knockdown" is too far out. I read it late one night while bored, and thought, "OK, a knockdown story, whatever". I won't begin to spoil it, just read it. Holy crap!
And I'd rather be caught in a cowboy bar as read fiction. To me, it's a monumental waste of time. "Escapes" are fine I suppose, but there is just too much factual information out there that tends to be enlightening.
It's one reason I didn't even comment on the t.v. thread. We could have impeached the president and I wouldn't know about it..
Hi Ken--I'm a neighbor to the north of you. And since no one has mention some of my favorites let me suggest some of mine.
My all time favorite is about a power boat and a women skipper in the Pacific Northwest. Entitled "The Curve of Time" by M. Wylie Blanchet who lived in Sidney, BC. Very enjoyable read and you learn a little about the waters to the north of us toward Alaska.
One of the funnest books that I've read is "Blown Away" by Herb Payson. I've met the author who lives in Port Townsend. If you don't laugh at least once during each chapter.....well, you will.
A great sailing mystery from before World War II is "The Riddle of the Sands," by Erskine Childers who was hung by the British as a spy. Still the book is excellent--I've gotten charts of the area and followed his story.
If you can find a copy "Across the Western Ocean" by William Snaith is a brilliantly written book. Snaith was one of the principal designers of the early space capsules interior. But he was the last the gentlemen who raced each other without measurement rules--loser buy dinner for the other crews. Out of print but well worth searching for. His beer chapter is a delight.
Another book that is out of print but well worth finding is "A White Boat From England", a tale of sailing right after WWII. It's by George Miller and is the epitome of cruising in a sailboat. LIfe has changed much since this book was written but it will make you think.
I wish you well in your search. I've just downloaded three new sailing books on my Kindle.
A next day update: On a whim, I decided to see if I could get my books that were out of print from Amazon. Both Snaith's book and Miller's book are available. I'm surprised.
My all time favorite is about a power boat and a women skipper in the Pacific Northwest. Entitled "The Curve of Time" by M. Wylie Blanchet who lived in Sidney, BC. Very enjoyable read and you learn a little about the waters to the north of us toward Alaska.
One of the funnest books that I've read is "Blown Away" by Herb Payson. I've met the author who lives in Port Townsend. If you don't laugh at least once during each chapter.....well, you will.
A great sailing mystery from before World War II is "The Riddle of the Sands," by Erskine Childers who was hung by the British as a spy. Still the book is excellent--I've gotten charts of the area and followed his story.
If you can find a copy "Across the Western Ocean" by William Snaith is a brilliantly written book. Snaith was one of the principal designers of the early space capsules interior. But he was the last the gentlemen who raced each other without measurement rules--loser buy dinner for the other crews. Out of print but well worth searching for. His beer chapter is a delight.
Another book that is out of print but well worth finding is "A White Boat From England", a tale of sailing right after WWII. It's by George Miller and is the epitome of cruising in a sailboat. LIfe has changed much since this book was written but it will make you think.
I wish you well in your search. I've just downloaded three new sailing books on my Kindle.
A next day update: On a whim, I decided to see if I could get my books that were out of print from Amazon. Both Snaith's book and Miller's book are available. I'm surprised.
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Tristan Jones is always a hoot.
Find books by Jonathan Raban.
Do an archives search here on "books" - kinda like the subject has come up before, right?
Find books by Jonathan Raban.
Do an archives search here on "books" - kinda like the subject has come up before, right?
When we bought our first keelboat my in-laws gave the admiral a book called "Cape Horn: One Man's Dream, One Woman's Nightmare".
You can guess the theme.
God bless sir francis chichester but "Gypsy Moth Circles" makes you wonder why he started in the first place, very unhappy sailor.
You can guess the theme.
God bless sir francis chichester but "Gypsy Moth Circles" makes you wonder why he started in the first place, very unhappy sailor.
+1 0n "Voyage For Madmen". Right now I'm reading "Desparate Voyage". I started "Around the World Alone" but haven't finished it yet. It's not nearing as engaging as the other two. All non-fiction.
There's this hot new author who's a regular member here on the boards who has just published a legal-pollitical-science thriller entitled Lunar Dance. Sort of a Michael Crichton meets John Grisham thing. It's out in hardcover, softcover, and ebook for Kindle, Nook and iPad. You can find it at:
http://www.amazon.com/Lunar-Dance-Robert-Sapp/dp/0988543206/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lunar-dance-robert-sapp/1113627123?ean=2940045125260
I happen to know the guy pretty well. Cause it's me.
I'm trying to start a portable career that will let me earn fuel money for when we retire and go cruising. So if you pick up a copy, you'll not only be getting a page-turning thriller, you'll also be helping out a fellow sailor.
Regards,
Robert
http://www.amazon.com/Lunar-Dance-Robert-Sapp/dp/0988543206/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lunar-dance-robert-sapp/1113627123?ean=2940045125260
I happen to know the guy pretty well. Cause it's me.
I'm trying to start a portable career that will let me earn fuel money for when we retire and go cruising. So if you pick up a copy, you'll not only be getting a page-turning thriller, you'll also be helping out a fellow sailor.
Regards,
Robert
I too am in middle of reading Breaking Seas. What a great book about the sailing spirit and his dreams. Told with humor and honesty. A great read.
Bob
Bob
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