Any good, exciting books about sailing?

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centerline

centerline

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Mar 20, 2012
3,983
Cal 34-III, MacGregor 25 Salem, Oregon
NOT "how to" books, but good reading books.... what are your recommendations as to good exciting literature about sailing vessels and life at sea on a ship or boat?
I have read a few good books about things related and I can recommend the books "two years before the mast", "along the clipper way" and a simpler book called "down the mast road".... they are all good reading and very interesting.
there must be many others that have been written that are just as good or better reading and I hope to experience them.....
 
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gpd955

gpd955

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Feb 22, 2006
1,164
Catalina 310 Cape May, NJ
I just started reading "A Sail of Two Idiots" and it is very down to earth and written in a style that I enjoy. Can't give a complete synopsis yet but the first 3 chapters are pretty good.

I also recommend "William Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny" and "Captain Cook's Journal During the First Voyage". Great historical perspectives.

For lighter and more modern non fiction, take a gander at Bob Bitchin's (Lats and Atts) books "Letters from the Lost Soul" and "The Sailing Life"

If you love to read and don't have a Kindle or Nook, I highly recommend spending a few bucks and getting one. My wife and I each have a Kindle and it is great being able to carry an entire library with you. Not only do I have my favorite and current books, all of my technical manuals, nav rules, and reference materials are available at the flip of a switch. One of the best purchases I ever made. And I was one of those "I like to turn actual pages" people. Plus, a $25 book costs me under $10 (usually) and you have it forever, even if you change devices.
 

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Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Re: Any good, exciting books about sailing?. past or present

Everything by Tristen Jones . Almost everything by Lin and larry Pardey, Anything by Hal Roth.
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Re: Any good, exciting books about sailing?. past or present

I second the recommendation for Hal Roth. A Sailing Trilogy was excellent especially for a would be cruiser.
 
Indysailor

Indysailor

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Oct 10, 2009
1,047
Catalina 27 3657 Lake Monroe
If you like the age of sail, try Patrick O'Brian's Maturin/Aubrey series, by far the best modern writer of this genre. Others who are pretty good are, Richard Woodman (Drinkwater series), Dewey Lambdin (Alan Lewrie), Julian Stockwin (Thomas Kydd). Of course, there's Hornblower as well, which is superb writing, but I got a little tired of his constant brooding and self doubt.

One of my favorites, though, is Captain Frederick Marryat, who was a Royal Navy officer during the early 1800s. He wrote Mr. Midshipman Easy, which I often wonder whether O'Brian studied. The narration is similar.
 
31seahorse

31seahorse

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Aug 2, 2005
1,155
Pearson 33-2 & Typhoon 18 Seneca Lake
History/Sailing in Florida waters in the Civil War era: The Honor series by Robert MaComber is easy reading with activity along Florida's southwest coast and Key West.
 
Andy1237

Andy1237

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Jun 30, 2004
446
Hunter 340 St Andrews Bay
Thriller for Sailors

"Sail" by James Patterson-super fast read-one rainy weekend on the boat!

Also, "Captain Kidd Pirate Hunter"-a historical account of how Captain James Kidd went from being a commissioned pirate hunter of the State to being an "accused" pirate of renown.
 
Witzend

Witzend

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Dec 25, 2008
1,580
catalina 310 Elk River
"Morning of Fire" by Scott Ridley
The account of the first American expedition headed by Capt. John Kendrick, to gain a foot hold into the important trade region of the Pacific north west coast of America. His political negotiating skills in the end won out the support of the native populations and trumped the Spanish and British efforts to control the fur trade routes through Hawaii to Macao.
This is a well research account and highly recomended by Nathaniel Philbrick author of "In the Heart of the Sea" and other highly recommended historical sailing novels.
 
Freedom77

Freedom77

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Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Dove by Robin Graham, was also maid into a movie. Also Joshua Slocum, Robin Knox Johnson. Fiction, Horatio Hornblower all 13 volumes, Bolitho series by Alexander Kent, O'Brian Master and Commander series, Billy Budd by Herman Melville and the list goes on...
 
dlandersson

dlandersson

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Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
Moby Dick, Hungry as the Sea

http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Hungry-...=1340035656&sr=1-3&keywords=hungry+as+the+sea

centerline said:
NOT "how to" books, but good reading books.... what are your recommendations as to good exciting literature about sailing vessels and life at sea on a ship or boat?
I have read a few good books about things related and I can recommend the books "two years before the mast", "along the clipper way" and a simpler book called "down the mast road".... they are all good reading and very interesting.
there must be many others that have been written that are just as good or better reading and I hope to experience them.....
Click to expand
 
dlandersson

dlandersson

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Feb 16, 2011
227
Macgregor 26X Michigan City, IN
The Hornblower series by Forester.

centerline said:
NOT "how to" books, but good reading books.... what are your recommendations as to good exciting literature about sailing vessels and life at sea on a ship or boat?
I have read a few good books about things related and I can recommend the books "two years before the mast", "along the clipper way" and a simpler book called "down the mast road".... they are all good reading and very interesting.
there must be many others that have been written that are just as good or better reading and I hope to experience them.....
Click to expand
 
Joe Diver

Joe Diver

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Mar 19, 2011
225
Catalina C25 Eagle Mountain Lake
gpd955 said:
If you love to read and don't have a Kindle or Nook, I highly recommend spending a few bucks and getting one.
Click to expand
X2....I bought a Fire back in December....last part of my life to go digital. I'm not looking back.

Yes, there is something tactile and pleasurable about holding a real book, but the advantage gained....having so many books, magazines, etc all in one nifty device....far outweighs what is lost.
 
tsheie

tsheie

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Jan 9, 2012
52
San Juan 7.7 Bayfield WI
'Close to the Wind' - Pete Goss
'Around Alone' - Ellen MacArthur
Both of the Vendee Globe races, experiences you can hardly imagine.. like trying to fix your masthead in 50-70kts of wind in the Southern Ocean by yourself, hauling a drill up top..
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,102
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Reading Chichester "Gipsy Moth Circles the World".. Amazing how much trouble he had in the first half of the trip.. Custom made boat from a prestigious yard (Camper & Nicholson's) and designer.. they missed the mark.. When I read Sir Francis's tribulations from that 1967 timeframe, I can't help but compare to Jessica Watson's fairly smooth voyage in a smaller, better prepared boat two years ago..
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,054
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Joshua Slocum, Sailing Alone Around the World.

John Letcher, Self Steering for Small Craft - includes great stories and you learn a lot about sail trim and self steering. Hard to find, out of print.

Everything written by Erick Hiscock and Maurice Griffiths.
 
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