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The Mariner's Book of DaysBy Peter H. SpectreSoundings, September 2008: “Stumped on a gift for the boater in your life? Consider The Mariner’s Book of Days 2009.” WaterCraft, November/December 2007: “This is a desk diary and by the time you read this, the High Street will be awash with desk diaries, so why single out this one for review? The answer is that it is special, special because it is compiled and written by Peter Spectre who must surely rank as The Man Who Has The Largest Collection of Literary Nautical Ephemera, Anywhere, Ever. And unlike the rest of us who have a few old books and mags yet still frequently fail to find what we read in them only yesterday, Mr. Spectre clearly, indeed literally, knows his stuff. Thus, in the diary which is laid out in ‘week to view’ fashion, he is able to assemble an impressively eclectic mix of quotations on whatever nautical topic he has chosen for the left-hand page and also knows exactly where to go in his vast collection to find an arcane yet aposite event or anniversary to celebrate for each of the seven days shown on the right hand page—and can keep on doing that a further 358 times. No wonder The Mariner’s Book of Days seems to have reached the status of a minor cult.” WaterCraft, November/December 2006: "There are, of course, only two consolations for getting a year older and Peter Spectre’s wonderful week-to-view mariner’s diary is one of them. Each spread has the days of the week on the right hand page and for every single day of the year, there’s an anniversary of something-or-other: January 1st, for example, notes the first publication of Jane’s Fighting Ships in 1897; December 31st, the very last day of WWII, Loran-A nav system in 1980… and so on. Each of the left-hand pages has a crisp old line-art illustration with a miscellany of short quotations and longer pieces: for the week in October in which I write this, an account of the launch Narcissus encountering a sea-serpent in 1903; a listing showing the water resistance of various marine glues; a little bit of Lear—Edward not King—and this from George Putz: The notion that modern boat construction materials are immortal is baldly stupid. Everything breaks and is eventually thrown away—and even morons these days come to understand there is no ' away.'" Latitudes & Attitudes, August 2006: "This is a book of facts that is built into a calendar for sailors to keep track of their days at sea, while learning something new each day. Little known facts, famous passages and thoughts from sailors past give a sailor pause for thought as they cruise the oceans of the world." “This nautical desk diary and calendar is an ever-growing encyclopedia of marine fact, fiction and folklore. Entertaining and informative, every year the calendar is updated, making it a keeper well after the year is over and done. On the right-hand page of the spiral-bound book is a week of days with room for notes, while each day's nautical significance is briefly detailed by author Peter H. Spectre. Meanwhile, a collection of seafaring miscellany and illustrations adorn the opposite page.” Sailing & Yachting (SA), November 2004 “…Well, since its inception 12 years ago, the Mariner's Book of Days has been hailed as the best, most entertaining nautical desk diary and calendar in print. Updated with fresh material each year, the 2004 edition was as enjoyable and informative as any previous edition, and there is little doubt the 2005 edition, out soon, will be equally pleasurable and treasurable.” Good Old Boat, October 2003: “Trying to capture the essence of The Mariner's Book of Days 2004 in a short review is like trying to capture moonbeams in a bottle. True, it is a unique desk calendar, but it is so much more. Call it a desk calendar with an attitude. To those of us who are fascinated by lore and traditions of the sea, it is a treasure trove of information. This is the 13th edition of this calendar. Each has contained a completely new collection of marine fact and legend. The vast amount of nautical lore boggles the mind. “Items in this edition range from the practical (how to wash clothes at sea), to the historical (excerpts from ships' logs and nautical history of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries). There is also the occasionally bizarre entry (a 1777 recruiting poster for the continental ship, RANGER, captained by John Paul Jones, promises: ‘Any Gentlemen Volunteers who have a Mind to take an agreeable [sic] Voyage in this Pleasant Season of the Year may, by entering on board the above Ship RANGER meet with every civility…’). Anyone who has read even one of C.S. Forester's Hornblower novels knows that life in any 18th century naval vessel was unlikely to be either agreeable or civil. “Peter Spectre's nautical miscellany is delightfully digestible. Each left-hand page has a selection of marine information and highlighted notes from past nautical adventures – famous, infamous, and obscure. The right-hand pages are weekly day planners. Each day provides a brief note of a significant nautical event that occurred on that date along with plenty of white space for noting appointments, birthdays, anniversaries, and so on. “The Mariner's Book of Days 2004 could easily be read in a single evening, but this is no way to treat this charming book. Rather, put it on your desk and as each week begins start by reading the left-hand page. The information contained on these pages often warrants several readings during the week. Each date on the right-hand page contains a nugget of nautical knowledge to be digested while considering the day's appointments and chores. By the end of the year, you will have a new appreciation for nautical tales and lore. “This is a desk planner that will not be in the trash at the end of the year, but rather will earn a permanent place on every owner's nautical bookshelf. It is a safe bet that readers of The Mariner's Book of Days 2004 will find themselves scouring the shelves of used bookstores and the Internet looking for the 12 previous editions of the calendar.”
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