|
|
|
|
|
HOME PAGE | SEARCH | EXCERPTS | REVIEWS | SAILING LINKS | E-MAIL US | HOW TO ORDER |
“I've loved your collection of books for some time now. They have inspired me and have kept my spirits up during my dreaming, planning and hopefully not too distant voyages.” —A reader from New York We'd love to hear from you!
On Aka by Tristan Jones: The late Tristan Jones was, in real life, a solo-sailor of small boats; one of those intrepid iconoclasts who look back at the rest of us from the brink with a sardonic grin as if asking how we can stand living in the safety of the herd. Aka is Jones's novel of a small-boat sailor who agrees to enter a solo race around the world, replacing his friend who was killed in a highway accident. In a parallel story, Aka and his school of bottle-nose dolphin follow their customary itinerary in their annual migration to the calving ground at St. Paul's Rocks in the equatorial mid-Atlantic, which, according to Tristan Jones, is what is left of the lost continent of Atlantis, formerly populated by the dolphins' great friends, the Sea Kings. Jones's hero, Conan, is a competent sailor and the details of life at sea on a small boat are absolutely authentic. Still, he manages to go overboard in mid-ocean and watch his boat nonchalantly sail off without him— "...and he wept like a lone child lost in the dark, appalling reaches of infinity." Tristan Jones has sailed the Atlantic eighteen times, nine times alone. Of his book, Ice!, Sterling Hayden, who has himself washed more salt out of his sea-boot socks than most of us have sailed over, says, "What an epic book written by such a glorious man..." For those of us who are drawn to the sea a story like this, written by a small boat sailor, is ambrosia, whether the author writes well or not. Tristan Jones writes very well. He was awarded first prize for the most distinguished book of 1979-80 by the Welsh Arts Society. He is also a member of the Explorer's Club and has sailed the highest and lowest latitudes on earth (he has sailed farther north than any other man). About Aka, Jones says: "If my tale can bring to people ashore a little of the joy, a little of the elation and wonder, and even a mite of the pain and suffering that voyagers and other mammals know at sea, then any carping of pierhead critics will be to this book as the squeaks of an un-oiled sheet-block are to a vessel safely at anchor in her own quiet haven." Amen! —from Joe Pierre author of The Road to Damascus
On Basic Coastal Navigation by Frank J. Larkin: Basic Coastal Navigation is a comprehensive and thoroughly-accessible guide to piloting small sail and power boats. Written in a self-instruction format with exercises, questions, and answers included in each chapter, the book offers step-by-step coverage of what sometimes can be a daunting subject. Frank J. Larkin takes care to write in a simple (but never dry) prose style, using easy-to-understand terms. Also, the book's layout is superb: There's lots of white space, large graphics, and varying font sizes and shadings. Larkin also includes helpful memory aids, such as "Lat is Flat" for Latitude and — for a Black-Topped/White Buoy, which indicates an obstruction — "Think of the black top as a storm such as a Nor'easter." The author covers everything from nautical charts and plotting true courses to dead reckoning and electronic navigation systems (including GPS). All sea-persons with small boats — whether power or sail — should purchase this book. —A reader via the internet Dear Mr. Larkin, Both my husband and I have been reading your book and doing the exercises in preparation to take the A.S.A. Coastal Navigation certification class and test. We have found your book to be a great learning tool. It's been easy to understand and the exercises help to reinforce the knowledge just gained. —Barb
On The Breath of Angels by John Beattie: I have just finished reading Breath of Angels by John Beattie. I wonder if you have any idea what a great book your publishing house has.... You have a surefire bestseller on your hands. —Evelyn M.
On Celestial Navigation in a Nutshell by Hewitt Schlereth: I found Celestial Navigation in a Nutshell easy to follow and the diagrams made a distinct contribution to my understanding. I also liked Schlereth's informal, personal style. It too made this scary subject more readily available to my teensy mathematical mind. I found his use of the plotting sheet a unique and helpful addition. I've never come across this gimmick before. I was also grateful for the large easy-to-read type. —Jeremiah B. Lighter, New York
On The Celtic Ring by Björn Larsson: This one has it all. Sailing, politics, history, terrorists, exotic ports. Outstanding, creative plot. Made me want to move onto a boat. I've kayaked the same route Torben and Ulf take across Scotland (only in reverse), and Larsson describes it to the letter. One of my favorite reads ever. As my wife said, "I wish I didn't know what happened so I could read it again." Is this guy going to write another? I'll be first in line. —A reader via the internet
On The Compleat Cruiser by L. Francis Herreshoff: This book is written as a story, but the plot elements really only exist in order to string together pieces of information in a fashion which is entertaining to read. Topics covered include how to make a proper chowder, how to launch a boat off the beach, binoculars vs. telescopes, a good bit of boating history, anchoring, and many, many others. Herreschoff is quite opinionated, and this book is definitely an antique, but it is good reading and much of what he writes still applies today. —A reader from Seattle, WA
On The Cruise of the SNARK by Jack London: The Cruise of the SNARK relays the saga of Jack London's construction, and two-year voyage in a 45-foot sailing ketch from San Francisco to Hawaii, the Marquesas, Tahiti, and the head-hunting Solomon islands. His difficulties in getting the boat built after the 1906 San Fran earthquake are hilarious as he describes the assaults of his contractors and creditors during the construction. After they finally launch the voyage six months late, they manage to find Hawaii through sheer luck, where Jack and his plucky wife, Charmain, learn to surf (remember this is 1907!), visit the leper colony at Molokai and the "House of the Sun" volcanic crater on Maui. Then comes the "impossible traverse" to the Marquesas, which they didn't realize couldn't be done until a week after they'd begun. Continuing on to Tahiti and the savage Solomon islands, Jack and his determined "Snarkites" encounter natives, tribal chieftains, missionaries, and overcome their problems with incredible persistence and naivete as only some of the first white people to enter these areas could possess. Incidentally, the "cook" on this voyage was the famous photographer and world explorer Martin Johnson who was picked to go on his very first adventure by a letter to Jack advertising his thirst for travel. With his wife Osa, he would years later revisit the Solomons for the purpose of photographing cannibalism before embarking on their epic photographic safaris in Africa and Borneo. Jack only mentions Martin in passing during The Cruise of the SNARK, perhaps sensing some literary and photographic competition that he would encounter later. This book is a great shelf companion to Martin's Through the South Seas with Jack London, upon which he began his great series of travel books. The Cruise of the SNARK gives Jack's viewpoint as the sponsor of the trip and an established literary giant. Whereas Martin's opinions on the racial makeup of the islanders are quite bigoted and reflect the prevailing views of the turn of the century, Jack is more open-minded, and willing to point out the failings of the white race in adapting to these island paradises. The Cruise of the SNARK is a great non-fiction book, among few others by London such as The Abyss that tell of his adventures and opinions first-hand as they happen. It truly captures his sarcastic yet hopeful perspective of himself and the whole concept of adventure. —A reader in Lawrence, Kansas
On Do Dolphins Ever Sleep? by Pierre-Ives and Sally Bely
––Don Launer On Ebb Tide by Richard Woodman: I've just finished reading Ebb Tide, the last of Richard Woodman's Capt. Nathaniel Drinkwater series. I enjoyed them immensely and want to thank you for publishing them and for your timely mail order service. —A reader in Berkeley, California
On ENTERPRISE to ENDEAVOUR by Ian Dear: I have just completed ENTERPRISE to ENDEAVOUR. Thank you for a truly fantastic book. The accuracy of the details, the wonderful photos, the abundance of the photos, and the spirit in which it was written makes this book a standard in which non fiction books should be judged. —A reader via e-mail
On Flirting With Mermaids by John Kretschmer: Excellent! I couldn't put it down. This has to be one of the best books I have read in quite a while. John makes you feel like you are a part of his crew (or at least a fly on the bulkhead) throughout each adventure. I only wish I had gone into the boat delivery business instead of computers... —A reader in Michigan
On The Flying Squadron by Richard Woodman: This is the first book I have read by Mr. Woodman and, for the most part, I was impressed. This book is very serious and ambitious for a sea novel. Some serious philosophical ideas are presented, as Drinkwater tries to resolve these issues in his mind. I particularly liked how Mr. Woodman informs the reader on the military, political and economic situation in England and America during the War of 1812. The plot of the novel moves along fairly quickly, however, with only brief time-outs for the serious ideas and the history lesson. The quality of Mr. Woodman's writing is very high, unlike some other writers I have read in this genre. I have only one complaint, and that is the lack of action. There are not many battle scenes in this book and they are not described in very much detail. Also, as an American, it is impossible to root for the English in this war. Still, on the whole I was impressed and I hope the rest of this series will be reprinted. —A reader in Jacksonville, Florida
On The Folkboat Story by Dieter Loibner ...a truly informative and engaging book. —A reader in Denton, TX I recently purchased The Folkboat Story and greatly enjoyed reading it. Lots of good information there. My boat came with very little rigging, so it has been a challenge to get her setup correctly, and the book helped tremendously. —Folkboat fan on Lake Champlain
Return to Top |