So I was listening to the latest gCaptain episode today…as I do Religiously…and a couple great books were brought up. I think I’ve seen some posts on “Favorite Reads” or such but I figured this could be a great place to share some of the better stories we use to pass the time between shifts.
We are probably all familiar with “Adrift” by Steven Callahan ( http://www.amazon.com/Adrift-Seventy-six-Days-Lost-Sea/dp/0618257322 ) This is a book I would even consider keeping in the ditch-bag. But it is only one of many stories of survival in the maritime context, think Shackelton. But maybe you haven’t heard of Poon Lim ( http://www.amazon.com/Sole-Survivor-Ruthanne-Lum-McCunn-ebook/dp/B00572B1RW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392089597&sr=1-1&keywords=poon+lim ) until recently, he held the record for survival at sea.
In said episode of gCaptain the subject of the California Channel Islands was brought up which reminded me of my times commercial fishing there and a book I picked up called “Diary of a Sea Captain’s Wife” ( http://www.amazon.com/Diary-Sea-Captains-Wife-Island/dp/0874610338 ) …not to be confused with “A Sea Captain’s Wife” ( http://www.amazon.com/The-Sea-Captains-Wife-Nineteenth/dp/039333029X ) which is another interesting read… but no discussion of the domestication of animals in the Channel Islands would be complete without Richard Henry Dana’s “Two Years Before The Mast” ( http://www.amazon.com/Years-Before-Mast-Richard-Henry-ebook/dp/B00DRG9YEC/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392089197&sr=1-2&keywords=3+years+before+the+mast ) …a classic on par with “Moby Dick” (imo).
If you are a fisherman have you read “Cod”? ( http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/64895.Cod )
And lastly…my two favorites: “3 years in a 12 foot boat” …I actually met the author at the wooden baot festival in Port Townsend, WA and he signed my copy GREAT STORY! ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966933737/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) and “A star to steer by” by Capt. Chris Common ( this is available in hard cover ONLY from the publisher at: Stories From The Sea Publishing 2410 Pine St., No. Bend. OR 97459 )
What’s YOUR favorite?
Shadow divers, Kon Tiki, Two years before the mast, A ship of Gold, and Old man and the sea.
[QUOTE=KeysBum7229;130485]Shadow divers, Kon Tiki, Two years before the mast, A ship of Gold, and Old man and the sea.[/QUOTE]
Definately Kon Tiki!
Sea Wolf by Jack London
Grey Seas Under by Farley Mowat
Steaming to Bamboola by Christopher Buckley
You know, gCaptain should have a section in the forum just for discussing books and maritime history.
Get with it you mugs!
Capital idea, old man, seconded!
A recent read and a gCaptain recommendation is “The Shipping Man”. Makes maritime capital investment interesting. . . . . Written by someone in that end of the industry and gives a different perspective on the business than many of us are ever exposed to. As a former Class surveyor, some of the chapters had me literally laughing out loud, and not because of the mistakes, but because of the accuracy. . . .
These are a couple of books that were recommended to me a long time ago and I was lucky enough to get a copy of both. Seems to me it was a maritime book seller in Wisconsin somewhere, this was pre-internet and I think they advertised in some magazine I was getting at the time. Anyway William McFee was an engineer who eventually retired from the sea and started writing novels. These two books though were autobiographical and just pure gold if you want to get a first hand account of early steam sailing. It’s funny to read passages where they disparage new fangled things like water tube boilers.
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One possible source might be:
Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America
A quick search for William McFee brought up lots of his novels and a couple of copies of In the First Watch and Watch Below.