“[A] literate and absorbing yarn…A convincing tale of the intelligence, skill, and fortitude that drove a master navigator.” New York Times
Description
Challenged by an expert who said it couldn’t be done, Joshua Slocum, a fearless New England sea captain, set out in April 1895 to prove that a man could sail alone around the world. A little over three years and forty-six thousand miles later, the proof was complete. This is Slocum’s own account of his remarkable adventures during the historic voyage of the Spray.
Whether Slocum was more accomplished as a writer or sailor is hard to say. His writing style is fast paced, witty, and exhilarating, an absorbing match to his harrowing adventures—adventures that included being chased by Moorish pirates off Gibraltar; escaping a fleet of hostile canoes; being submerged by a great wave off the Patagonian coast; an encounter with Black Pedro, “the worst murderer in Tierra del Fuego”; and foiling a nocturnal attack by savages by strewing carpet tacks on the Spray’s deck.
Praise
“[A] literate and absorbing yarn…A convincing tale of the intelligence, skill, and fortitude that drove a master navigator.” New York Times
“One of the most readable books in the whole library of adventure.” Sports Illustrated
“A classic book…Slocum’s writing is as elegant as his thirty-seven-foot sloop, Spray, whose crossing of the Atlantic he describes vividly.” New Yorker
“No better voice than that of Bernard Mayes could have been picked for this voyage filled with adventures ranging from the total loneliness of the solo voyage to the tense fear of attack by Tierra del Fuego pirates…Bernard makes [the adventures] as exciting as they must have been to Slocum; his voice is the voice of a sailing gentleman.” AudioFile
“Surely one of the all-time classic sailing narratives, this is more than just an account of a fascinating and often arduous journey, it has also given rise to a mythology all its own.” Classic Boat
Details
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Release Day | Dec 31, 1992 |
| Release Date | January 1, 1993 |
| Release Date Machine | 725846400 |
| Imprint | Blackstone Publishing |
| Provider | Blackstone Publishing |
| Categories | Sports & Outdoors, Travel & Tourism, Travel Writing & Commentary, Water Sports, Nonfiction - Adult, Nonfiction - All |
Author Bio
Captain Joshua Slocum (1844–1909) was the first person to circle the globe alone entirely by sea. On April 24, 1895, he departed Boston in his thirty-seven-foot sloop, Spray, and sailed around the world, returning to Newport, Rhode Island, on June 27, 1898. This remarkable achievement made Slocum the most famous North American sailor of all time.
Narrator Bio
Bernard Mayes is a teacher, administrator, corporate executive, broadcaster, actor, dramatist, and former international commentator on US culture. He is best known for his readings of historical classics.
Overview
Challenged by an expert who said it couldn’t be done, Joshua Slocum, a fearless New England sea captain, set out in April 1895 to prove that a man could sail alone around the world. A little over three years and forty-six thousand miles later, the proof was complete. This is Slocum’s own account of his remarkable adventures during the historic voyage of the Spray.
Whether Slocum was more accomplished as a writer or sailor is hard to say. His writing style is fast paced, witty, and exhilarating, an absorbing match to his harrowing adventures—adventures that included being chased by Moorish pirates off Gibraltar; escaping a fleet of hostile canoes; being submerged by a great wave off the Patagonian coast; an encounter with Black Pedro, “the worst murderer in Tierra del Fuego”; and foiling a nocturnal attack by savages by strewing carpet tacks on the Spray’s deck.
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