Thursday, December 7, 2017

What's On Your List?

As the seasons change and autumn transitions into winter, we can feel the change, especially on the boat where temps have dropped to 3°C at night.  So, we are compiling our favorite reading list.  Is there anything more cozy than snuggling with a warm blanket, a hot cuppa tea and a book that you can’t put down?  Maybe a nice fire, but since we don’t promote open flames on boats, we’ll stick to the scene outlined above.

Here is our list of some of our favorites, mostly nonfiction adventure tales.  If you have any that you’d like to share, please leave a comment – it is going to be a long winter.

Voyage for Mad Men - Story of the 1968 Golden Globe Race in which Robin Knox-Johnson became the first person to be recognized as a solo non-stop circumnavigation around the world.

Over The Edge of The World - Magellan set out for the Spice Islands going west around the world, proving that the world wasn't flat.  One of the reasons I like this book is because it talks about the reign of Spain and Portugal as dominant world superpowers but in 2017, neither have very much influence.  Power is fleeting and greed is tragic.

Salty Piece of Land - Surprising page-turner by Jimmy Buffet.  He didn't set out to write a Pulitzer Prize winner, but it's entertaining and a bit philosophical.

Chasing The Horizon - Captain Fatty Goodlander with words of wisdom from his life living aboard sail boats.

The Climb - Anatoli Boukarev's answer to the 1996 tragedy on Mt. Everest.  If you've read Into Thin Air by John Krakauer - this is the real story.

Once Is Enough - Miles and Beryl Smeaton.  Sailed around Cape Horn in the 1950s and were dismasted - twice.  Adventure at it's extreme.

Flirting With Mermaids - Sailing stories from a delivery captain, with a bit of romance thrown in. 

Desert Solitaire - Edward Abbey's experience as a ranger in Moab, UT and the importance of nature to humans.

The Long Way - Bernard Moitissier's version of the 1968 Golden Globe Race.  Very philosophical regarding the relationship of ocean to man and the solo journey around the world helping a person understand his very existence.


Barbarian Days - A life of surfing with struggles and adventures along the way.


4 comments:

Jim C said...

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

Jim Collins

Baxter, Molly and Kala said...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family, Jim! Hope it is a great holiday season.

Tess said...

Hey Molly and Baxter, thanks for sharing your list! Im going to check some of the out.

I have three recommendations, all nautical themed.

My Old Man And The Sea, A Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn By David Hays and Daniel Hays. It's about A Father and Son and their Cat, Tigger another story of rounding Cape Horn in a 25-Foot Sloop. Amazing writing and you'll appreciate their descriptions of sailing and the ocean.

The second, more obscure, may be challenging but I loved it. “We, The Drowned” written by Danish writer Carsten Jensen. It's a large book, full of sea faring stories, large tales and characters, big in nautical expanse and scope, about the men who sail from Marstal, Denmark and the people they leave behind. And, Newfoundland, figures prominently in the story.

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by David Sobel. Every sailor should read it.

Loving your stories too.

Happy holidays from two stranded sailors and Filbert. Hi to Kala!

Baxter, Molly and Kala said...

Awesome! Thanks Tess. Those look great.

Happy Holidays to you, Al and Filbert! Can't wait to meet up with you guys again.

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