[.ca] Sailing Alone Around the World (ISBN 071366777X)

The book to read when you can't afford to go anywhere:
I first read Slocum's account ... while riding ... on a ferryboat. My experience with boating is basically limited to... that ferry ride,... I certainly cannot review "Alone" on any sort of technical level. I just know that it's the ideal escape fantasy. Here Slocum travels the world on his own terms, emphasizing all the pleasures of reading on an empty sea by day, while making the difficult parts (the storms, the pirates) seem like amusing diversions. The leaden 19th century prose is probably the biggest obstacle to enjoying the book. A narrative of the same journey written today would be far more action-oriented. However, the reader can fill in the parts that Slocum makes seem harmless -- the illnesses, the fear of sudden death, the near madness after 70 days alone on the Pacific -- for a truer taste of just how harrowing the voyage must really have been. And then there's always the pleasure of dining with island governors, and the hobnobbing with celebrity (Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson has a large role), and unintentional amusement as Slocum describes, and bypasses, the island where a recent series of "Survivor" was filmed. When the nautical urge strikes me, this is the book I read.

When the World was still Flat:
The story of the first solo circumnavigation of the world, is very intriguing. An epic adventure when many people still believed the world to be flat, Joshua Slocum writes of his experiences with pirates, dignitaries, and people from all over the world along his amazing journey. Despite the era that it is written in, the language remains somewhat timeless (and easily understandable), as is the challenge that Slocum undertook. You will enjoy reading about the nefarious storms of the southern ocean, and the calm, hospitable people of the islands in the south pacific, among other things. A great book.

Exciting, amazing and intriguing:
After reading it almost straight through, I flipped to the introduction and started over. One can understand why some "experts" of the day doubted he did it alone. We are left to guess how they thought he could have hoodwinked many high ranking witnesses in ports-of-call all around the planet. Slocum, by his own admission, skipped detailing much of the adversity, so we can only imagine the emotional and physical pain that he must have endured for long periods. I would have liked to know more but that would have doubled the size of the book. One is left in awe at an amazing achievement by a man at the peak of his powers.

A touching love story between father and son:
An emotionally moving book that is for anyone with any knowledge of sailing or small boat handling, who has ever dreamed of taking a voyage beyond the safety of land. You expernience the reality of life at sea. More than that, this book is for anyone who has experienced the love of a child or parent. On a voyage that the father had looked forward to all his life, he (David Hays) steps aside and lets his son (Daniel Hays) cross under the Horn first. A truly selfless expression of love for a child. Buy it, read it, share it. A great book.

A classic sailing story:
This book is of interest not only as an account of an interesting solo sea voyage, but also because of its historical perspective. Slocum was the first person to sail alone around the world in the late 1800's. His boat, equipment, methods, prejudices, language and writing style reflect that era. The book left me with a mental image of Slocum as an undoubtedly skilled seaman, but a dour and humourless sod. Some of his claims about the capabilities of his boat "Spray" tend to challenge credibility. Still, not a bad read.