What Books to Read

[Dougcole]

[/B]

Yes I agree, in hindsight 'Blue at the Mizzen' was the natural end to the series. The unfinished novel was not much more than a rough first draft.

I am still pretty annoyed at O'Brien for what he did to poor Barret Bonden, he deserved to sail off into the sunset in the Surprise (The Surprise is not old. No one would call her old. She has a bluff bow, lovely lines, she is a fine sea-boat, weatherly, stiff and fast. Very fast, if she's well handled.") with Aubrey, Maturin & Kilick.

O'Brien was a notoriously prickly character, he probably got out of bed on the wrong side one morning and decided to do Bonden in.

I also found "21" to be a bit of a disappointment. I've read the entire series 7 or 8 times and I'm always amazed by the depth of his writing, I find little details at each reading that I missed before. I don't think he had time to develop that in a draft.


I think one part of his writing that is under appreciated is his stark but powerful descriptions of human emotion. I find Stephen and Diana's relationship to be riveting. The scene where Stephen enters the house where Diana had been living before she runs to America, where he finds the stopped clock gets me every time.


As for my recommendations I have two, both with a nautical nature. And they are related to each other.


1. So excellent a Fishe; The Natural History of the Sea Turtle, by Archie Carr. I'm halfway through this book and it is delightful. Written in the early 60s about the push to save the Green Turtle from extinction.


2. Far Tortuga. Peter Matheson. On the surface, this is a work of fiction about the last Cayman Island turtle fisherman under sail, but in truth it is much, much more than that. It's primary theme, in my opinion, is the juxtaposition of man with nature. Quite likely the best, but also the most difficult book I have ever read. If anyone out there in TF land wants to try it, I recommend taking your time and just let it flow. You will get the cadence after a while. It's a very nuanced, powerful and dark piece of work.



I read that Matheson was inspired to write Far Tortuga after he read So Excellent a Fishe. He spent 6 months living with some Cayman Island fisherman before he wrote the book.


If any of y'all have read it, or read it based on my post, let me know what you think the graphics at each chapter and page breaks mean. I have my theories but I'm interested in yours.


Doug

 

[quinsky]

Two of my favorites;

The Bounty Trilogy by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. It is a three book collection. The first, "Mutiny on the Bounty", covers events leading up to and including the mutiny. The second book, "Men Against the Sea", is about the incredible journey of Capt Blye and his remaining crew. The third, "Pitcairn Island", is about the fate of Fletcher Christian and the mutineers.

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathanial Philbrick which tells the saga of the whale ship Essex which was attacked and sunk by a white whale. This is the true story on which Herman Melville based "Moby Dick". It was also made into a movie.

 

[JDCAVE]

I bought Whistle Up the Inlet when first published. It’s languished on my book shelf ever since. I’ll put it on the boat for the summer.

Fishing With John by Edith Iglauer is excellent.

Lights of the Inside Passage by Donald Graham (a former lighthouse keeper and his companion book, Keepers of the Light. Both excellent.

Jim

 

[AlaskaProf]

Two of my favorites;

The Bounty Trilogy by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall. It is a three book collection. The first, "Mutiny on the Bounty", covers events leading up to and including the mutiny. The second book, "Men Against the Sea", is about the incredible journey of Capt Blye and his remaining crew. The third, "Pitcairn Island", is about the fate of Fletcher Christian and the mutineers.
.

Nordhoff and Hall are fascinating characters in themselves. Americans, they met in the Lafayette Escadrille. Surviving WW I flying, no mean feat, they both emigrated to Tahiti.

Hall has written an excellent novel of the Polynesian voyagers, The Far Lands and an autobiography, My Island Home

I recommend them highly.

 

[Blissboat]

2. Far Tortuga. Peter Matheson. On the surface, this is a work of fiction about the last Cayman Island turtle fisherman under sail, but in truth it is much, much more than that. It's primary theme, in my opinion, is the juxtaposition of man with nature. Quite likely the best, but also the most difficult book I have ever read. If anyone out there in TF land wants to try it, I recommend taking your time and just let it flow. You will get the cadence after a while. It's a very nuanced, powerful and dark piece of work.



I read that Matheson was inspired to write Far Tortuga after he read So Excellent a Fishe. He spent 6 months living with some Cayman Island fisherman before he wrote the book.


If any of y'all have read it, or read it based on my post, let me know what you think the graphics at each chapter and page breaks mean. I have my theories but I'm interested in yours.


Doug

Doug, decades ago I carried Mathiesen's Far Tortuga in my duffle on a long sailing trip. Put it down after forty or fifty pages and haven't looked at it since. But, I know many folks who revere that book, and with your endorsement now added to the chorus, I'll attempt it again. I admire Mathiesen, and couldn't put Killing Mr. Watson down.

The same thing happened to me with two other great novels, Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and Jospeph Heller's Catch 22. Both are works of genius, which I only appreciated on my second attempt. Sometimes things need the right space to happen in, so thanks for the timely nudge.

 

[High Wire]

That’s an easy one. “Clear the Bridge” by Richard O’Kane, Captain of the USS Tang in WWII.

 

[backinblue]

Hmmm, do book we read on our boats have to be about boats?

 

[Gypsyjon]

Books

Alaska Blues by Joe Upton

Wedding of the Waters. The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation by Peter Bernstein

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose ( its about Lewis and Clarks trip across the county)

Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Ted Floyd

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

I am not much on non-fiction.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Alaska Blues by Joe Upton

Wedding of the Waters. The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation by Peter Bernstein

Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose ( its about Lewis and Clarks trip across the county)

Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Ted Floyd

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

I am not much on non-fiction.

Huh??

 

[Dougcole]

Doug, decades ago I carried Mathiesen's Far Tortuga in my duffle on a long sailing trip. Put it down after forty or fifty pages and haven't looked at it since. But, I know many folks who revere that book, and with your endorsement now added to the chorus, I'll attempt it again. I admire Mathiesen, and couldn't put Killing Mr. Watson down.

The same thing happened to me with two other great novels, Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and Jospeph Heller's Catch 22. Both are works of genius, which I only appreciated on my second attempt. Sometimes things need the right space to happen in, so thanks for the timely nudge.

The most difficult part in the beginning is that he doesn't attribute any of the dialogue. As readers we are so trained to know who is speaking that it is frustrating. My advice is to not worry about it too much, after a while you get the rhythm of each individual character. His mastery of West Indian dialogue is part of the beauty of the book. FWIIW, Speedy is my favorite character. I think he represents the good in modern man, he's a no one from nowhere but he gets by on his wits, work ethic and moral compass.


Here's a good "review" of the book that I like. It might help you work through it.


http://www.macumbeira.com/2015/08/far-tortuga-by-peter-matthiessen.html

 

[Gypsyjon]

Huh??

Oops, I meant to say I am not much into fiction....It's hell to get old

 

[Dougcole]

Personally, I don't think Forrester and O'Brian are really comparable.


Forrester's books are adventure stories about the British navy during the Napoleonic wars, ripping good yarns that flow by quickly with a strong historical context but largely two dimensional. If you have read them once there is little to no need to do it a second time.


I think people who go into O'Brian expecting them to be like Forrester's books will find them largely lacking. O'Brian's books are set in the British navy during the wars but that's really not what the books are about. There is so much more in them to uncover, a friendship and how changes over decades, marriage and romantic love, a discovery of a largely unknown natural world, 19th century medicine, the relationship between the classes, music and much, much more.



Ten or 15 pages into the first novel, Stephen is penniless and sleeping in the dirt on the side of a mountain. He dreams deeply of a lost love, a woman who he had to leave behind to escape persecution in the Irish uprising. He awakes to find that he has been sleeping on a type of flower that she sometimes wore in her hair. There is nothing remotely like that in Forrester's books.

 

[bayview]

try

sailing Alone Around the World is a firsthand autobiographical story of Joshua Slocum

 

[Blissboat]

try

sailing Alone Around the World is a firsthand autobiographical story of Joshua Slocum

Ten thumbs up.

 

[ctjstr]

"The Cold Millions" by Jess Walter. Happens to be about the heyday of Spokane, WA. I don't care about Spokane, but Jess Walter is just a good author who writes a lot of good fiction books. All of them are good.

 

[backinblue]

Good fiction about WA and OR would be that they regain their senses. Unfortunately that won't likely happen and some of the most beautiful places in the country are falling apart.

 

[Caballero II]

Childers "The Riddle of the Sands"

I have got to thank whoever mentioned this book. I don't know how I missed it all these years, but I have been reading it with great love. I wish it came with better maps and charts as they are a central part of the experience. I even downloaded some off the internet and printed them so I wouldn't have to keep on flipping back through the book to them. What a honest joy to read. Not finished and already in my top handful of books to read. A real joy.

 

[Bacchus]

Oh please don't keep us in suspense re which suggestion you are enjoying?

I have got to thank whoever mentioned this book. I don't know how I missed it all these years, but I have been reading it with great love. I wish it came with better maps and charts as they are a central part of the experience. I even downloaded some off the internet and printed them so I wouldn't have to keep on flipping back through the book to them. What a honest joy to read. Not finished and already in my top handful of books to read. A real joy.

 

[psneeld]

I have got to thank whoever mentioned this book. I don't know how I missed it all these years, but I have been reading it with great love. I wish it came with better maps and charts as they are a central part of the experience. I even downloaded some off the internet and printed them so I wouldn't have to keep on flipping back through the book to them. What a honest joy to read. Not finished and already in my top handful of books to read. A real joy.

Upon the suggestion "riddle of the sands"...looked it up and it's on Prime Video for free. I am sure it's a bit different...if a good movie I will read the book.


Started watching it just now and it starts of with some nice cruising scenes with pretty old sailboats.


Good start!

 

[backinblue]

Oh please don't keep us in suspense re which suggestion you are enjoying?

Looks like : Childers "The Riddle of the Sands"

 

[backinblue]

Upon the suggestion "riddle of the sands"...looked it up and it's on Prime Video for free. I am sure it's a bit different...if a good movie I will read the book.


Started watching it just now and it starts of with some nice cruising scenes with pretty old sailboats.


Good start!

Looks like it is also available free online such as youtube. However, this is a movie made in the 70's and looks it. Might be good, but not sure I will sit through it. I did recently find Master and Commander which I thought was a good movie. Really good home theater soundtrack especially on blu-ray or 4K dvd. Interesting story too, based somewhat on history.

 

[FWT]

Speaking of books, but I hope this doesn't hijack this thread too much ...

Maybe someone has a good idea of how to value then sell some very old books. Maybe 30 years ago or more I stumbled upon about a dozen hardbound books in a series of blueprints of old classic sailboats. They were old 30 years ago, so maybe 75 years old now?

There are perhaps a dozen or two boats per book, and about a dozen or so books. They have been boxed for years, several moves ago.

They would have value to the right person.

I am not an Ebay type so I have no experience there. With a limited audience for this sort of thing they also might go for a song.

A week ago I remembered I had these and thought it better to sell than just keep them boxed and unused.

Any thoughts?

 

[psneeld]

Looks like it is also available free online such as youtube. However, this is a movie made in the 70's and looks it. Might be good, but not sure I will sit through it. I did recently find Master and Commander which I thought was a good movie. Really good home theater soundtrack especially on blu-ray or 4K dvd.

I often find the old wartime movies just as entertaining in a different way.


Like "Sink the Bismark".... few battle scenes but still kept my attention throughout.


to me, high action movies full of fights, battle scenes, car chases, etc... just get to be too long or seemingly trying to top the last one more than useful to the plot, characters, and overall enjoyment.


But if the story line is intriguing, I will try the book too.

 

[psneeld]

Speaking of books, but I hope this doesn't hijack this thread too much ...

Maybe someone has a good idea of how to value then sell some very old books. Maybe 30 years ago or more I stumbled upon about a dozen hardbound books in a series of blueprints of old classic sailboats. They were old 30 years ago, so maybe 75 years old now?

There are perhaps a dozen or two boats per book, and about a dozen or so books. They have been boxed for years, several moves ago.

They would have value to the right person.

I am not an Ebay type so I have no experience there. With a limited audience for this sort of thing they also might go for a song.

A week ago I remembered I had these and thought it better to sell than just keep them boxed and unused.

Any thoughts?

When I moved aboard and the internet exploded, I sold many dozens of boat books mostly design, building, how to...... one was Herreshoffs "Sensible Cruising Designs". Listed on Amazon for $27 or so hardback.


Pretty much gave them away for a few dollars more than shipping.


Some of the rare ones might have gone for $15 (less with shipping).


If you do ship, check out "book rate" with the Post Office. It's cheaper than regular shipping but as with all shipping...you have to calculate a few methods to see the cheapest rate.

 

[menzies]

Regarding Childers. Google him, you will find him interesting.

A public school "old boy" who fought in the Boer War and WW1. Turned Irish Rebel. Was executed by the Irish themselves during the civil war.

Father of the fourth Irish president.

 

[Caballero II]

Childers, "The Riddle of the Sands"

Oh please don't keep us in suspense re which suggestion you are enjoying?

Oh, I'm really sorry. I thought I lead with the title. Erskine Childers, The Riddle of the Sands.First published in 1903. The author's life history is also very interesting. Somebody mentioned they keep it on the boat for guests, and I can see why.

 

[Benthic2]

"Until The Sea Shall Free Them"
The story of the sinking and legal aftermath of the Marine Electric was a pretty compelling read.

https://www.amazon.com/Until-Sea-Shall-Free-Them/dp/1591142849

 

[AlaskaProf]

I often find the old wartime movies just as entertaining in a different way.


Like "Sink the Bismark".... few battle scenes but still kept my attention throughout.

Battle of the River Plate. Historically accurate story rendered kinda weakly, but lots of absolutely great action shots, featuring two of the three British cruisers which were there! The Graf Spee is portrayed by a US heavy cruiser, leading to some fakey stuff, but it is another great-looking warship.


Lots of gunnery, fire control stuff. Dialog on the bridge sounds pretty real, if a bit "Limey". Unfortunately, the near-misses from the Spee's 11" main battery look like there is a gaffer behind the bridge coaming throwing the occasional bucket of water.


Neither of the major streamers have it, but it is on Youtube, carved up into episodes. Amazon has some for sale. Strangely, Spanish language copies are more common than English. I bought it as a 3-pack with In Which We Serve, (high quality propaganda) and We Dive at Dawn (low quality propaganda)

 

[AlaskaProf]

I did recently find Master and Commander which I thought was a good movie. Really good home theater soundtrack especially on blu-ray or 4K dvd. Interesting story too, based somewhat on history.

Jack Aubrey is modeled on an actual English frigate captain, Thomas Cochrane (Hornblower is too!).


The movie is as accurate as the boundries of the medium will allow, and is full of little nuggets inserted by the film crew just to show how much they care. If you stop-motion the scene where the Surprise is pounding to windward trying to make her westing 'round the Horn, the scene filmed from very low on the port bow, you'll see there is a guy sitting on the "heads" with his pants around his ankles.

 

[HopCar]

I often find the old wartime movies just as entertaining in a different way.


Like "Sink the Bismark".... few battle scenes but still kept my attention throughout.


to me, high action movies full of fights, battle scenes, car chases, etc... just get to be too long or seemingly trying to top the last one more than useful to the plot, characters, and overall enjoyment.


But if the story line is intriguing, I will try the book too.

The movie Sink the Bismarck is based on a C.S. Forester book, The Last Nine Days of the Bismarck.