Sailing Alone: Around the World (Coastline Collection)

Full of astounding adventures, "Sailing Alone Around the World: The First Solo Voyage Around the World" is the true story of the first man ever to circle the globe alone entirely by sea. In a little over three years, Captain Joshua Slocum completed the feat many experts believed couldn't be done-and had the stories to prove it. During his historic voyage, Slocum was chased by pirates in Gibraltar, soaked by a "rain of blood" in Australia, and battered by perilous storms in the open ocean. He also met many famous-and infamous-people along the way, from Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa, to Black Pedro, "the worst murderer in Tierra del Fuego." This absorbing tale, written with humor and poetic eloquence, was first published in 1900. Joshua Slocum clearly was an outstanding navigator and all around sailor. The section of the book on his adventures going around Cape Horn dealing with the weather, currents, and natives is particularly exciting. This is a story waiting for a Hollywood movie or, even better, a long running TV series. It is truly one of the great classics on sailing. Hearing about the ports and native people over 100 years ago is living history. If you pick one book to read about sailing, start with "Sailing Alone Around the World: The First Solo Voyage Around the World."Joshua Slocum is the "American Ulysses," and people will be reading and enjoying his book for the next thousand years. A classic work, it has been rightfully called one of the ten best adventure books of all time.