Book Description
Japan underwent tumultuous changes in the eighteenth century. The merchant class was rising in power, and the privileges of the professional warriors, or "samurai", were disappearing.
The 47 Ronin Story is the classic story of Lord Asano of Ako and one of the bloodiest vendettas in Japan's feudal history. In 1701 in Edo, Japan, Lord Asano of Ako lashed out at a corrupt court official and set in motion a chain of events that shocked the country and brought the Shogun himself to a legal and moral impasse. When it was over, there emerged the most unlikely set of heroes-the forty-seven ronin, or "ex-samurai", of Ako.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Read.......2006-11-04
This was an excellent book. I finished it in a weekend! Highly recomend.
Honor and Determination.......2006-09-06
The 47 Ronin Story is a story of honor and determination. In the tale, the Lord Asano is visiting the Shogun's court and is affronted by Kira, the Shogun's Master of Ceremonies. In response, Lord Asano attacks Kira, wounding him but violating the law of not attacking another in the Shogun's keep. Because of this, the Shogun ordered Lord Asano to commit seppuku in response for his affront and confiscated his lands and holdings. At this point, the story of the 47 Ronin truly begins.
The samurai serving Lord Asano learn of the affront to their lord and his being forced to commit seppuku and having to decide whether to obey the Shogun's decree, fight, or commit seppuku. Oishi, the leader of Lord Asano's samurai decides to order the Ako to obey the Shogun's decree but to look to taking vengeance on Kira. To do this, Oishi orders the Ako samurai to disperse, some of whom are to learn what they can of Kira. While the samurai (now ronin since they no longer have a lord) are following Kira though, Kira's supporters are following Oishi to determine if the Ako Ronin are attempting revenge. Taking their time, and moving quietly, Oishi and the Ako Ronin lay plans for vengeance...
While the story of The 47 Ronin is arguably the greatest story to come from Japan, my feeling is that Mr. Allyn failed in capturing the story. Mr. Allyn's telling is to western in it's telling. While Mr. Allyn describes the honor and dedication Oishi and the Ako samurai/ronin had, it's thru the eye's of a westerner and with their dialog. To me, this is like reading a modern telling of the Iliad rather than the classical telling. While the 47 Ronin Story is a classic and worthy of 5 stars, I have say that John Allyn's telling is only worthy of 3 stars.
An OK read.......2006-07-30
I managed to pick up John Allyn's "47 Ronin Story" for a discount price, and recently finished my reading of it. It went pretty fast, and it was somewhat entertaining, but all in all, I was a bit disappointed.
Firstly, the presentation itself is lacking in character. While this may be (and probably is) a deliberate attempt to muster some of the feel of Japanese works, he seems to miss the basic essence of some of those simplified presentations, and the result is a very stacatto feel to events and descriptions of the story. Are we supposed to understand/sympathize with Oishi, the leader of the band, who sacrifices everything for the sake of his lord? It is difficult with the material present. Years seem to pass by in days, and one never really gets a feel for how long these men waited to exact revenge for the death of their lord.
Moreover, there is a distinctive Western feel to the story, particularly the romance between Oishi and his geisha (whose name escapes me). For example, at one point, she passionately throwing the covers off her naked body, she pins him down in the bed pleading with him to give up his thoughts of revenge. It seems very contrived, particularly considering the behavior to which she is accustomed (I apologize if one finds this to be a major plot spoiler, although IMHO, if a book can be spoiled by giving one or two plot lines, it isn't worth it's salt). While Allyn tells us that his story is indeed a fictional interpretation of events whose details are obscured, at best, some scenes simply feel out of place in his own rendition (no other woman in the book acts in this way, e.g.).
However, as I mentioned, the book goes fast (it took me about 3 hours to read it), and it certainly serves as a good diversion (e.g. on a plane flight), but I like my books to have a bit more meat.
A Nice Overview.......2005-12-30
While not hugely detailed, "The Forty-Seven Ronin Story" is a good introduction to one of the central icons of Japanese history. The 47 Ronin have become the embodiment of duty, sacrifice and honour, and deservedly so. This book, while not without its faults, presents non-Japanese readers with a good introduction to the tale.
Essentially, the book stays true to the major details of the 47 Ronin story. It is not detailed, as it is not all that long, but it covers the main points and adds some flesh to the story along the way.
For those not familiar with Japanese manners and courtesy of the Edo Period, the book has no major issues. However, those familiar with these points, will find places where Allyn has taken some liberties and changed aspects of the story. One such point is the attack on the Shogun's courtier and the place where it happened. While not fatal to the story itself, it is noticeable to those with a familiarity with the history surrounding the 47 Ronin.
For a fast, light read, "The Forty-Seven Ronin Story" is a great book that is a great introduction to a fantastic episode in Japanese history. However, for history buffs who have already gained a fair amount of knowledge on this specific episode, you might want to find something else.
For those who want more about the history itself, there is a good selection of contemporary and nearly so sources translated in Hiroaki Sato's Legends of the Samurai. Some of these sources even criticise the 47 Ronin for various reasons.
Great book.......2005-11-29
This is an awesome book. It arrived in great condition, although the book arrived only a day before the maximum time allowed for transactions. I would reccommend both seller and book.
Product Description
From the publisher: "Born January 22, 1902, in Arizona Territory, John Woolf O'Connor ultimately became America's most popular outdoor writer. From his first magazine article in 1934, which he sold to Sports Afield for a whopping $12.50, and continuing until just a few weeks before his death in 1978, Jack O'Connor would write nine books on hunting and sporting firearms and more than 1,200 articles for Outdoor Life, Field & Stream, Redbook, True and Esquire. His longest and most treasured magazine association, however, was with Outdoor Life.
The Lost Classics of Jack O'Connor features 40 of his best Outdoor Life articles, none of which have ever appeared in any other book. They range from O'Connor's hunts for Coues deer in his beloved desert Southwest to his pursuit of Dall sheep and grizzlies in the Yukon and lions and leopards in Africa."
Book Description
Here is an exciting true tale of the famous vendetta of the 47 Ronin, the samurai left masterless after their leader, Asano Naganori, was forced to commit seppuku (suicide) by the court official Kira. For two years the men plotted to avenge Asano's death; with cunning and bravery they succeeded, killing sixteen of Kira's men; wounding twenty two, including his grandson; and cutting off Kira's head and carrying it to their lord's grave. The Ronin surrendered and subsequently committed seppuku; they are buried side by side near their master's tomb, in what is now Tokyo.
Naturally, news of such vengeance and martyrdom spread far and wide, with the Ronin becoming national heroes. They were so popular that their saga inspired a series of kabuki plays, the most successful being Chushingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers). Many artists produced woodblock prints that portrayed the original events, scenes from the kabuki plays, or the actors. Barry Till, curator of Asian Art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and a longtime contributor of articles to Arts of Asia magazine, summarizes the play; prints from the Gallery's collection illustrate the intricate story. As spellbinding as any modern movie, The 47 Ronin will fascinate with its story and appeal with its beautiful artwork.
Customer Reviews:
Woodblocks of the 47 Ronin.......2007-09-07
This book is about the 47 Ronin but does not tell their story in detail. It is about the artwork, in this case woodblocks, based on the scenes from the plays which were made to show the tale of the 47 Ronin. So after the book gives you a very, very short version of the life of a samurai, the tale of the 47 Ronin, and the plays made on it, which gives you a point of reference to work with, you then get to see the artwork based on the plays. Certain scenes and characters have been captured by the artists' skills and woodcraft.
In other words, if you are looking for the complete, well written and detailed story of the 47 Ronin, look someplace else. If you are looking for something related to them, as in how they were seen in the eyes of history and immortalized in plays and artwork, this is the book for you.
okay, but not definitive.......2007-03-31
The 47 Ronin is a truly great story. I keep looking for an outstanding illustrated version. I was hoping this was it, but I was a little disappointed. It uses authentic period images, but they are images of kabuki performances of the story, not images of the story itself. The book I wanted is still an outstanding niche...
Amazon.com
Like the title says, here are 40 short works culled from across Barthelme's career. Along with the similarly titled 60 Stories, this book provides one of the best samplings currently in print of Barthelme's unrivaled humor, his melancholy, the poetry of his line, and his considerable intellect. It includes pieces such as the famous "Sentence," (a single, several-page-long, unfinished sentence), "The Flight of Pigeons From the Palace," one of the writer's illustrated stories, and "Overnight To Many Distant Cities."
Book Description
William H. Gass has written of Donald Barthelme that “he has permanently enlarged our perception of the possibilities open to short fiction.” In Forty Stories, the companion volume to Sixty Stories, we encounter a dazzling array of subjects: Paul Klee, Goethe, Captain Blood, modern courtship, marriage and divorce, armadillos, and other unique Barthelmean flights of fancy. These pithy, brilliantly acerbic pieces tangle with the ludicrous, pose questions that remain unresolved, and challenge familiar bits of language heretofore unexamined. Forty Stories demonstrates Barthelme's unrivaled ability to surprise, to stimulate, and to explore.
Customer Reviews:
son of a son of a son...............2005-08-30
The Marx brothers and origami have an affair. They name the bastard Donald barthelme.
The Perfect Motivation.......2005-08-23
As an aspiring writer, these stories by Barthelme give me hope that experimental literature still thrives in this sound byte-, laugh track-, talking head-prompted, fast-paced MTV culture of ours. For the most part, the stories take a level of patients foreign to the average reader, but are so creative, so clever, so breathtaking (to sound cliché)--and let's not forget: short (most average 6ish pages)--and so on that before you even have a chance to let one story sink in, you're already well into the next. Which, I might add, is a good thing. The stories challenge but, unlike contemporaries who mimic Barthelme's style, are not challenging in such a way as to detract or distract. They stick with you long after you've read them and, like Eggers says in his introduction, it's hard for someone who writes to make it through a page without being struck by an idea of their own. Inspiring stuff.
Marvelous collection by one of America's most unique writers.......2002-05-04
Donald Barthelme is one of the very few masters of the short short story. The only others that come to mind are Saki, Borges, and Franz Kakfa. Few of the stories in this collection extend past three pages. All are marked by the same virtues evident throughout the collection: surreality, inventiveness, enormous humor, a sensitivity to our collective culture. Some have commented on the collection being uneven. Perhaps. But the stories are quite diverse, and I suspect that what some find uneven is actually their diversity, some of them appealing more to one's particular bias more than others.
This is a great collection for shaking up your perception, for making you reconceptualize the short story form. Anyone liking these stories should go on to try some Saki (the author, not the beverage). Although not as surreal as Barthelme, his stories are just as short, just as funny, and just as delightful.
A good, if a bit uneven, collection.......2001-11-26
This collection has many great short stories within it. Often, within this book, Barthelme shows himself to be an extremely creative and insightful writer. "Jaws" is a good example of this. Basically, it's a story about how people deal with their dissatisfaction in relationship; how lovers cope with significant others' inevitable inability to meet all their (the lovers') expectations. It follows a workers at a local A & P while he mediates the relationship of two customers (who are married to each other). He acts as a sort of counciler in their marriage. The interaction between the couple is extremely humorous, and yet very sad (as, I suppose, dysfunction can often be). It's an excellent piece of work, and it deals with a common theme throughout this collection: The dissatisfaction of couples in long-lasting relationships. "Chablis," "The Genius," and "Paul Klee..." are also all excellent short stories. They exhibit Barthelme's ability to be humorous and yet still get at an interesting/serious point (that is, not lose himself in zaniness).
After such praise, however, I must admit that this collection isn't without flaw. Out of the forty stories that are included in this book, I felt that about ten of them could have been pruned away. These stories (for example, "On the Deck," and "Blue Beard") seemed unfulfilled, and worse, overwritten. These, perhaps could have used a little more focus on content rather than style. It's true with almost any collection of short stories that not all of them are good, enjoyable, or interesting (that is, not all of them will catch your imagination). However, with this book there seemed to be quite a few of those. So despite the fact that many of the stories in this collection are great, I'm only giving it three stars.
I would recomend this to anyone in search of a humorous, challenging read. I would also, recomend this to someone who is interested in cutting edge, stylized short stories (after all 25-30 of them in this collection are very good). Many of the short stories in this collection are written in an unusual manner. For instance, "The Bodygaurd" is compose almost entirely of questions. I'm also of the opinion that those of you who like both Kurt Vonnegut jr. and Thomas Pynchon would find this collection interesting.
defies imitation.......2000-06-29
During Barthelme's lifetime, I think many readers thought that his work would permanently alter the short story form. He achieved such powerful effects; his stories were so funny, so moving, so original and offbeat, and yet so deceptively simple and effortless-seeming. I certainly expected that other writers would come along and produce similar stories, since he had shown how it should be done, and we would be innundated with Barthelme-like fiction. But I don't think that's really happened. There have been imitators, of course, but they've been mostly embarrassingly flat, replacing the master's edgy brilliance with silly incoherence. Barthelme defies all imitators; his stories continue to stand as one-of-a-kind monuments, written in a truly singular voice by a truly singular talent, to urban life in the late 20th century. Read them. I particularly love "The Genius," with its poignant and yet absurd portrait of the world's most brilliant man, and "At the Tolstoy Museum," with its hilarious drawings of the great author's supposedly gargantuan coat, etc. It's funny because it's (somehow) true, like all of his work. "40 Stories" is the best introduction to Barthelme, so if you don't know him, this is the place to start.
Book Description
26 magical tales of beautiful princesses, genies who emerge from bottles, and talking birds in: "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," "Sinbad the Sailor," "Noureddin and the Fair Persian," "Merchant of Bagdad," and more. 66 illustrations.
Download Description
A collection of 26 tales told by Scheherazade to save herself and other young girls from death at the Sultan's hands.
Customer Reviews:
Terrific stories for road travel with young kids.......2007-06-08
I bought this for my two sons, ages 7 & 9. We put it in at the beginning of a 2.5 hour trip and it kept our entire family very entertained. The trip flew by.
Reddragon.......2007-03-30
The product came quickly. It was exactly as advetised and met expectations. Thank You.
Magnificent!.......2003-12-08
This book is awesome! I read it 3 years ago and I borrowed it again from my aunt and I'm reading it now. If anyone knows where I can get a copy of the Reader's Digest version please post. Thanks!
An excellent collection.......1999-04-12
My four children and I loved reading this collection of stories from Arabia. Though I highly recommend any book by Mr. Lang, The Arabian Nights Entertainments is my favorite. Happy reading!
Average customer rating:
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The Chicago tunnel story: Exploring the railroad "forty feet below" (Bulletin 135 of the Central Electric Railfans' Association)
Bruce Moffat
Manufacturer: Central Electric Railfans' Association
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Book Description
This stirring, poignant novel, based on real historical events that made of actual people true heroes, unfolds the tragedy that befell the Armenian people in the dark year of 1915. The Great War is raging through Europe, and in the ancient, mountainous lands southwest of the Caspian Sea the Turks have begun systematically to exterminate their Christian subjects. Unable to deny his birthright or his people, one man, Gabriel Bagradian—born an Armenian, educated in Paris, married to a Frenchwoman, and an officer doing his duty as a Turkish subject in the Ottoman army—will strive to resist death at the hands of his blood enemy by leading 5,000 Armenian villagers to the top of Musa Dagh, “the mountain of Moses.” There, for forty days, in the face of almost certain death, they will suffer the siege of a Turkish army hell-bent on genocide. A passionate warning against the dangers of racism and scapegoating, and prefiguring the ethnic horrors of World War II, this important novel from the early 1930s remains the only significant treatment, in fiction or nonfiction, of the first genocide in the twentieth century’s long series of inhumanities. It also continues to be today what the New York Times deemed it in 1933—“a true and thrilling novel ... a story which must rouse the emotions of all human beings.” “Musa Dagh gives us a lasting sense of participation in a stirring episode of history.... Magnificent.”—The New York Times Book Review “A novel full of the breath, the flesh and blood and bone and spirit of life.”—Saturday Review
Customer Reviews:
Deserves to be required reading.......2006-12-04
The Forty Days of Musa Dagh is an historical fiction drama set in WWI Turkey. During the war, the Turkish government imposes a policy of forced relocation on Armenian Christians living within its borders. Refusing to leave, the residents of several villages at the foot of Musa Dagh (Moses Mountain) decide to stay and fight. They take refuge on the mountain, constructing a fortress with their meager resources. The band of ordinary citizens courageously holds out for forty days, sucessfully holding off the better equipped, better trained and vastly larger Turkish army. Want to know how it ends? Read the book!
The book is clearly written, and translates well from the original German. The imagery is vivid and I really cared about the characters. Although the book is long, there are few lulls. It's been over 18 months since I've read this book, and I still find myself thinking about it and I remember a surprising amount of it; it's that memorable!
I was amazed that I had not even heard of this book before reading it. The Armenian genocide in Turkey was barely mentioned in my college history classes. It is a shame that such a well-written book about such a large atrocity (1.5 million people died) is so obscure. Of course, there is some controversy regarding the historical accuracy of this book and of the Armenian genocide in general, but the consensus is that, except for the names and minor details, the book is accurate. Do your homework and make up your own mind.
Stirs and pervades the human spirit with great emotion.......2006-01-20
How do I begin describing this book? this marvelous novel penned by an Austrian writer who was not indebted to the Armenian people and owed them nothing. How do I describe and compress this eight-hundred page long book into a miniscule summary?
The truth of the matter is, is that words alone cannot describe Franz Werfel's "The Forty Days of Musa Dagh". It is too grand a story that should, rather, be read by everyone and experienced to the greatest extent possible in the human spirit. The novel revolves around the life and culture of the Armenian people in a Western region of Syria in 1915. The Ottoman Empire, lead by the Young Turkish leadership have enacted the state-wide policy of genocide against the Armenians. Sensing the impending the danger, the 4,000 people of this region are forced to take shelter on the towering and biblical mountain of Musa Dagh. With a Turkish military force encircling the mountain, it is up to the Armenians to defend their way of life or die and vanish into history.
I do not wish to impede on others' reviews and assert my position on whether or not they are correct, it is their opinions after all; however, those who gave this book a one star rating did it out of malice and contempt over what they see as a misrepresentation of their country's history. Rather they looked at what the book was professing about and instead of placing what they thought of a well-written novel, they placed their version of the events of 1915.
It is of no matter, it is up to the reader to gain an understanding from what the reviewer provides. Werfel composes a beaufiful note which instills the reader's spirt with much more than words, it gives them hope, it gives them proof that perhaps there are happy and positive stories that stem from tragedies. Werfel couldn't have done it any better.
Fictional-but.......2004-09-14
Yes, the book is fictional, but based on a real incident. The survivors were taken by the French warships to Lebanon and started an Armenian village there. As to one reviewers questions as to what happened to the Turks in Armenia, they are still the majority there, along with Kurds. Turkish Armenia has no Armenians, they are all gone. The modern country of Armenia was part of the Russian empire at the time of the massacres. It was predominately Armenian in population and escaped the massacres. As to the extent of the destruction, we will never know just how many were killed. However, I do feel that Turkey from 1915 through 1922 was one of the first modern examples of ethnic cleansing, with a determined effort to rid the country of all non-Turkish elements. Western Asia Minor had been Greek for better than 3000 years (Symrna, Miletus, Laodicea, Ephesus, etc). It is not today. The land around Mt. Ararat and Lake Van had been mostly Armenian for 3000 years. It is not today. The Black Sea coast had been mostly Greek for 2500 years. It is not today. Yes, the Greeks did invade Turkey in an attempt to take advantage of the country's defeat in WWI. They were thrown back in a great show of courage and patriotism. But the aftermath must also be examined. Yes, there were Armenians who wanted to succeed and form an independent state. But the aftermath must also be examined.
We are talking of things that happened almost 100 years ago. I do not feel that the Turkish people today have guilt for the actions that were taken then. I like Turkey and the Turks I have met. But historical facts do not disappear by denying them.
We all have an obligation to face up to the unpleasant facts of history. Only when all of us say "Never again" to any genocidal action will genocide cease to exist.
Is this "genocide" akin to religious fanaticism?.......2004-08-06
If this book is fictional as even the people who are crazy about it admit, then how could they take it as historic fact? The degree of emotionalism involved by the Armenian reviewers here is phenomenal. It's almost as though this supposed genocide is a religious experience, and the truth needs to be damned.
An Ara Belian (Feb. 4, 2004) is upset at the revelations of another reviewer, whose essay made a lot of sense to me. He counts on stories by relatives as his evidence... but nobody is arguing Armenians did not suffer. The point is, everyone suffered during those tragic times. Didn't Armenians kill Turks in large numbers, that we never hear about? (Why are there no Turks in Armenia, when once the Turks were the majority?)
The point is whether a governmental extermination policy was in effect; this is the unproven part of genocide theory, and emotionalism is an unfair substitute for history.
All the "documented evidence, witnesses and memoirs of the genocide" prove is that ugliness occurred during what was a state of war. That's why none of it was admissible as actual evidence when the British attempted to try the Turks for massacre crimes at the end of WWI.
Taking the moral high road by claiming numbers don't matter is awfully ingenuous of Belian when propagandists make sure to tell us numbers do matter... the higher the number, the greater the sympathy value. That's why false numbers as 1.5 million have been created. Instead of saying he was made to "fume and filled ...with anger," why doesn't Mr. Belian THINK? Approach this subject coolly, rationally and without emotion? Instead of acting like a religious zealot who doesn't care about reason and common sense?
Powerful and Moving........2004-08-02
The Forty Days of Musa Dagh is a very human novel written on an epic scale. It is at once the struggle of a "foreign" man to hold together his family, and the valient attempt of a people to survive. It is unfortunate that so many people have attacked this book to advance their political agenda of blurring history. "Martyr" is a word that is unfortunately abused today, however, in Forty Days one truly understands the broad scope and sacred purpose of that word. This is a book of wonderful contradictions: profound loss replaced by hope for the future; despair replaced by courage. Truly moving.
Book Description
The Magic of a Name is the story of the genius, skill, hard work and dedication that gave the world both cars and aero engines unrivalled in their excellence.
Customer Reviews:
De Facto Owners Guide.......2006-05-08
This is an excellent book for a superior marque. All RR owners should give it a thorough read.
Professor John W. Kercheval, III
Georgetown
Washington, DC
A definitive corporate biography enhanced with period photos.......2000-09-07
The Magic Of A Name: The Rolls-Royce Story is a fascinating and informative history of the first forty years of the internationally famous Rolls-Royce company, whose achievements were part and parcel of the technological advancements of the twentieth century. It was in 1904 that Henry Royce and Charles Rolls collaborate to build luxury cars for the rich. Then successfully engineered the "Silver Ghost" and launched one of the most successful car manufacturers of their day. The impact of both World Wars compelled the corporation to the cutting edge of aeronautical engines for such legendary aircraft as the Spitfire, Hurricane, and American Mustang. Peter Pugh draws upon his extensive researches with company archives to write a definitive history, enhanced with sections of period photographs. The Magic Of A Name is the superb biography of a great company.
Book Description
Below the Cape of Good Hope and south of Australia lie the feared latitudes of the "Roaring Forties," where non-stop westerly gales push huge seas, unimpeded, around and around the bottom of the world. It was into this watery hell that, in 1942, Vito Dumas set sail in a 31-foot ketch, outfitted with makeshift gear and provisions and a stoic indifference to the privations he would endure. His 20,000-mile voyage through the vast Southern Ocean set many records, including first solo sailor to round Cape Horn and first to sail around the world with only three landfalls.
Customer Reviews:
Certainly a classic of Solo Sailing Stories.......2006-10-01
This story is as spectacular as it is unique. Who else would even consider this adventure now, not to mention then? No one. The story of the adventure of sailing in such conditions is well worth reading. As an added value Vito just seems to have a great capacity for making friends and telling the story. His capacity to endure is remarkable, but also his skills and seamanship are truly outstanding. Even in this modern world of computers and electronic navigational aids there is much to be learned about boats and seamanship from a person who sailed a 32' boat in the worst of conditions, and did it smartly, without all those modern aids. I recommend this book for the wonderful story it tells about the sea and the person. Certainly a classic of solo sailing stories.
A true classic.......2003-09-09
Surely Dumas must be one of the most charming of all sailors.
His account of circling the world the hard way
is modest, intimate, and filled with love and joy.
If you want to know what it means to love the sea
and to sail the world alone in a small boat,
you must read these three authors:
Slocum, Guzzwell, and Dumas.
Definitely a classic.......2003-05-06
This is currently my favorite book I have ever read about sailing around the world. It's entertaining, informatative, and most important, I felt like I was right there riding with him on the boat.
It struck me as a very honest account without a lot of making things sound more impressive than they actually are. He talks a bit about getting sick on board, but he accepts that as just part of the challenge. He also talks about getting a tiny bit careless after going so far around the world, and getting put ashore in what must have appeared to be a "novice" mistake. At that point, he was ANYTHING but a novice. It's just the kind of thing that might happen to any one of us, which is exactly what makes this book so appealing to me.
If you want to escape from your land-locked life for a few hours with a good book, consider this one strongly. The chapters are generally fairly short, and the pages turn quickly, because he really draws you in with his writing style. His description of his experience with the waves in the South Pacific still has me spellbound.
I will read this book again and again over the years.
Eternal Vito.......2002-03-23
An Argentine legend of the sea, deeply loved by all south american sailors. This book tells of his second voyage on board Legh II against the roaring forties alone, and all the things he had to endure. Bernard Moitissier used to keep this book under his pillow and referred to it many times. A must read for everyone, specially for overseas cruisers
Books:
- The Four Adventures of Richard Hannay: The Thirty-Nine Steps/Greenmantle/Mr. Standfast/the Three Hostages
- The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina
- The Killer Angels
- The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia)
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
- The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Volume 2: The Romantic Period through the Twentieth Century (Norton Anthology of English Literature)
- The Oedipus Plays of Sophocles: Oedipus the King; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone
- The Old Man and The Sea
- The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success
- The Phantom of the Opera - piano vocal Selections
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