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Recommended Reading

200K views 557 replies 257 participants last post by  Gaudrx3 
#1 · (Edited)
This site could benefit from a "library" or a recommended reading link. I know that suggestions have been made many times in various threads but who wants to go hunting for them? I thought that if I start a thread then we would all know what to look for when we were looking for recomendations for a good sailing read.

I have taken the liberty of cutting and pasting books that I am aware of that have been recommended in other posts and tried to give credit where it is due to whom it is due.

Perhaps the Administrator would make this post a sticky so as not to be lost until a link could be added to the resources section - if that is what is chosen to be done.
 
#2 · (Edited)
Recs from Surfesq

Bernard Montessier: Tamata and the Alliance.
Adlard Coles: Heavy Weather Sailing.
The Best of Sail Trim
Peter Nichols: A Voyage for Madmen.
Richard Henderson: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers. Singehanded Sailing.


Recs from Sailingdog

Return to the Sea
On a Single Wave
Storm Passage: Alone Around Cape Horn by Webb Chiles.
 
#3 ·
Here are a few I'd recommend:

Richard Henderson: Singlehanded Sailing: The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers

John Vigor: Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat: A Guide to Essential Features, Handling, and Gear

David Gerr: The Nature of Boats

Hal Roth: How to Sail Around The World: Advice and Ideas for Voyaging Under Sail

David Seidman: The Complete Sailor: Learning the Art of Sailing

Tania Aebi: Maiden Voyage

Elliot Merrick: Cruising at Last: Sailing the East Coast


 
#4 ·
Though geared more towards offshore, The Cruising Handbook by Nigel Calder is a good primer for anyone new to sailing and a quick refrence for those who aren't. Two books about cruising that are good are The Cruising Life: A Commonsense Guide for the Would Be Voyager by Jim Trefethen. This is more about the financial aspect than sailing. Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach by Don Casey and Lew Hackler is an excellent book about cruising as well, from more of a minimumlist standpoint. Also, The Voyager's Handbook: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising by Beth A. Leonard. Though another book geared towards offshore sailing, it has many hints and tips that work for everyone.
 
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#7 · (Edited)
CBinRI said:
Do you want fiction also? I became addicted to the O'Brian (sp.?)Aubrey/Maturin series. Much better than the movie. Meticulously researched and the chacracters are extremely well-developed.
Why not? No rules here, sailors enjoy fiction too. I think that it would be appropriate though to limit recommended reading in this thread to the subject of sailing - beyond that, If you like it and recommend reading it then fire away.

U]Sailing in a Spoonful of Water[/U] by Joe Coomer. I read it some years ago, its about a guy who buys his first used boat (a motor sailor w/ a hinged mast) and the pleasures and frustrations that it brings - I found it enjoyable, its and easy read.
 
#8 ·
Yes, I have read all of the OBrian books and loved them.
I would also throw in Sail Trim.
Here are two books I know anyone who sails will enjoy:

A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols
This is the story of the first Round Alone Race. A great read.

His other book, Sea Change: Alone Across the Atlantic in a Wooden Boat is an absolute must read if you can find it. It is a memoir of his transatlantic journey from England to the US on an engineless wooden boat. Sounds boring? No, here is the rub...He finds his recent ex-girlfriend's diary on board, (She was doing everyone in town), and his boat is slowly sinking. It's a train wreck and the best part is that it is true.

I just picked up his newest book, Evolution's Captain and will let you know how it reads.
 
#9 ·
My bible over the last 30 years has been Royce's Sailing Illustrated. I believe it has just recently gone out of print but I was able to replace mine this year and have found a few copies on the bookshelves of marine suppliers. Does anyone else like this book as much as I do?
 
#11 ·
I'd second Beth Leonard's book, The Voyager's Handbook, it is one that I have on my bookshelf.

I'd also recommend Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual. While not as in-depth as some other books, it does give a very good overview of the whole thing, as well as goes into each system to some degree.
 
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#14 · (Edited)
As previously noted, the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian are great, hands down the best historical fiction ever written, never mind what the subject matter is. Better than Conrad, better than Forrester, hell, better than Melville. I have read the entire series at least three times. It really has spoiled me for anything else. And while the movie tried hard, it can't hold a candle to the novels. And to top it off, O'Brian even has the crew scrubbing his ship's bottoms from time to time! :p



 
#15 ·
I have a few books but two that I think are good are ..
"THE EVERYTHING SAILING BOOK" by michael and Nikki Smorenburg..
"VOYAGING THE PACIFIC" by Miles Horden.
Last one is a good read by an author who knows how to write. It also has a small history of exploration throughout and is really informative.
Big plus is he is a neighbour of mine from just across the ditch in Kiwiland..
 
#18 ·
Some favorites

Many mentions of O'brian; some other Royal Navy series that I also liked:

Alan Lewrie series by Dewey Lambdin; a much spicier version of a royal navy officer. Fighting, sailing, sex, run-ins with historical characters, sex, incest, sex. Oh, and sex.

The Sea Officer William Bentley series, by Jan Needle, including A Fine Boy for Killing, and the Sea Nymph. Bentley starts off as a callow midshipman aboard his pyscho uncle's ship, and grows into an admirable fellow.

The Kidd series by Julian Stockwin, including Artemis, Seaflower, Mutiny and Quarterdeck. Different, in that the hero starts off as a common sailor, not an officer.

Anything by James Nelson, including his Revolution at Sea saga and his Bretheren of the Coast (pirates) series. He also has a Civil War series.

Don't forget Hornblower. Some people put down the series as paling in comparison to O'brian, but I think he's an interesting character and his sailing and battle scenes are second to none.

Modern sailing novels:

Tony Gibbs wrote a series of books about a charter yacht in the Caribbean: Running Fix and Landfall were two of them. Danger, murder, intrigue, politics, drinking, romance. Lots of fun.

Sam Llewlellyn: often called the "Dick Francis" of sailing, Sam wrote a number of fine murder mysteries centered on various yachts and sailboats. Also, check out his "sequel" to the Riddle of the Sands.

Non-fiction:

Flirting with Mermaids by John Kretschmer; tales from a delivery skipper

All this and Sailing Too; autobiography of Olin Stephens

Wanderer; autobiography of Sterling Hayden. The movie star was a bona fide sailor/adventurer before he turned to Hollywood. Fascinating.

A Fair Wind and Plenty of It; a tale of a circumnavigation aboard a replica tall ship.
 
#21 ·
"The Heart of the Sea"

The saga of shipwrecked sailors who take to their long boats after thier vessel is sunk by a sperm whale. True story which inspired Melville to write "Moby"

Unbelievable!
 
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