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On this page we'll put book reviews - but before we get into that, let
us just introduce you to the other pages:
The Library is where we
hope, eventually to have a virtual reality library designed by a
reader...could it be you? In the meantime, we invite you to help us
fill the bookshelves with useful, interesting entertaining and otherwise
worthwhile books.
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The Librarian is the route to the
bookshelves - in order to keep the pages fast-loading we have split all
books into (at the moment) two main categories with sub-categories- marine
and the rest, the link to each
is in the care of the librarian, or right here, at those underlined
words!
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Book Exchanges is where we share
details of the places you can take books you have finished with and
exchange them, one for one and also second-hand book-shops. Often a
second-hand book dealer will let you part-exchange books, some will give
you one book for two - thus doubling the stock, if not the money!
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 Tell
us about your favourite reading matter aboard or ashore.
That reference book you wouldn't sail without. The novel you just
couldn't put down.
Tell us a bit about the book or books if you have the time and
inclination and we'll share your special finds with everyone.
We'll put your favourite reference books , novels, reading matter of
every kind on the shelves of the library so that others find out they
exist and get to enjoy them too - in exchange they will introduce books
to you, too...we'll also keep a running total of readers who have
recommended each book and update it as you add to the weight in favour
of a particular book...
If you are organising a book swap in a place where yachties congregate,
tell us about it, or you know of a permanent book exchange, let us know
about it.
Longing to get your hands on a particular book? Tell us and we'll ask
if someone near you has it and would let you read it or exchange it for
another book
Some US cruising yachts exchange books by 'shelf inches'. It's not
entirely unusual to hear that someone is looking to exchange nine inches
of books! Which books get passed on the most, unread, we wonder, and
which are read the most?
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BOOK REVIEWS
In this first issue, rather than review specific books
(we're rather hoping you will be sending us your reviews of books
you've enjoyed (or been disappointed in) we make mention of two authors
with whom you may well be acquainted already but, if not, you don't know
what you've been missing...
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REVIEWS: HISTORICAL SEA NOVELS
Patrick O' Brian: The Aubrey-Maturin Series
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To judge by the many yachts aboard which his books can be found , this series
of novels in particular, Patrick O'Brien's works give a large number of people a great deal of pleasure.
These fabulously readable tales of the adventures of Captain Jack Aubrey and his dear friend and shipmate, ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin (to whom, as the initiated know, there is much more than meets the casual eye)
can be all the better enjoyed when accompanied by a volume entitled "A Sea of Words" , compiled by Dean King with J.B. Hattendorf and J. Worth Estes which is, in itself, an education.
These remarkably well-researched historical novels have brought characters into our lives that are now dear to us as family. When a Patrick O' Brian character goes to meet his maker, we find ourselves affected by the loss. A rare talent.
For those who are unacquainted with the series, the first book," Master and
Commander", was originally published in 1970 by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. and re-published in 1990 as a Norton paperback.
There have been re-prints since, in hard cover and paperback versions. If you
are starting out and have not yet acquired a single volume, it may be worth
purchasing the best quality version you can afford - these books are classics
which you will probably want to read again and to collect in their entirety. It is well worth starting with the first book and reading them in sequence, although any one of them stands alone perfectly.
Sir Francis Chichester is quoted as having said, of "Master and
Commander", that it was
"The best sea-story I have ever read".
The reference number of Master and Commander is ISBN 0-393-30705-0.
Sadly, Patrick O'Brian is with us no more and although we know a biography was
published in April 2000, we are not in possession of any more
information than that, at the moment. Can any reader tell us anything about the
passing of this great writer and/or anything of his life?
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Alexander Kent : Richard Bolitho series and others
Another favourite sea-faring historical novelist is Alexander Kent although, apart from his hero, Richard Bolitho, we find his human characters less easy to get to know or to feel a close bond
with, in some ways, than those of Patrick O'Brien..
His ships are another matter. He holds our interest unwaveringly with his descriptions of voyages and life aboard, and his plots are usually pretty gripping too. A very prolific writer, which is handy if you're circumnavigating as you will probably still have some unread novels towards the end of your journey unless you are a very greedy reader!
We'd love to hear from someone who'd like to tell our readers about his novels
and/or the man himself...
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We're very keen on all sorts of writers - Sydney Sheldon (have you read 'Nothing
Lasts Forever', for instance, or 'Masters Of The Game'?) and Dick Frances (
'Bolt' is a favourite); Jilly 'Jolly Sooper' Cooper ('Polo', 'Rivals' &
'Riders', kept us up a few nights!) and we have a pretty good collection of books
about Lord Nelson and Emma Hamilton, jointly and singly. Gerald Seymour has
become a firm favourite aboard and Ruth Rendell's mysteries are always
absorbing.
We always wonder what we're missing out on, though. If you've read anything
you'd love to see given the praise it is due, write in and tell us about it.
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