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A Voyage for Madmen :: 0060957034
Description
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In 1968, nine sailors set off on the most daring race ever held: to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe nonstop. It was a feat that had never been accomplished and one that would forever change the face of sailing. Ten months later, only one of the nine men would cross the finish line and earn fame, wealth, and glory. For the others, the reward was madness, failure, and death. In this extraordinary book, Peter Nichols chronicles a contest of the individual against the sea, waged at a time before cell phones, satellite dishes, and electronic positioning systems. A Voyage for Madmen is a tale of sailors driven by their own dreams and demons, of horrific storms in the Southern Ocean, and of those riveting moments when a split-second decision means the difference between life and death. Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
Loved this book. Stayed up all night reading it. I've given several out as gifts.
Chris
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Author: Guest
A reviewer described this book as a study in abnormal psychology. Having now completed this story I can only agree with him.
In many ways the story told reminds me of "into thin air" by John Krakauer, in that it asks what drives seemingly ordinary human beings to willing pit themselves against the elements in circumstances which can easily lead to their death. In this case the author asks what would possess nine sailors to undertake to sail around the world non-stop in an age before GPS navigation, Ultralight and tough building materials and satellite phones. An era when boats were constructed of steel and teak, where radio communications were unreliable and navigation a matter of charts and sextants.
The nine challengers proved to be a diverse group, from professional sailors, to electrical engineers to soldier adventures with no previous experience at sea, and the final results reflected this starting point with withdrawals, failure and in extreme cases insanity and death. In the end the final winner was the man who was most at home at sea, a simple man whose only weakness appeared to be that he lacked the imagination necessary to fully grasp the horrors that he faced on the journey.
Overall a classic true life adventure tale.
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Author: Guest
Make no mistake -- this book is not just a jolly good sea story, although it is all of that. No, it is much more -- this is a work of literature, of the same general calibre as Moby Dick and Old Man of the Sea -- that is to say, a voyage of discovery, not just through the stormy ocean, but through the stormy heart and soul of the human being. By its conclusion, this book had brought tears to my eyes both for sorrow and for joy. If you want to be transported on an unforgettable adventure from the comfort of your home, read this book.
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Author: Guest
I found it engaging and captivating. I've since read a few of the books by the actual participants. I recommend reading this first, and then the available books by the yachtsmen who participated.
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Author: Guest
Peter Nichol's has become a favorite author because he knows how to make a story come alive. This is an amazing book about amazing people. It is very hard to put down. Although it is about solo navigation around the world, the introduction to the people that fill the pages is fascinating and compelling. These people, from various walks of life and with different temperaments, embarked upon an unforgetable and haunting journey. This book prompted reading the various accounts of this race. Outstanding read.
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