Alone Through the Roaring Forties

by Vito Dumas, Jonathan Raban

Release Date: 30 April, 2003

Edition: Paperback

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A true classic

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

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.