• The Boy Behind the Gate

  • How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love
  • By: Larry Jacobson
  • Narrated by: Larry Jacobson
  • Length: 11 hrs and 57 mins
  • 3.9 out of 5 stars (196 ratings)

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The Boy Behind the Gate  By  cover art

The Boy Behind the Gate

By: Larry Jacobson
Narrated by: Larry Jacobson
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Publisher's summary

Larry had dreamed of sailing around the world ever since he first stepped foot into a sailboat at the age of 13. He held onto that dream for 30 years, until one day he realized that "it's now or never". He left his corporate job, trading his comfortable executive life for adventure.

Award-winning author Larry Jacobson brings you aboard JULIA as he embarks on a six year odyssey at sea after leaving everything behind to make his lifelong dream a reality. He and his crew dodged pirates in the Gulf of Aden, battled 30-foot seas and 60-knot winds in the Red Sea, were chased by Komodo dragons in Indonesia, had multiple equipment breakdowns, nearly lost their mast in the Coral Sea, and pushed the envelope with Larry nearly losing his life scuba diving.

A true story memoir packed with lessons from the ocean that served as a teacher of seamanship, personal strength, growth, leadership, and perseverance, while Larry and his crew discovered themselves, and the world. You'll sail 44,000 nautical miles and live the ups and downs of this incredible adventure.

This is not just the story of fulfilling a lifelong passion. It is also a story of absorbing wisdom from the sea, and from the people they met along the way. And it's a deep dive into Larry's thinking as you experience the changes that took place in him, recounted in his very personal journals. Step aboard and share the life lessons earned on the voyage as you sail around the world from the comfort of your home.

This audiobook is life-changing. If you are wondering whether you should start living your dreams, this audiobook will confirm you should. We are each given one great opportunity in life. What are you going to do with yours?

©2011 Larry Jacobson (P)2012 Larry Jacobson

What listeners say about The Boy Behind the Gate

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  • Overall
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Absolutely FANTASTIC!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love to be better than the print version?

Definitely! There's nothing better than listening to the author read his own writings...

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hard to say... it really depends on the situation... By the time the book was finished, I felt like I knew most of the characters as real-life friends. They were so well-defined and the dialogue was fantastic!

If I had to choose a favorite, it'd be a TIE between Femke and Ken. They both just CRACK me up! I love them!

Which scene was your favorite?

I giggle EVERY time I listen to the story about the crew catching all those mahi-mahi on the way to Fiji.

Femke was getting soooo upset over the "murdered" fish... "Ohh, the sweet, dear, poor fish." And, Larry had NO sympathy for them whatsoever. Poor fish!

When Larry accidentally inflated his life-jacket, scared the heck out of himself, and nearly fell out of the boat... it's hilarious. REVENGE! KARMA! Fish=1 / Larry=0

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Wow... when the guys were sitting in the woman's restaurant, having dinner with her & her family after the big Tsunami in Thailand. It was SO sad to get an inside-view of how the victims were feeling, how lives were devastated, how the whole world had changed in an instant for these people...

...yet, they STILL made a couple of "foreigners" feel welcome. And, they STILL gave what little they had to others who had less. People like those give me hope for this craziness we call "society" nowadays.

Any additional comments?

That 'stuff' in our heads... our deepest fears, biggest dreams, most humbling experiences... the vast majority of us would NEVER risk rejection by sharing that 'stuff' with the people around us. We certainly wouldn't put it out there in a book where we'd be subject to judgment by people we don't even KNOW.

But Larry Jacobson did just that. He wrote an amazing book, in which he honestly -- and sometimes humorously -- shared his fears, his dreams, and his most humbling experiences. And what a story it was!

I found myself examining my OWN life -- and that's not a bad thing. Larry has taught me that life IS risky. Life SHOULD be risky. And, if we don't take risks... we're not truly LIVING. Thanks, Larry!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A global sailor's tale for other sailors

Where does The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The author allowed me to explore the sailing world he observed and experienced. His account is very well written and extremely enjoyable. I always respect a fellow sailor's perspective, especially from someone who has circumnavigated this Earth! I hope to do so one day.

What other book might you compare The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love to and why?

Joshua Slocum wrote "the book" about sailing around the world. Many others have also done so in their accounts of their experiences. Jacobson brings a refreshing up-to-date reality to the "around-the-world" adventure with his story.

Have you listened to any of Larry Jacobson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not had the opportunity to hear Larry Jacobson"s motivational performanances.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I appreciate hearing first-hand accounts and totally respect people who "walk the walk" of sailing around the world.

Any additional comments?

Larry Jacobson gives us a heart-felt story of an incredible journey that most of us dream about, and will never take the risk. I increasingly feel the push "out the Gate" that Larry experienced, some fear and lots of respect for the sea, but now feel even more compelled to get it on. Thanks, Larry, for the motivation!!!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Courage

What made the experience of listening to The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love the most enjoyable?

This book illustrate the strength and courage to pursue a life long dream. Larry brings this journey to reality for all of us sitting on the sofa with similar dreams.

Which character – as performed by Larry Jacobson – was your favorite?

Larry's ability to adapt and solve his difficulties during life on board a boat is worth every minute of this book.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Larry's character to learn and develop new skills throughout the voyage is inspiring. I did not cry, but I found myself laughing at all the things that can go wrong at sea.

Any additional comments?

Larry becomes the sea dog that survives storms, mechanical problems and relationship. Oh yeah, he's gay. If I ever find myself on a boat in a storm, I most definitely want Larry on board.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

If you are anti gay, don't listen, if not great!

OK this is about Gay skipper and the gay way of life. If that is not your cupper, leave now but if it is ok with you then this is a truly fun listen. The tenacity of our hero is remarkable for he and his crew suffers more than his fair share of mishaps. It is a tail of a dream fulfilled and a cautionary tale about anyone with similar ambitions. 'Julia' is a floating bar to which all are invited such is their generosity. The bar is a magnet for meeting people, learning about seamanship and attitudes. It is undeniably a major achievement, costly beyond imaginings and a great example to anyone who can dream but that's as far as it gets. Go on, listen!

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great lison

What made the experience of listening to The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love the most enjoyable?

Larrys take on life is one to be admired. His courage to follow his dreams and not let the fear of the unknown horizon hold him back.

What did you like best about this story?

When I bought this I thought I was just getting an adventure novel. It is way more. It's a story of perseverance, goal setting and people being very much the same from all cultures of the world

Which character – as performed by Larry Jacobson – was your favorite?

Larry himself. I am a great lakes sailor with a dream of sailing the Erie canal to the Hudson river, down the east coast and ultimately attend carnival. My goals seem wimpy compared to sailing the globe. Larry's tenacity and resilience kept him on point.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he arrived back in San Fransisco and was wondering how he would adapt back into the corporate world after six years on the ocean. When he arrived home, was it really home. For Larry home was his fifty foot boat and home was wherever he was at any moment.
Larry was also in Tialand and homesick around Christmas time and decided to fly back to the states for a family holiday visit. He put his boat on dry dock for some maintanace while he was gone. The day after he arrived home was when the devastating sunami hit the region. If he had stayed at anchore in that harbor only a couple more days he would sure have perished.

Any additional comments?

Having lost a brother this past year that was a gay man that was self distructive and very much wasted his life. We feel he really had a hard time being who he was. Larry is a gay Jewish man very comfortable with who he is. His take on prejudism alone makes this a great lison wether you are a sailor or not. We as people have allot to learn from Larry.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An amazing adventure

I haven't been a lifelong sailor like Mr. Jacobson, but at the age of 30 I learned to sail and have been hooked for over 50 years. In our 37 foot sloop my wife and I have cruised extensively in New England with several voyages northeast to the Canadian Maritimes, south to Florida and east to Bermuda. Like Mr. Jacobson I dreamed of making the ultimate sail, the circumnavigation. I pored over the charts. I read about the voyage. I explored the practicalities involved. Unlike Mr. Jacobson I did not pull the trigger.

In "The Boy Behind the Gate" Mr. Jacobson details the enormity of finding the right craft, preparing it for years in the open ocean, and setting sail. Crossing the Pacific, lolling in Oceania, Southeast Asia, Suez, Israel, the Med, the Atlantic crossing, the Canal, and home. The details of the six years of adventure, danger, love, of the highs and lows, of the near catastrophes kept me reading (or listening since I did both), enthralled page after page. I most enjoyed the description of the details of the sail, the weather, the navigation, the recoveries from the many near disasters. What an adventure!

The wonder of this book is that it cured my itch to circumnavigate! Or, more accurately to circumnavigate again since in a very real way I did it with you, Larry. Thank you.

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This book changed my life

Would you listen to The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love again? Why?

YES! In fact I plan on bringing it with me when I eventually depart on my own multi-year sailing journey...which I finally have decided to do BECAUSE of this book. I expect to listen to this book many times, especially once I go off cruising. There are so many important lessons in here for a sailor, and many of them I don't think I can fully appreciate until I get out there and do it myself.

What did you like best about this story?

Larry's perseverance in pursuing his dream, his never-give-up spirit even in the most challenging circumstances, and the moving humanity of the key players. I felt that I came to know Larry, Ken, and the other people in the book, and I was sad when the book was over - I wanted to keep them in my life and continue experiencing their adventure through his words. What I finally realized is that I CAN experience this adventure, by doing it myself! I would not have had the nerve to even consider it had I not heard Larry's story. Now, my husband and I are planning our own multi-year cruise on our own boat. And I have Larry and this book to thank for it.

What does Larry Jacobson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His passion, his melodious voice, and knowing that I was hearing the story directly from the person who lived it, not just in his words, but from his own mouth.

Any additional comments?

Since my husband and I first started kicking the idea around of quitting our jobs and sailing around the world, I've been consuming books written by sailors who did this as fast as I can find them. This must be the 5th or 6th book I've read that was written by sailors who've done this type of journey, but NONE of them moved me like this book, nor gave me the final push to actually resolve to do it. This book is a perfect combination of useful information for boaters, along with a powerful, moving human story of a man who not only finds happiness at sea, but learns that he actually had everything he needed for happiness within him to begin with. The love story between Larry and Ken is slow to build, and in the end this is what makes it so beautiful - it wasn't a fast-moving, rushed romance but a lovely, unhurried, deepening relationship that developed during the course of an incredible adventure. I enjoyed the in-depth view into the personal life of someone I'd never met, and I ended up feeling like I'd known him forever. As for the adventure itself, I can't think of a single book in which I felt quite so much like I was WITH them. His descriptions of the exotic places he visited are evocative and rich with detail. I lived every experience, I saw it through his eyes, heard it through his ears, smelled the pungent smells, felt the fear and the elation. As an avid scuba diver myself, I felt like own my lungs were about to explode during the dive incident when Larry got twisted up in line and almost ran out of air (and I wanted smack him for breaking so many basic rules for divers!). I titled this review "This book changed my life", and I truly mean that. It is this book that convinced me that we can DO this - and that we SHOULD do it, sooner rather than later. Larry is imperfect, he made mistakes, he offered many cautionary tales - and yet he succeeded in living a dream that only a tiny fraction of humans will ever get to experience. Well, thanks to Larry, I intend to be one of them. But even if you never intend to do this yourself, listening to this book will serve as the closest thing to it.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful!!!

What made the experience of listening to The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love the most enjoyable?

Larry's book will transport you to another world, through a range of emotions, highs and lows....what an amazing gift!!!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic Journey!

Where does The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Right at the top. I couldn't stop listening...What an amazing tale of an ordinary guy who followed his heart into a world class adventure.

What other book might you compare The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love to and why?

Stones into Schools, the book about an American mountain climber who brought education to women in Afghanistan

Have you listened to any of Larry Jacobson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is my first, so I really cannot compare to any of his others.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES!

Any additional comments?

Larry's brush with Pirates and the difficulties they encountered around keeping the boat repaired and functional had me thinking I'd have quit the trip many times over. His courage in the face of tall odds was very impressive, especially during some of the horrendous storm crossings.

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10 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great writing about a memorable, moving adventure

What did you love best about The Boy Behind the Gate: How His Dream of Sailing Around the World Became a Six-Year Odyssey of Adventure, Fear, Discovery and Love?

If you enjoy a great story, crisp prose, and a poignant memory then you should put the Boy Behind the Gate at the top of your reading list. The author draws you in and you quickly get to know him and appreciate his courage and his sense of adventure.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the honest self-reflection and the courage the author had.

What does Larry Jacobson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

If you just read the book, you'd be happy to have read it. If you listened to the book, you'll feel even closer to the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The adventure of a lifetime.

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9 people found this helpful