A Voyage for Madmen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 49
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Legendary account of the author's voyage around Cape Horn in a 32-foot sailboat, sailing east to west (thus the Horn is to starboard, or on the right). This is a notoriously difficult and dangerous passage, especially in a boat this size.
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Oh well
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5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome
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After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance, and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English-speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his often challenging voyages. Now you can take a seat next to John - at a lesser cost - and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure.
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Fantastic book on ocean sailing
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Sailing to the Edge of Time
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher - as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Disappointed
- By Worldoceans on 03-07-20
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Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe
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Veteran sailor and writer Christian Williams invites us along once again on a 5,000-mile voyage of discovery around the North Pacific. Equipped with a new boat, a well-stocked toolbox, and the entire history of philosophic thought, he takes us as crew through squalls and calms deep into a laboratory of the universe that exists only out of sight of land. Funny, erudite, and at times deeply personal, Philosophy of Sailing explores who we are and how encounters with the unknown can be a path to revelation and joy.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Escape
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At the Mercy of the Sea
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"The tale of Carl Wake and the hurricane that was waiting for him goes straight to the heart of the greatest sea stories: they are not about man against the sea, but man against himself. John Kretschmer's audiobook is as perfectly shaped and flawlessly written as such a story can be. In addition to being the best depiction I have ever listened to of what it is like to be inside a hurricane at sea, At the Mercy of the Sea is as moving a story of a man's failure and redemption as can be found anywhere in the literature of the sea. This audiobook is surely destined to become a classic."
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3 out of 5 stars
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Three separate stories told at the same time
- By Shopready on 05-17-17
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Cape Horn to Starboard
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 49
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 42
Legendary account of the author's voyage around Cape Horn in a 32-foot sailboat, sailing east to west (thus the Horn is to starboard, or on the right). This is a notoriously difficult and dangerous passage, especially in a boat this size.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Oh well
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Sailing Alone Around the World
- By: Joshua Slocum
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 497
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 456
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 456
Challenged by an expert who said it couldn’t be done, Joshua Slocum, a fearless New England sea captain, set out in April 1895 to prove that a man could sail alone around the world. A little over three years and forty-six thousand miles later, the proof was complete. This is Slocum’s own account of his remarkable adventures during the historic voyage of the Spray.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome
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- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 288
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 255
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Story5 out of 5 stars 252
After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance, and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English-speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his often challenging voyages. Now you can take a seat next to John - at a lesser cost - and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic book on ocean sailing
- By Aleksander Styrvold Kristoffersen on 05-09-19
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Sailing to the Edge of Time
- The Promise, the Challenges, and the Freedom of Ocean Voyaging
- By: John Kretschmer
- Narrated by: Matthew Kevin Anderson
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 23
John Kretschmer is sailing’s practical philosopher - as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John’s adventures have taken him several times around the world.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Disappointed
- By Worldoceans on 03-07-20
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Philosophy of Sailing: Offshore in Search of the Universe
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- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 211
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 200
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 199
Veteran sailor and writer Christian Williams invites us along once again on a 5,000-mile voyage of discovery around the North Pacific. Equipped with a new boat, a well-stocked toolbox, and the entire history of philosophic thought, he takes us as crew through squalls and calms deep into a laboratory of the universe that exists only out of sight of land. Funny, erudite, and at times deeply personal, Philosophy of Sailing explores who we are and how encounters with the unknown can be a path to revelation and joy.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Escape
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At the Mercy of the Sea
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- Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 188
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 170
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 169
"The tale of Carl Wake and the hurricane that was waiting for him goes straight to the heart of the greatest sea stories: they are not about man against the sea, but man against himself. John Kretschmer's audiobook is as perfectly shaped and flawlessly written as such a story can be. In addition to being the best depiction I have ever listened to of what it is like to be inside a hurricane at sea, At the Mercy of the Sea is as moving a story of a man's failure and redemption as can be found anywhere in the literature of the sea. This audiobook is surely destined to become a classic."
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3 out of 5 stars
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Three separate stories told at the same time
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Alone Together
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What happens when a man of today's overconnected world sets off alone across the Pacific at the age of 71? Christian Williams, a veteran sailor and writer, planned a 6,000-mile voyage as a test of his own seamanship and endurance, and to fulfill a lifelong goal. But he found his focus quickly turning from the surrounding sea to all of us. Is anyone the same person when no one else is there? Do we dare to find out?
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best for the arm chair adventurer, or a sailor or philosopher
- By Mark on 09-07-16
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Bound for Distant Seas
- A Voyage Alone to Asia Aboard the 28-Foot Sailboat Atom
- By: James Baldwin
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- Length: 13 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 169
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 155
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 155
Bound for Distant Seas begins sailing author James Baldwin's epic tale of his second circumnavigation. His story is seasoned by his adventures during his first circumnavigation in 1984-86 as told in Across Islands and Oceans. Alone with little money aboard Atom, his now-engineless 28-foot sailboat, James embarks on his odyssey without the comforts and equipment most sailors consider essential.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Cool sailing story
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Swell
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 197
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 183
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 182
Captain Liz Clark spent her youth dreaming of traveling the world by sailboat and surfing remote waves. When she was 22, she met a mentor who helped turn her desire into reality. Embarking on an adventure that most only fantasize about, she set sail from Santa Barbara, California, as captain of her 40-foot sailboat, Swell, headed south in search of surf, self, and the wonder and learning that lies beyond the unbroken horizon.
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1 out of 5 stars
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such a disapointment
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Left for Dead
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 119
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The Fastnet Race is the world famous yacht race from the Isle of Wight to the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and back. The race of 1979 began in perfect weather conditions but within 48 hours, the deadliest storm in the history of modern sailing struck off the south coast of Ireland. By the time it had passed, the havoc caused was immeasurable. Even more devastating, it had mercilessly taken the lives of 15 sailors.
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5 out of 5 stars
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excellent
- By David Calfee on 06-07-18
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Blue Water, Green Skipper
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 207
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 191
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 191
Stuart Woods had never owned more than a dinghy before setting out on one of the world's most demanding sea voyages, navigating single-handedly across the Atlantic. How, at the age of 37, did this self-proclaimed novice go from small ponds to the big sea? Now with a new afterword that looks back at how one transatlantic race changed his life, Woods takes listeners on a spectacular journey not just of traveling across the world, but of being tried in fire, learning by accepting challenges, appreciating the beauty of the open water, and living to tell about it.
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5 out of 5 stars
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For the Hardened Sailor, Novice, and Dreamer Alike
- By Striker on 06-02-16
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Across Islands and Oceans
- A Journey Alone Around the World By Sail and By Foot
- By: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: Spencer King
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 103
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 93
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 92
Across Islands and Oceans is the memoir of 25 year-old James Baldwin and his epic two-year, solo circumnavigation in Atom, his trusty but aging 28-foot sailboat.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A true sailor' s quest
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Sailing, Yachts and Yarns
- By: Tom Cunliffe
- Narrated by: Tom Cunliffe
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 148
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 141
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 137
Sailing, Yachts and Yarns is a selection of Tom Cunliffe’s funniest, wisest and most thought-provoking writing from the pages of Yachting Monthly. Tom’s love of language and sense of humour shine through as he recalls the wealth of sinners and saints he has met on docksides from Southampton to South America, Greenwich to Greenland and Newtown to New York. He has a gift for capturing the magic of sail and finding pearls of practical wisdom in the most unlikely nautical adventures.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A jolly good collection!
- By Jimmy R. Stewart on 02-19-15
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Two Years Before the Mast
- By: Richard Henry Dana
- Narrated by: Bernard Mayes
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 224
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 154
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 150
Richard Henry Dana, a law student turned sailor for health reasons, sailed in 1834 aboard the brig Pilgrim on a voyage from Boston around Cape Horn to California. Drawing from his journals, Two Years Before the Mast gives a vivid and detailed account, shrewdly observed and beautifully described, of a common sailor's wretched treatment at sea, and of a way of life virtually unknown at that time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Read!
- By Saltaras on 03-15-08
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Godforsaken Sea
- By: Derek Lundy
- Narrated by: Michael Tezla
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
- Abridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 102
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 60
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
The Vendée Globe, a grueling four-month sail around the world, traveling through the wild waters of the Southern Ocean, is the most demanding and dangerous sailing race on the planet. In November 1996, 14 men and 2 women competitors set out on this ultimate human endeavor. Godforsaken Sea chronicles their solitary battles to stay alive against 6-story waves, bone-chilling cold, ice-laden seas, and their own physical and mental limitations.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Worth Reading
- By David on 10-14-04
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Taleisin's Tales
- Sailing Towards the Southern Cross
- By: Lin Pardey, Larry Pardey
- Narrated by: Michelle Murillo
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 65
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 64
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
Including stories from paradise and hard-won lessons in seamanship, Taleisin's Tales reflects back to the first miles Lin and Larry Pardey gained together on the second boat they built lovingly with teak carvel planking over sawn black locust frames. The book includes details from outfitting, provisioning, and final detailing during the early months Lin and Larry spent getting to know their new bluewater cruiser, as well as moments of melancholy as they let go of attachments to their first trusty boat.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A nice mix of adventure and information.
- By Noah on 05-22-18
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The Next Distant Sea
- The 28-Foot Sailboat Atom Continues Her Second Circumnavigation
- By: James Baldwin
- Narrated by: James Baldwin
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 29
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Narrated in his own voice, in this third book about his travels aboard the 28-foot sailboat Atom, James Baldwin creates an ode to the sea and to those who venture upon her in small voyaging sailboats. The Next Distant Sea continues the memoir of his second adventurous circumnavigation as begun in his earlier book Bound for Distant Seas.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Move Over Slocum!
- By billmac on 10-23-19
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Escape from the Ordinary
- By: Julie Bradley
- Narrated by: Janet Metzger
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 65
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
When you arrive at foreign shores by sailboat, it's not such a small world after all. Come along with Glen and Julie as they sail around the world and discover that reality is even bigger than the escape they imagined. This breathtakingly personal true story will thrill those wanting to sail off into the sunset or enjoy the wonders of the world from the comfort of home. Escape from the Ordinary reminds you of the unlimited possibilities in life and nudges the listener into thoughts of their own dreams.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Annoyed with the lack of common sense
- By Sally on 04-06-20
Publisher's Summary
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.
Critic Reviews
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D. Wetzel
- 08-30-17
One of the best, most disturbing, and insightful.
This book had moments that were very difficult to take and moments that gave new understanding of the human condition, highly recommended.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Shaun G.
- 04-23-19
Not Awesome
My main complaint is with the narration. Very monotone, very difficult to get into a story that is read poorly.
The story sounds amazing, but having a difficult time following the narration
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Patrick
- 09-22-18
great story
I just reread this book a second time while a recreation of the race is underway. it is September 2018 and the boats in the current Golden Globe race just suffered a knock down last night. To boats just fasted one person injured.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Phelm
- 07-30-18
Amazing!
What people will do when faced alone by their own demons and ghosts! Still presents as a mystery!
1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- TvZ
- 04-19-20
Well done account of a snippet of time in sailing
It is about sailing, how exciting can anyone make it? All kidding aside, as a newcomer to sailing I found this historical account of primarily a handful of sailing's history fascinating as I may just end up sailing most passages solo.
The book covers a very interesting period of sailing history when macho, philosophical and truly mad men were literally racing across oceans and the around world on all kinds sailboats and budgets to achieve the final big ticket accomplishments in sailing.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aaron A. Tyler
- 07-22-19
modern classic
This book gets right to the heart of the issues and examines the intricacies of the fight against the elements and ones self in sailing around the world alone
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Hawkeye70
- 06-18-19
Solid informative.
An amazing true story about athe first single hand sailing race around the world. A look into the kind of man that would put themselves on the ocean for 240 days without touching land.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- MarkBass58
- 01-17-19
Ok story but long and boring
I would return this title if they would let me. I listened to this story with the VERY intriguing title, for 20+ chapters. The announcer is dry and much like your 7th-grade science teacher--boring.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- escapewheel
- 08-14-18
Wow
A story with a character for each facet of man's collective personality. The man we dream of being, the man we hope we aren't, and the men we more probably are.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bexx
- 08-13-18
The greatest story of all
Superbly detailed and written, this story is the greatest recount of an era and unbelievable events I have ever read. Exciting, horrific and compelling, a true must read for any and all who enjoy history, sailing, adventure or are just looking for entertainment. This book will not disappoint.