At Any Cost: Love, Life and Death at Sea

Rating:
Summary: Tangvald, Seton House - A Truly Remarkable Combination
Review: For anyone who has not had any kind of personal contact with Peter or Thomas Tangvald, I must start by explaining that they were/are truly extraordinary men and that this book is absolutely worth purchasing. They were the kind of people and lived the kind of lives that can shake you from your day-to-day slumber and acceptance and make you try and seize every element of vitality and wonder that you can.

Reading the two reviews below and the memories and images of Tom and Leeds University that they have conjured up, makes me feel a little wistful. And old. And reflective. But not in a bad way. I have just ordered this book and Penno and Blackie (as I remember you) you may or may not also know that there exists a previous book by Peter Tangvald as well, entitled Sea Gypsy (out of print and not currently listed on amazon).
I read both of these revelatory books in the third year, after late night chats with Tom about sailing, the stars, mushrooms, the mathematics of liquid dynamics, music, drawing, knots, boats etc. I wish that I was eloquent enough to describe the enormous range of ideas, inventions and the sheer original ways of seeing the world, that Tom had. One shouldn't forget that there was something of a dark side to his nature, as well.
When I last heard of his whereabouts, he had been on an island that forms part of Puerto Rico, for quite a while.
I would love to catch up with any of the Setonians from our year, and am still in infrequent contact with Jaime Sullivan, Dan Barton, Joel Lazarus, Dan Israel and Darren Kaye.
Not said it for years and it hasn't really applied to my lifestyle for quite a while, but I wonder if anyone remembers an oafish Mr Briggs roaring "Tutorials - Ringpiece, ***** Great".
Briggsy

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Summary: Thomas Tangvald Connections
Review: Having shared student accommodation with Thomas Tangvald, son of the author, I was fortunate enough to read this book. Thomas studied Mathematics at Leeds University from 1994-1997. Living next door to him, I learnt lots about his life and I was able to read his copy of this epic book. Thomas was one of the most popular characters at University and was a genius. I lost contact 3 years ago but I have a feeling he might be with his guardians in Andorra. On the other hand, he may have ventured back to the seas. Who knows ?

Rating:
Summary: Thomas Tangvald Connections
Review: Having shared student accommodation with Thomas Tangvald, son of the author, I was fortunate enough to read this book. Thomas studied Mathematics at Leeds University from 1994-1997. Living next door to him, I learnt lots about his life and I was able to read his copy of this epic book. Thomas was one of the most popular characters at University and was a genius. I lost contact 3 years ago but I have a feeling he might be with his guardians in Andorra. On the other hand, he may have ventured back to the seas. Who knows ?

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Summary: Amazon Tangvald Search Sparks Potential University Reunion
Review: I cannot describe how thrilled I am to have arrived at the Amazon online reader review site. My name is Matthew Pennington, the book I was searching for is Peter Tangvald's "At any Cost" which I did read in a frantic fashion in 1994. I was not able to read at leisure since it was the only copy available and its owner "Thomas Tangvald" would be setting off on his modern day adventures within a week of my first page. Not only was I able to sit back and imagine the adventures of a certain Peter Tangvald but I was amongst few who could enjoy the stories told from experience by his son Thomas. I had never been inspired by the knowledge and approach to life by any other person to such an extent and doubt that I ever will again. It was a truly remarkable first year at Leeds University.
What a delight! A work lunchtime, during which I enquired via the Amazon web site with regard to the book, revealed that it was now available through this facility but also that my room mate of 1994/1995 had actually written a review on this site. Indeed, many mornings I would wake less than an arms length from Mark Blackburn in our twin room at the Bodington Hall of Residence to see Thomas walking past the window on stilts, climbing the 60 foot building in bare feet or playing his didgeridoo amongst other activities which other students could only mimic in an effort to appear different to the rest of society. Thomas really was different. He was and probably still is a one in a million "Geezer", friendly, understanding, incredibly clever but most of all eye opening in his "genuinely" unique charisma.

Since leaving University I have not seen or heard from Thomas or Mark Blackburn as both left with ambitions of travelling the world, Mark by plane and foot, Thomas by one man yacht. I did read an article in a National Newspaper which concerned Thomas leaving his yacht and swimming to shore through 15 foot waves during a storm in the River Humber. Believed dead, Thomas was later found by the coast guards to their amazement. Since then he has phoned my parents' house when he reported to my mother that he was in a phone box in the Isle of Man. I am quite sure that he will now be much further afield possibly the bahamas or other distant waters which he spent many hours recollecting tall stories to myself and Mark. I hope he is safe and that one day we will be able to meet again!

As for Mark, through Amazon I now hope to at least obtain an e-mail address and look forward to resuming a long lost friendship without the dirty socks and University studies!