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Summary: This book is a must for anyone who loves Irish History.
Review:
High adventure with historical relevance.
Tim Sevrin, adventurer extraordinare, leads the reader on a dual voyage across the north Atlantic as well as through time to the medieval days of St. Brendan. Could the Irish have been to North America before the Vikings? The author sets out to prove that yes, it was possible. Using the collected works of the Navigato Sancti Brendani Abbatis, Tim sets out to reconstruct the currach (leather covered boat) used by St. Brendan on his epic voyage. The narrative of this book flows nicely, and is skillfully interwoven with informative historical documentation. THE BRENDAN VOYAGE is easy to start reading and not lay down until you have savored the... very... last... sentence.
I've read this book many times over the years and it's definitely a keeper!!!
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Summary: Recreation of a voyage from 500AD; Ireland to the N ew World
Review: A must read for any of Keltic blood, great detail about the materials and construction practices of the recreation of St.Brenden's ocean going leather boat.The courage and terror of sailing a square rigger open boat from Ireland to the New World, is thinly vailed, by the authors enthusiasm for his quest.Caught in the ice flows off New Foundland,in 0 degree water,one man hangs over the side with a stitch awl and thread,repairing the hull while the others man the pumps and tiller.This is a book to read curled up by a fire,you will praise God for home and harth.
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Summary: Great read
Review: Did Irish monks cross the Atlantic and reach North America long before the Vikings and Columbus? After reading this book you will cetainly believe that it is plausible. According to the Navigatio Sancti Brendani Abbatis (The Voyage of Saint Brendan the Abbot), an ancient Latin manuscript, indeed the Irish set foot on the Promise Land long before Columbus. To prove this point Severin takes us on a voyage. But not just your weekend trip to the state park. With meticulous detail, Severin- and many others- reconstruct the same sailing craft described in the ancient text, a leather boat, and sail it to Newfoundland. The Brendan Voyage describes how this idea came to be, how the boat was ultimately constructed, and the ordeals the team faced sailing across the Atlantic ocean. Imagine yourself and three others hunkered down in a leather sail boat in between Iceland and Greenland. You have a 1/4" of protection between you and the frigid water beneath. Eight foot waves and 50 mph winds are crashing around you. Your tired, cold, wet, hungry, and you desperately want to make some forward progress, but instead your losing ground. I can't do Severin's writing justice but he made me feel like I was there. I'll stop my babbling now. In a nut shell, if your looking for a great adventure story that is calculated and honest, then give this book a whirl. I am a fan of Severin's writing and adventures now and will certainly purschase his further works. Nice job Mr. Severin. By the way, where is Brendan now? Is she on display anywhere?
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Summary: Crossing the Atlantic on a Ox?
Review: Here is a book about a group of adventurers who recreate an infamous journey, just to see if it is possible. St. Brendan is, in legend and myth, thought to have crossed the atlantic ocean centuries before the Vikings and Columbus. He did this in a boat made of oxen hide or LEATHER. A leather boat crossing the atlantic ocean, most researchers (and sailors) would say it is impossible and could not be done. These men recreate the voyage using technology that was available at the time. The builders of the modern-day-ship Brendan, are true to their craft. They build their craft using medival techniques and materials. In the Traditon of "Kon-tiki" and "Dove", this book tells the story of how they built it and sailed it across the atlantic. If you like History and those who re-enact it this is the book for you.
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Summary: More than Boats
Review: I almost put the book down while reading the first half, but stuck with it, and was rewarded in the second half. I wasn't interested in hearing about the cultures of the places where the boat crew came ashore. Actually, I wasn't interested in reading about anything but the "voyage" proper. And, in this book, you'll get info about the history of some of the places they landed and other "side info". As a result, I found the first half of the book slow and boring.
Nonetheless, once they began the largest leg of the journey, and couldn't land anywhwere, the book picked up pace and held my interest. It turned out to be quite a voyage and a heck of a feat. In the end, I'm glad I read it. But, with that said, I'd have been disappointed had I paid full price for the book.
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Summary: A great read
Review: I couldn't put this book down. I've been fascinated for years by the legendary stories of the voyage of Saint Brendan - and Severin's brave re-construction of that journey is legendary in and of itself. It's a thrilling ride - the building of the ship itself was nothing less than a miracle - and the journey - well, you'll just have to read it for yourself. A truly gripping story.
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Summary: A great read
Review: I couldn't put this book down. I've been fascinated for years by the legendary stories of the voyage of Saint Brendan - and Severin's brave re-construction of that journey is legendary in and of itself. It's a thrilling ride - the building of the ship itself was nothing less than a miracle - and the journey - well, you'll just have to read it for yourself. A truly gripping story.
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Summary: fascinating on many levels
Review: Not too much to add to the many positive reviews. Just that this book is multifaceted--it is a modern and historical adventure story. An archeological reflection. A wonderful geography lesson. One could jump from this book to so many further areas of exploration. Many interesting conversations generated by 1. the possibility that many people traveled Europe to America throughout the years, 2. the original manuscript of Brendan's voyage and its descriptions of fantastical events, 3. the whales and bird life that the modern and ancient adventurers encountered, 4. the faith and courage that these monks must have had to go sailing off into the wild ocean in a leather boat. Definitely worth the read.
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Summary: fascinating on many levels
Review: Not too much to add to the many positive reviews. Just that this book is multifaceted--it is a modern and historical adventure story. An archeological reflection. A wonderful geography lesson. One could jump from this book to so many further areas of exploration. Many interesting conversations generated by 1. the possibility that many people traveled Europe to America throughout the years, 2. the original manuscript of Brendan's voyage and its descriptions of fantastical events, 3. the whales and bird life that the modern and ancient adventurers encountered, 4. the faith and courage that these monks must have had to go sailing off into the wild ocean in a leather boat. Definitely worth the read.
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Summary: Great read
Review: Other reviewers have told how exciting Severin's adventures are. Let me say how well he writes! Enjoy the adventure, but also enjoy how well he tells it to us!
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