Gone to Come Back

Rating:
Summary: A winner.....
Review: ......it's the Carribbean at its' charter sailing best.....
So many stories....so many thoughts, so many anecdotes....all captured in print....The writer leaves lots for the reader to imagine, to laugh about, to smile, .... anyone, but especially those with any Sailing experience can feel the sun, hear the water rippling and the sea rolling...see the sails luffing....hear the wind, while relating to the stories....
A quick read...perfect for so many times when you only have a few minutes at a time (great for waiting at the Ferry!!)to read and reflect, yet the stories and vignettes will stay with you forever...

Rating:
Summary: And you were wondering what happened next...
Review: After reading "No Shoes Allowed", I was left wondering what happened next. Thankfully, the author decided to answer that question. While "No Shoes Allowed" is not required reading in order to enjoy this book, it certainly helps to complete the picture. Most of the book deals with the charter business the author ran out of Grenada in the 70's. The remainder of the book follows the author's adventures after his departure from the caribbean.

What I find most interesting about both of these books is how 'loose' they are. "Gone to Come Back" seems to have the most of this quality. It is as if the lifestyle of living in the Caribbean for so long has affected the author's train of thought. Each chapter has a name yet the name seems only loosely associated with the contents that follow. It may have been just as well to not have any chapters at all. However if there weren't any chapters, one would never know when to stop! This book is hard to put down.

If you enjoyed "No Shoes Allowed" you will certainly enjoy this book. The author's writing is clear and direct. This is crucial as the true-to-life adventures he has experienced would be difficult to follow otherwise. As preposterous as some of these exploits are, one can't help feeling a bit envious. For most of us, the only crisis we might face is running out of milk or forgetting to set the alarm clock. Hardly as daring (and fun) as cruising/working the Caribbean.

This is truly a joy to read. It's a must-have for any sailing collection.

Rating:
Summary: gone to come back
Review: even better ! jan de groot's first novel 'no shoes allowed' was so much fun ... all the characters ... the stories ... brought a smile to my eyes ! and now ... 'gone to come back' !! even better! the capturing of the local dialect ... the additional details and explanations of the area ... his explanations of situations, all make you feel as though you are there listening to his tales !! and his care to discribe people and their delightful idiosyncrasies ... what fun ! not only did this book bring a smile to my eyes ... but there were times i was laughing out loud ! EXCELLENT !

Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Concoction!
Review: It's an uproarious world where anything can and usually does happen - unexpected passengers, stowaway cats, insolent islanders, nautical mishaps and sudden illicit riches...the perfect concoction of stories to go with a rum drink and a hammock.