Rating: 
Summary: Realistic time travel
Review: I followed "Viking Voyage 1000" for 2 summers on the Internet, and was delighted that Carter's book is definitely not a duplication. It's more nitty gritty, not quite so clean-cut, and much more into the relationships, often tense, among the crew. Having spent time in Greenland, in some of the same spots the Snorri sailed, I was delighted to relive the essence of Greenland which Carter magnificently captures -- the rawness of the elements, the tranquility of the vast openness, and how precious people are when so few. On one level I'm taken back into Viking times in this book, sailing a square-sailed ship that refuses to make progress in a headwind, yet with favourable winds effortlessly skims the waves. Yet we are with thoroughly modern men on this voyage, learning rather painfully how to slow down to the pace of rowing hundreds and hundreds of miles, missing children and sweethearts, and eventually finding contentment in the merciless whims of Frey and Thor. I was sorry to finish this book, to finish the voyage through these beautiful northern waters. I especially enjoyed Carter's very honest, analytical, and humourous perspectives, and his very easy-going style of writing. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Viking times, or just a good true adventure story.
Rating:
Summary: Realistic time travel
Review: I followed "Viking Voyage 1000" for 2 summers on the Internet, and was delighted that Carter's book is definitely not a duplication. It's more nitty gritty, not quite so clean-cut, and much more into the relationships, often tense, among the crew. Having spent time in Greenland, in some of the same spots the Snorri sailed, I was delighted to relive the essence of Greenland which Carter magnificently captures -- the rawness of the elements, the tranquility of the vast openness, and how precious people are when so few. On one level I'm taken back into Viking times in this book, sailing a square-sailed ship that refuses to make progress in a headwind, yet with favourable winds effortlessly skims the waves. Yet we are with thoroughly modern men on this voyage, learning rather painfully how to slow down to the pace of rowing hundreds and hundreds of miles, missing children and sweethearts, and eventually finding contentment in the merciless whims of Frey and Thor. I was sorry to finish this book, to finish the voyage through these beautiful northern waters. I especially enjoyed Carter's very honest, analytical, and humourous perspectives, and his very easy-going style of writing. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in Viking times, or just a good true adventure story.
Rating: 
Summary: Even non sailors can survive with the Coast Guard handy
Review: I liked this book, because it meant that if a duffus like Hodding Carter could sail from Greenland, I could too. After all I know how to sail. As for proving that its difficult to do, well, he finnally admits to realizing that they don't call Maine "Down East" because its lower than Boston, its because its "Down Wind" and when you sail a mostly square rigged vessel, its really hard to go "Up Wind." So Hodding proves that while its possible to go from Greenland to the New World, it was a pain. So any Vikings would have abandoned the effort as not being worth the trouble. Ok. But other than a vague feeling these guys should all have died at sea with their general lack of sailing or open boat skills it was a fun read. I doubt I would have gone along though had I been asked.
Rating:
Summary: Men in a boat
Review: I've been telling my friends about this book and my one sentence summary is as follows: "Imagine the conflict, capers and buffoonery you would get if the group of us sailed a knarr replica from Greenland to North America". It has a greater focus on interpersonal dynamics than on numerous other possible topics such as sailing, history of norse explorers, ecology of North Atlantic. You do get a taste of all these things but really not much. I think this is a good thing. It makes for a less informative but much more entertaining account of a sailing trip from Greenland to North America. I found the first third or so of the book somewhat frustrating because things don't go so smoothly and the petty squabbles are irritating to read about. Also, at times the author seems to be trying real hard to be funny and it comes off as forced (I almost shut the book for good after the first couple of pages) . However, the latter half of the book is well worth the struggle of the first chapters. In the latter part of the book we finally get more descriptions of the sailing experience and the land they pass through, the crew and author become more humorous, and their experiences are more interesting. All in all a great book. The author has a second book in the works for those interested in more pictures.
Rating:
Summary: Men in a boat
Review: I've been telling my friends about this book and my one sentence summary is as follows: "Imagine the conflict, capers and buffoonery you would get if the group of us sailed a knarr replica from Greenland to North America". It has a greater focus on interpersonal dynamics than on numerous other possible topics such as sailing, history of norse explorers, ecology of North Atlantic. You do get a taste of all these things but really not much. I think this is a good thing. It makes for a less informative but much more entertaining account of a sailing trip from Greenland to North America. I found the first third or so of the book somewhat frustrating because things don't go so smoothly and the petty squabbles are irritating to read about. Also, at times the author seems to be trying real hard to be funny and it comes off as forced (I almost shut the book for good after the first couple of pages) . However, the latter half of the book is well worth the struggle of the first chapters. In the latter part of the book we finally get more descriptions of the sailing experience and the land they pass through, the crew and author become more humorous, and their experiences are more interesting. All in all a great book. The author has a second book in the works for those interested in more pictures.
Rating:
Summary: Good ol'Goombahs
Review: Machismo gives way to real actions and reactions as this tale unfolds. Adventure and acrimony abound aboard Snorri, just what you would expect from 9 "goombahs" trying to sail from Greenland to Labrador. History spun in a humorous and enlightening fashion with plenty of room for interpretation. Fun reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A publicity stunt
Review: meant to bring attention to the author, who previously had placed second in the Louisiana Oyster Eating Contest. (I'm not kidding. The author says so.) He realized he needed to come up with something better than that if he was to gain wide public recognition and managed to talk Land's End into putting up a million or so to back him. The account's not very well written, and the author admits he knows little about the sea or sailing or the Norse. Not surprisingly, many of his "facts" are wrong. It's not completely worthless, just not very good. Such a voyage should have made wonderful adventure reading.
Rating:
Summary: Hodding does it again!
Review: Once again W. Hodding Carter has written a great read. I read it in practically one sitting - just couldn't put is down. I've sent it three friends already!
Rating:
Summary: Not exactly Leif Eriksson's voyage
Review: The author, W. Hodding Carter, has a dream. He wants to re-create the voyage of Viking Leif Eriksson who, in the Year 1000, sailed from Greenland to North America in an open Viking Longboat. Carter has no ship. He has no crew. And he doesn't know much about sailing. But, after three years and a whole series of misadventures, he finally does it. This book is the result. Somehow, he convinced Land's End to sponsor the journey, but he still had to get the boat constructed, find a crew and handle the thousands of details to make it happen. His first attempt ended in defeat but he tried again the following year. He had learned a lot by then and while the crossing wasn't exactly easy, he and his eight-man crew reached their goal. Of course Carter's crossing wasn't exactly like the crossing for the Vikings. The Vikings, of course, didn't know where they were going and certainly weren't able to have e-mail on board. And they didn't have the modern food supplies and ability to cook the gourmet meals that this modern-day crew enjoyed daily. But the sea was the same, the frustration of days without a good wind, the hard physical labor, the beauty of visiting some remote islands, and the camaraderie among the crew. The style of writing is light and sometimes comical. The Viking lore is interesting and the descriptions of the surrounding sea and the physical experience of living on an open boat are well done. But I never really got the differences between the eight crew members. This should have been an automatic reflex by the end of the book. But even though the author tried his best, and even had some photos of the men, with the exception of Rob, the eccentric boat builder, they all had a certain sameness to me. Also, this trip was never life threatening. I didn't bite my fingernails with worry about them. When in trouble, the Coast Guard was there. Basically the book is a pleasant read about an interesting experience. And I did learn a bit about sailing and the experience of living in an open boat. Too bad Leif Eriksson never wrote a book. THAT would have been quite a story. Lacking that, however, I guess we just have to settle for W. Hodding Carter.
Rating:
Summary: Not exactly Leif Eriksson's voyage
Review: The author, W. Hodding Carter, has a dream. He wants to re-create the voyage of Viking Leif Eriksson who, in the Year 1000, sailed from Greenland to North America in an open Viking Longboat. Carter has no ship. He has no crew. And he doesn't know much about sailing. But, after three years and a whole series of misadventures, he finally does it. This book is the result. Somehow, he convinced Land's End to sponsor the journey, but he still had to get the boat constructed, find a crew and handle the thousands of details to make it happen. His first attempt ended in defeat but he tried again the following year. He had learned a lot by then and while the crossing wasn't exactly easy, he and his eight-man crew reached their goal. Of course Carter's crossing wasn't exactly like the crossing for the Vikings. The Vikings, of course, didn't know where they were going and certainly weren't able to have e-mail on board. And they didn't have the modern food supplies and ability to cook the gourmet meals that this modern-day crew enjoyed daily. But the sea was the same, the frustration of days without a good wind, the hard physical labor, the beauty of visiting some remote islands, and the camaraderie among the crew. The style of writing is light and sometimes comical. The Viking lore is interesting and the descriptions of the surrounding sea and the physical experience of living on an open boat are well done. But I never really got the differences between the eight crew members. This should have been an automatic reflex by the end of the book. But even though the author tried his best, and even had some photos of the men, with the exception of Rob, the eccentric boat builder, they all had a certain sameness to me. Also, this trip was never life threatening. I didn't bite my fingernails with worry about them. When in trouble, the Coast Guard was there. Basically the book is a pleasant read about an interesting experience. And I did learn a bit about sailing and the experience of living in an open boat. Too bad Leif Eriksson never wrote a book. THAT would have been quite a story. Lacking that, however, I guess we just have to settle for W. Hodding Carter.
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