<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time or money
Review: Although Buckley crafts his story well, this book serves only as a platform for him to express his inflated self importance. It is uninteresting and useless as a sailing narrative. The only reason I continued to read was in expectance of a point. Don't make the same mistake.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent and Engaging Book, Well Written
Review: Many people do not like this book because of the author and the well know National Review. Like or dislike that magazine, the book is exceptional. I have been a sailor and power boater but have never sailed any single transit leg longer than upper Lake Huron - in a rainstorm about 100 miles - 150 km, so I have a bit of an idea of what is involved, but on a smaller scale.The book is very entertaining and just runs along at a fast clip like a sale boat with its back to the wind. It transports the reader so it seems to the Pacific and you are along for the ride. For many years I thought it was my favorite book, especially the descriptions of running at night through the south Pacific seas. Lots of pictures, lots of action and may I say written like a novel. Many personal notes by the author who made the trip with his son and close friends. It is a once in a lifetime experience that few get to sample but we get a chance to share through this book. Job well done and a Gem of a book.
Rating:
Summary: Really, an awful book on almost every level
Review: The self-importance of WFB is unmistakable. That I am not a sailor probably made the book even more uninteresting. I can honestly say this is far and away the worst book I have ever *tried* to read. I made it through four or five chapters of sheer, unadulterated PAIN, before I finally decided to throw in the towel. And WFB - um, yeah, that is "the Buck's" way of referring to himself, I guess - he has this penchant for tossing around big words - he so wants to be British, but even all his money can't save him.
It is really scary how dreadfully boring this book is. I tried, believe me I tried - to finish this book, but it was just too much. I couldn't make it happen. And for that I am angry - I like to complete things. A semi-interesting taxi driver in Philly gave me the book for free. I will admit there was an interesting sea-faring debacle that The Buck talked about - an encounter with a not-so-friendly local - but that was it. The rest if just nauticals, and sterns, and fine wine, and marvelous's, and excellent's, and brilliant's, and droll's, and dreadfully's, and....PAIN! I think Marlon Brando's character in Apocalypse Now, Col. Kurtz, said it best with his final words: "The Horror. The Ho-rror."
Rating:
Summary: Really, an awful book on almost every level
Review: The self-importance of WFB is unmistakable. That I am not a sailor probably made the book even more uninteresting. I can honestly say this is far and away the worst book I have ever *tried* to read. I made it through four or five chapters of sheer, unadulterated PAIN, before I finally decided to throw in the towel. And WFB - um, yeah, that is "the Buck's" way of referring to himself, I guess - he has this penchant for tossing around big words - he so wants to be British, but even all his money can't save him. It is really scary how dreadfully boring this book is. I tried, believe me I tried - to finish this book, but it was just too much. I couldn't make it happen. And for that I am angry - I like to complete things. A semi-interesting taxi driver in Philly gave me the book for free. I will admit there was an interesting sea-faring debacle that The Buck talked about - an encounter with a not-so-friendly local - but that was it. The rest if just nauticals, and sterns, and fine wine, and marvelous's, and excellent's, and brilliant's, and droll's, and dreadfully's, and....PAIN! I think Marlon Brando's character in Apocalypse Now, Col. Kurtz, said it best with his final words: "The Horror. The Ho-rror."
<< 1 >>
| 
