Running Away to Sea : Round the World on a Tramp Freighter

Rating:
Summary: A travel book with a chic-left twist
Review: I found Running Away to Sea somewhat patronizing toward the reader, but still readable. Fetherling obviously looks at the world through glasses that are skewed to the political left. I'll wager Gore Vidal is one of his favorite authors. I envision Fetherling as a type of mildly depressed, chic-left, middle-aged, pseudo-intellectual ex-hippie who, if the truth were known, must grudgingly concede that the continuing demise of Communism has left us all far better off. His not so subtle put downs of every nationality except his own (Canadian) are particularly irritating. Being a good liberal, he is quick to advertise his holier-than-thou disdain for racism, but I find his arrogant and condescending attitude towards the French, British, and (especially) Americans to be a mild form of prejudice in itself. Too much of the book involves development of historical background for the ports his ship visits - a fact compounded by irritating editorializing from his socialist perspective. Still, the book flows well, and the reader anxiously anticipates each new chapter. I would buy Running Away to Sea again.

Rating:
Summary: Running Away to the Sea: Round the world on a tramp freight
Review: I picked this up because it had a great premise. The book, however, did not live up its title or subject. There was quote after descriptive qoute from other authors about the far away places that Mr. Fetherling touched and some of the historical references were inciteful, but there just wasn't much meat concerning what the author saw and felt during HIS journey. He shyed away from the other passangers and it doesn't seem that he was friendly with the crew. His acount makes it seem like he took up space and made use of the oxygen around him for four months. His trip and the divorce that it probably contributed to was a bit on the depressing side. This is not why I read travel/adventure literature.

Rating:
Summary: Running Away to the Sea: Round the world on a tramp freight
Review: I picked this up because it had a great premise. The book, however, did not live up its title or subject. There was quote after descriptive qoute from other authors about the far away places that Mr. Fetherling touched and some of the historical references were inciteful, but there just wasn't much meat concerning what the author saw and felt during HIS journey. He shyed away from the other passangers and it doesn't seem that he was friendly with the crew. His acount makes it seem like he took up space and made use of the oxygen around him for four months. His trip and the divorce that it probably contributed to was a bit on the depressing side. This is not why I read travel/adventure literature.

Rating:
Summary: Way better than the other reviews suggested!
Review: I read the negative reviews of this book (as posted by other amazon readers) but bought it anyway and I'm glad that I did. I've not finished it yet, but am thoroughly enjoying it. I am Canadian so perhaps my views are as *skewed* as the author's, however, I've also travelled extensively and feel that my views are not much different from the rest of the world's!

The one comment that I'd agree with is that I wish the author had spent more time on his "personal journey". I wanted this book because I seem to be at the same life-stage as the author was when he ran away to sea, and I was seeking that type of information/re-assurance.

That said, I'm enjoying the tales that he is presenting and find them totally plausible: that one could end up at sea with a dozen or so other people with whom one has nothing in common; and for whom one might even feel a little bit of disdain.

The historic and geographic information, as well as general information about the running of the ship, is also interesting to me - but then I have a couple degrees in History and am naturally inclined to seek out such information.

Anyway, this is my first ever amazon review and I felt that I had to counter some of the other voices. I am enjoying this book.

Rating:
Summary: Run Away From This Book
Review: It amazes me how an accomplished writer can make a wonderful idea for a book into such a boring tale. Many years ago I spent 3weeks on a tramp freighter travelling between Africa and North America. Because of my own experiences I really looked forward to reading this yarn and was extremely disappointed. There are meager descriptions of his own experiences and one gets the feeling that he (Mr. Fetherling) should have stayed home and spared us what I felt to be a chore in finishing this book. His ship docks at many exotic and alluring ports in the Pacific but amazingly he really has no adventurous experiences himself. He relies on others for his chronicles. Spare yourself the boredom and look for your sea tales elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Around the World with Oscar the Grouch
Review: It's always been a mystery to me how someone who is writing a book in which he is the main character, can make that character (himself) come off as unlikeable or seriously unpleasant. After all, as the author you do have a great deal of control over the character, if not over your actual self.

The idea behind Douglas Fetherling's book is irresistible: an adult runs away from home by taking a round-the-world trip on a small freighter. Who hasn't fantasized about leaving home, family, and responsibilities, even if just for awhile? And the set-up is full of possibilities: a sullen Russian crew, about a dozen other passengers with various backgrounds, and stops in any number of exotic places. Top it off with some kind of an epiphany for our hero and voila!

But Fetherling has taken all these possibilities and apparently refused to improve on what really happened. Because what we end up with is an anti-social hero who despises all his shipmates. He admits that he is having trouble with the idea of becoming a grandfather soon, still in his late forties. He has never really liked being married, he declares (and evidently doesn't care what his wife thinks about him announcing that to the world). The constant vibration of the ship's engine makes him feel perpetually "goatish."

Fetherling is generous with his research, though, and each port of call gets us a history lesson. It would have been fun to read more about his adventures in port, even if he had to make some of them up.

When he finally returns home, he announces to his wife that he has decided to stay with her for now, evidently resigned to becoming a grandfather. But I wonder if his wife was any more impressed than the reader. And I wonder if any of the other passengers or crew has written their own book about the voyage. It still seems like a great idea for a book.