The Bookshelf

The Boatowner’s Guide to Corrosion
By Everett Collier

Boatowners fight a never-ending war against the pitiless enemy corrosion. Everett Collier comes to the rescue with this comprehensive, very readable handbook, that tells the boatowner how to: find corrosion problems before they're obvious, take simple steps to prevent corrosion, protect all kinds of metal in every part of the boat and rigging; guard against the dangers of electrolysis. Boatowners will save themselves money, time, and headaches with the benefit of Collier's practical wisdom.

The Boatowner’s Guide to Corrosion is published by R.R. Gonnelley & Sons and is available for $27.95.

Boats
By Sunny Reynolds

Here's a real treat for travelers, sailors, or anyone with an interest in the nautical. Sumptuous, full-color photographs highlighted with complementary quotes by internationally famous writers, distinguish this comprehensive tribute to myriad vessels around the globe: from the dhows of Kenya to the gondolas of Venice. Sailboats, yachts, schooners, cargo ships, Peruvian reed boats, Chilean fishing craft, and humble rowboats are celebrated in this international photo album of the vessels that ply the waters of the world.

Boats is published by Running Press and is available for $19.99.

Changing Course
by Debra Ann Cantrell

The human quest for change is constant. As existing dreams are realized, new dreams take their place. On one level, Changing Course is a straightforward, step-by-step examination of pursuing your partner's dreams and joining the seagoing life. On a deeper, more spiritual level, it addresses the levels of change we encounter in everyday life and how--through the experiences of numerous women who have gone before--we can rise through those levels of change to achieve ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction.

Changing Course chronicles the odyssey of making a major lifestyle change from land to sea from a woman's perspective. The moving and often poignant thoughts, feelings, and experiences of more than 100 women illustrate the decision-making process that enabled most of them to move from resisting the change proposed by their partners to embracing the cruising life. It is an inspiring examination of the highs, lows, and day-to-day drama of changing one's life in a fundamental way. From the common fears that prevent individuals from taking risks to the interpersonal dynamics that affect couples and relationships, this one-of-a-kind book explores the phenomenon of change and the growing lifestyle change movement. This thought-provoking and highly personal book explores what women stand to gain when they set forth on such a journey--and what they stand to lose if they do not.

Changing Course is published by International Marine Publishing and is available for $11.95.

Lighthouses
By Leo Marriott

Crossing open waters has always been a dangerous and sometimes deadly vocation, but drawing close to the end destination is the most hazardous part of the sailor's journey. Reaching the right harbor during the night and knowing how to avoid razor-sharp rocks or reefs is a task that can defeat the most experienced navigator - with fatal results.

Since earliest times the response to these dangers has been to erect a light-bearing tower - a beacon to sailors that could guide them safely into port. Some of these early lighthouses were basic stones on the shores, but others, like the Colossus of Rhodes, a 110-foot (33m) statue of the sun god Helios built in 282 BC in the Mediterranean, became wonders of the ancient world.

Architecturally imposing and with an air of romance to them, lighthouses continue to fascinate us. Often there are tales of strange events connected to lonely lighthouses - tragic stories of keepers and ghosts at sea.
Leo Marriott's Lighthouses, illustrated with more than 100 color photographs, takes readers on a historical and international tour of these wonderful structures and recounts tales of great courage and tragedy, as well as details of why and how lighthouses were built.

Lighthouses is published by PRC Publishing, Ltd. and is available for $65.00.

Alone At Sea
By Ann Spencer

I had only a moment to get all sail down and myself upon the peak halyards, out of danger, when I saw the mighty crest towering masthead-high above me. The mountain of water submerged my vessel. She shook in every timber and reeled under the weight of the sea...What would it be like to sail around the world by yourself, especially without the telecommunications and technical equipment we have today? “Alone At Sea” takes readers on such a thrilling journey. In 1895, Joshua Slocum embarked on a three-year, 46,000-mile solo circumnavigation of the globe. His boat, a refitted oyster sloop called Spray, took him through pirate-infested waters and horrific storms amidst the ghosts and demons of 36 months of solitude. “Alone At Sea” is his story. On his first solo day, Slocum found himself enveloped by fog so thick “one could almost 'stand on it'” It was as if his loneliness had been made visible as the thick fog “lowered over the sea like a pail.”.. He and the Spray were one small speck on art all-encompassing sea, invisible to the rest of the world. Slocum pondered his invisibility with a growing awareness of his insignificance in the universe: “In the dismal fog I felt myself drifting into loneliness, an insect on a straw in the midst of the elements.” This is the first original full-scale biography of Joshua Slocum in over 40 years. Ann Spencer spent years poring over the sailor's own journals and historical records buried in libraries and archives throughout New England the Maritimes. She uncovered new facts, documents photographs now published here. With Spencer's engaging text and peppered with Slocum's own journal entries, “Alone At Sea” is captivating reading for anyone interested in sailing, nautical history, travel and the soul of a true adventurer. Heroes come rarely in real life and this is the story of a too-little known maritime hero.

Alone At Sea is published by Firefly Books Ltd. and is available for $16.95.

All contents are copyright (c) 2007 by Northern Breezes, Inc. All information contained within is deemed reliable but carries no guarantees. Reproduction of any part or whole of this publication in any form by mechanical or electronic means, including information retrieval is prohibited except by consent of the publisher.