Daring the Sea: The True Story of the First Men to Row Across the Atlantic Ocean

by David W. Shaw

A portrait of Norwegian immigrants George Habo and Frank Samuelsen explores the lives of these first men to row across the Atlantic Ocean, their families, and their dreams and disappointments, through chronicles of their long and nearly fatal 1896 journey.

Genres: Adventure, History, Travel, Biography, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Jan C · Rating 1 out of 5]

David Shaw takes too long to get to the meat of the story. I was interested in reading about two guys rowing across the ocean and getting to England.

I am quitting on page 66 - they are just now provisioning the boat.

I have to move in the next few months and cannot be wasting my time (or space) on an author who takes forever to get to the story.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

True story of two Norwegian immigrants who rowed a small boat across the Atlantic Ocean in 1896. They set out from Highlands, where they were clammers, and the first part of the book talks about life in that area, which I enjoyed given my roots there. The writing is decent, and the story is remarkable, as are the two men. Descriptions of the sea and storms are gripping.

[William Drehmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading for book club. 1898, 2 Norwegians who have been living in USA decide to try to be the first to row a boat across the Atlantic. Many hair-raising adventures. Learned a lot of nautical terms. Really a 3.5.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

A true story based on the logbooks and journals of George Harbo and Frank Samuelson of their crossing the Atlantic Ocean (New York to Le Havre, France) in an open, 18 foot long row boat!

[Leah Missall · Rating 2 out of 5]

apparently I'm related to George...this was mid, considering what this book is about I felt like it should have focused more on the travels and hardships of the journey instead of constant mini history lessons....I don't care about the history of iceburgs...just my personal opinion

[Huw · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely brilliant read

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Took way too long to get to the adventure part. First third of the book was a drag. Last half was decent.

[Breña · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ich gestehe, manchmal habe ich quer gelesen und zwischenzeitlich sogar daran gedacht, abzubrechen. Schließlich hat mich die Geschichte der beiden Seefahrer jedoch in ihren Bann gezogen. Das liegt in erster Linie an ihrer unfassbaren Leistung, nicht an Shaws packender Erzählung. Zwar spürt man seine Bewunderung und ich schätze auch seine Anreicherung mit historischen Fakten, literarisch Großes hat er jedoch nicht vollbracht.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

1896. Two men ,George Harbo and Frank Samuleson , solid seamen, one 18 ft row boat ¨ The Fox¨ and lots of provisons head east for France . This is the most incedible adventure storie I have ever read ! Imagine sliding down 40 - 50 ft waves , for three days and nights , stern first trying to stop from flipping the boat .Imagine being wet , cold and encrusted in salt for 56 days. Then there's this strange creature that cannot be explained . Hold on to your seat reading this , it's a good one .