A World of My Own

by Robin Knox-Johnston

Originally published in 1970, Robin Knox-Johnston's A World of My Own has become a treasured classic - the dramatic account of the first nonstop, single-handed voyage around the world, for which Knox-Johnston won the Sunday Times Golden Globe trophy.
On June 14, 1968, Suhaili, a tiny ketch, slipped almost unnoticed out of Falmouth harbor while Knox-Johnston's family and a few friends waved goodbye to the solitary twenty-nine-year-old figure at the helm. His was an incredible adventure, a feat of endeavor and seamanship which will be unsurpassed and unforgotten. Sheer determination helped him survive every imaginable Several knockdowns in the Southern Ocean, the disintegration of the self-steering system, polluted water tanks and acid burns were among the numerous setbacks he encountered even before reaching Cape Horn, the fearsome test of any seaman's nerve.
Written from diaries and logbooks kept throughout the voyage, A World of My Own is a gripping, startling, and moving account of one of the greatest sea adventures of our time.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure, Travel, Biography, Nautical, Memoir, History

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1969

About the author

The first person to sail single handed and non-stop around the world between 14th June 1968 and 22nd April 1969.

Reviews

[Joseph Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

My dad bought this book for me, because I liked the sound of it when he told me about RKJ swimming along next to the boat for exercise.
I love this book. I often felt depth and focus when reading it, like I was out there with RKJ watching birds and steering and burning my hand on soup.
Really grateful to have read it.

[Numidica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent account of Knox-Johnston's world-first, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation. This book may be a bit too technical for non-sailors, but experienced sailors will smile in commiseration at the troubles he overcame. His frustration at, for example, winds blowing directly from the direction he wanted to travel is well known to those who have tried to cover 100 miles or more under sail at sea. Likewise his high spirits when winds and sea state cooperated.

One of the things he said made me feel vindicated about a position I have taken regarding life preservers (PFD's) while sailing alone. In short, I don't wear one. As Knox-Johnston says, if you go overboard while 50 miles (or more) off shore, you're done, so why bother with the bulky, uncomfortable thing? The right approach is to take steps to insure you do not go overboard, very much as one would take steps to avoid falling off a 100 story building. When sailing alone, overboard means death, so behave accordingly.

In general, I ended up liking his bluff, no-nonsense, competence and I admire the courage it took, in 1968 with zero electronics, to sail around the world, non-stop and alone. He is a very different man than his chief competitor, Bernard Moitessier, but both were amazing sailors.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robin Knox-Johnston set sail from Falmouth, England, on June 14, 1968, intending to circle the world non-stop, and alone, before anyone else did. The Golden Globe 'Round the World Race had just started, and he was one of nine brave competitors taking on the challenge.
In a thrilling tale of courage, resourcefulness, and adventure, Knox-Johnston elaborates on the voyage of a lifetime. If you're not familiar with sailing lingo, however, you probably won't understand a word. It's essential to grasp what is meant as Knox-Johnston explains the need to heave-to with a storm jib and lower the mizzen, all to avoid pitch-poling, etc. Even if you do speak fluent sailor, it takes an abnormal amount of time to read, and requires a good deal of concentration. That's my excuse for taking eight days to read this, despite its only being 256 pages.

Fantastic related books:
The Long Way by Bernard Moitessier
A Voyage for Madmen by Peter Nichols

[Kirsten Gesenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you love the technical minutiae of sailing, then this book is for you. Otherwise it turns out that sailing around the world by yourself with no one else to talk to and no significant mishaps is exceedingly boring.

[JwW White · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about Sir Robin Knox Johnston's solo circumnavigation (the first non-stop solo). Typically British attitude and story of being the first around. At times dull and throughout far less inspiring than competitor Bernard Moitessier's "The Long Way."

[Kailea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, though quite technical. If you don't know the sailing mechanics or jargon, as I don't, then it can be quite easy to drift off in a lot of passages. I could never have had the fortitude or motivation to do what this man did, but he has certainly rekindled my desire for sailing lessons.

One thing that bothered me was his apparent hatred of sharks. See a shark? Shoot it in the head. I'm not sure if it's just a mindset of the past or if it's because the sharks are actually a danger to the structure of the boat. Anyway, this bothered me.

[Annelie Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, likely more so if you are au fait with all of the sailing jargon, which I must confess I am not 😄

RKJ is meticulous in his account, and one comes away with a deep respect for his technical and troubleshooting skills, as well as his resilience and relatively good humour throughout a tough journey.

I was hoping for a bit more commentary on the overall results of the ‘race’ (in quotation marks, given that his preparation for the attempt was already underway before the official event was announced), especially the Crowhurst saga, and Moitessier’s decision to continue on instead of officially completing his circumnavigation.

I also think Moitessier’s account has a bit more romance and poetry to it, even in the English translation, and would highly recommend reading The Long Way as well.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad. I sailed a bit when I was a kid, so I enjoyed it from an "armchair sailor" perspective. Robin KJ writes honestly and without bravado, is clear eyed about his own foibles and more difficult moments. At the same time the key thing that rings out throughout is the sheer tenacity of the man, overcoming endless problems and setbacks to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe single handedly and without stopping once. He doesn't pretend to be an expert yachtsman or have the greatest equipment, but he's ingenious and bloody minded in his desire to complete this challenge, and in that way it's quite inspirational.

I've given the book four stars though I think its more 3.5. The book is very heavy on sailcraft - about half the text it feels like discusses problems with seas and winds encountered in each location, and what sails were set to deal with them. As the book goes on it starts to get pretty repetitive. Also, it's overflowing with sailing terminology so that paragraphs on end are just gobbledygook sometimes.

[Litar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably more people have been in to the space by now than ever sailed solo round the world non-stop. Even now this task is among the toughest any human can undertake, survive and complete. Such accomplishment till 1968 was only a dream. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston went for this dream when on Friday 14 June 1968 in Suhaili, a tiny ketch, slipped almost unnoticed out of Falmouth harbor. What followed were long months of solitude and fight with the toughest challenges Mother Nature can throw a sailor. “A world on my own” captures his and Suhaili story. This is a fascinating tell of human strength, invention and determination. Does not matter if you are a sailor or not this book will capture you from the beginning and hold to the last page! Really worth reading!

Many notable sailors paid respect to Sir Robin achievement before. By no means I have their expertise or experience still as a passionate sailor on my own I can only add that he is my inspiration! I wish to meet him one day!

[Sean M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Legendary Voyage described by one of Humanity's Great Explorers

Knox-Johnston clearly communicates his thoughts, his fears, his weakneses and strengths in a well written and interesting account of his 1968 voyage single-handed, non-stop, around the world. I enjoyed this account as much as Moitessier's, perhaps more. Knox-Johnston also gives good references to methods, materials, and equipment that are relevant even today. I found it interesting that he mentioned the missed opportunity by not going far enough south around Capetown, which fate affected several Golden Globe 2022 participants just this month! I am a sailor, so don't know if non-sailors would find this book has too many references to obcure concepts, but I think not as the story seemed to me like that of Shackleton as told in Endurance in many ways. All told one of my favorite reads, but not a fast paced joyride, more of an amazing experience.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first person to sail around the world without stopping anywhere along the way. In the mid 1960s a contest was announced about being the first to sail solo around the world. The author began the preparation both of his boat and his supplies needed to complete such an adventure. The race started in 1968 and ended in 1968During the book the author used lots of sailing terms like mizzen, jibe, forecastle and other words which I had to look up so I could understand. It was a difficult journey that took 10 months. Many misfortunes happened on the trip, including being knocked flat by the waves and wind (they have a name for it but I can’t remember it.) Robin had to make do and jerry rig many things. I did like the book and the detail he put into, quoting often from his journal. Lots of pictures are included in the book. I read a Kindle Version which showed the pictures.

[Bill Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knox-Johnstone was the first to sail around the world, solo and non-stop. His boat - Suhaili - was older and smaller than those of the other contestants, putting him at a disadvantage. However, he did have extensive training in the Merchant Navy and the Royal Naval Reserve which prepared him for complex maintenance and repair situations. The book describes events throughout the trip, but the reader is left impressed by Knox-Johnstone's tenacity and resourcefulness.

The author frequently portrays events humorously. A funny situation occurred when he was sewing a rope around the edge of his spinnaker. He had stretched rope across the cabin, but part way through the job he discovered he had sewn his moustache into the sail. Unable to reach the ends of the rope, the knife being out of reach and "it was getting on towards beer time", he was forced to tear himself away.

[Cliff Willett · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a sailor, you'll likely appreciate all the technical details Robin Knox-Johnston includes in this account of his pioneering circumnavigation.

But since I'm not one, I frequently found these passages rather a baffling slog.

Thankfully, the prose is lightened throughout with flashes of understated humour. And then there are the more reflective passages touching on the psychological impact of such a gruelling solo voyage.

If you're intrigued by the extraordinary saga of the 1968 Golden Globe race, A Voyage For Madmen by Peter Nicols is probably the best book to start with.

A World of My Own is certainly a very thorough account of Knox-Johnston's travails. Just be aware it's not the most accessible read for landlubbers.

[Dmitry · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on sailing I've read, definitely on par with classics such as Dana's and Slocum's. Hard to imagine what it reads like to a non-sailor, but to somebody who's experienced even a bit of it, it's amazing. The way his boat keeps virtually falling apart, and he finds it in himself to fix, improvise, work around the various problems, leaks, breakages, the spoiled food, the lack of communication, all this while doing something, that nobody has ever done before: if you think Vendee Globe sailors have it rough, with their fancy technology and their crazy transit times, what kind of experience he had?

[Fin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still one of my favourite books of all time. The book is an incredibly honest account of the first solo non-stop circumnavigation around the world. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston gives insight into the challenges of solo non-stop circumnavigation, especially using the equipment of the late 1960s (ie early autopilot systems).
Sections of his journals from the voyage include the decisions he had to make and honestly reviews in hindsight whether they were effective or mistakes.
Robin's journals show him to be incredibly self-aware, and discusses his psychology during the over 300 days alone at sea. He has an extraordinary attitude towards adverse weather and essential equipment breaking hundreds of miles from land.

[Joel Schaefer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was an incredible adventure and I have deep respect for what the author accomplished, especially realizing that he did this remarkable journey at the age of 29/30, I struggled to get through it. Knox-Johnson is clearly an advanced seaman with a high sense of moral integrity. This book was written very matter of fact, and there was no boasting, and maybe this is why I could not read it for long periods of time. I especially respected when he commented that a seaman should not put others at risk because of one’s own poor decisions.

[Simon S · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and uplifting account of the author’s single-handed non-stop voyage around the world. I know nothing about sailing but this book is so well written and engaging that this is not a handicap. Knox-Johnston tells a tale of outstanding courage, physical stamina and mental strength, with gale-force storms that shred his sails and threaten to dismantle his cabin. Yet his matter-of-fact style makes all this sound like a slightly annoying day at the office.

[Nigel Street · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like some other reviews I have read this was inspired my father who had a first edition that I ha e held onto. Unlike him I am not a practicing yachtsman so quotes some of the detail is lost on me. That aside it still makes for an interesting read as a layman. Like many in have read on mountaineering it gives the novice a really good insight into the challenges, the highs and the lows of such an endurance. Thoroughly enjoyed it however not something I’ll be seeking to emulate any time soon!

[Volkan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a great book for armchair adventurers

Whenever he talks about the boat he always uses “us”. Suhaili and him were always a team in his mind. Even when things were tough, he tried not to blame it on the boat. Such a great personality!
He also has a great attitude towards the craft. He shows a lot of respect to the seamanship. There are a lot of meta-lessons in this book, highly recommended.

[Daniel Toujours · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this firsthand account of the first ever non-stop solo round the world voyage. The author brought us into the daily ups and downs he faced in the various seas and kept the drama alive by giving us updates on the voyages of his competitors. Some of the technical sailing details were beyond my understanding, but I learned a lot about sailing in the process, since I've only been out on the water a handful of times in a group.

[Marcel Tzioras · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will help a lot in sailing. You can perfectly use it as reference if you want to do something similar to Knox-Johnston.
Besides that, the book is written in a rather simple fashion and that's good because you can focus on the voyage and don't have to worry about analyzing complex grammatical structures.
It has a well balanced mix of narrative and logbook insights.

[Dennis Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, the account of one man's attempt to sail solo around the world non-stop, and without assistance. I found this book hard to put down, the challenges he faced, and the lack of so much technology really gives you perspective on the challenge he faced in 1968. I highly recommend this to anyone who is fascinated by people who push the limits.

[Sviatoslav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Моя первая книга про паруса, про этот вайб, про океан и про людей, которые им живут. Автор (даже при помощи редакторов) не смог сделать большую книгу про яхтинг соразмерную своему путешествию, но что она точно передает — качку на борту, потому что постоянное изменение ракурсов, дней путешествия, ветров и терминов приводит к легкому головокружению. Хороший дневник, полное путешествие, спасибо

[Emi Caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stile molto inglese, ovvero abbastanza pragmatico e didascalico, ricco di informazioni e probabilmente meno ricco di emozioni.
Comunque un must to read per gli appassionati di vela, racconta una delle più grandi imprese di sempre

[Samuel]

A very engaging account, helped in its readability possibly by the sailing terms, for which my mind could read but did not try to comprehend. Knox-Johnston appears very level in his self-reflection, and the inclusion of all good complaints and annoyances makes for a personal and relatable tale.

[Armin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful first person report about one of the hardest voyages a sailor can undertake. It is full of sailing lingo, an understanding of which is essential to really understand the daily rhythm of hardships, monotony and the occasional triumph.

[bill marcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very British style and vocab....but I settled in nicely. Again MAPS of routes and details missing

Well written book. Kept me interested throughout it's entirety. Wish I understood all these nautical phrases and meanings. Great book.

[Logan Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ultimate adventure - a non-stop, solo, circumnavigation of the planet with all of her unrelenting forces out to stop you. What would it take to complete it?

Through his raw and unfiltered diary, we accompany Robin Knox-Johnston on his epic voyage to answer that question.

[Darren Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Engaging and educational.

This is a story for Amy sailor or wanna be sailor. Well written, entertaining and educational. Highly recommended. Fair winds and following seas.

[Hugh Spear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of the historic voyage of this man when he was 29. Its amazing to find out how many things can go wrong and how one man's ingenuity can work out how to fix them or minimise their impact.