After the Storm: True Stories of Disaster and Recovery at Sea

by John Rousmaniere

An exploration of loss and survival by one of America's finest nautical writers After the Storm is John Rousmaniere's most ambitious work ever, the unique expression of a master storyteller and authority on seamanship who has survived storms at sea. Each of the book's stories of seafaring disaster­­many little known, all exciting and of deep human interest­­presents a broad human drama. Rousmaniere tells of the hopes and choices that put these sailors in harm's way. He takes readers into the gales themselves with authoritative knowledge of horrific weather and the split-second decisions that seamen must make. Finally, he explores the consequences of these disasters for survivors, rescuers, families, communities, and in some cases nations. The pursuit of these elusive strands leads the reader deep into our ambivalent relationship with the sea as both "destroyer and preserver."

Genres: Nonfiction

352 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2002

About the author

John Rousmaniere has sailed in over 35,000 miles of offshore voyaging and racing. He crewed on the 48-foot Toscana in the fateful Fastnet Race of 1979.

Reviews

[Karyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't long ago that I read Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing by the same author, so I figured I'd read this one too. While Fastnet, Force 10 is about one terrible storm off the coast of Britain that devastated a sailing race, this book deals with sea disasters throughout the years. Much of the book is chronological, from the death of Percy Bysshe Shelley all the way up to the wreck of the Pollux during World War II. Rousmaniere even speculates what may have happened to the Mary Celeste, a ship found sailing empty in 1872.

I enjoyed the way in which Rousmaniere arranged this book, and dealt with each disaster chapter by chapter. I also appreciate that he adds so many charts, photos, and sketches in the pertinent chapters so the reader can visualize what happened much better. My only issue is that I don't really think that the chapter on "Amazing Graces" really flows with the rest of the book. I realize that Rousmaniere is also a graduate of divinity school, and has found a solid faith, which probably led him to include this information. However, it simply doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the book.

I would recommend this to anyone interested in the devastation that the ocean can wreak upon anyone who ventures upon her.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd read John Rousmaniere's Fastnet Force 10 and absolutely loved it, so I wanted to read more by him.

For the most part. I suppose I'd give some parts of this book 3 stars and some parts 4. Thought it was eerie that the first essay (I think) dealt with boats floundering in the SF Bay (where I live) and Long Beach Island, NJ (where I'm getting married later this year).

Some chapters stand out more than others. I learned a lot from the chapter wherein he described the difficulty boats and ships had/have along NJ and the NY harbor. I had grown up there, but being a non-boater then, I never knew it was dangerous or difficult. Also, learning about the early days of lighthouses was illuminating (sorry for the pun). The chapters on Margaret Fuller's death, the wreck of the Portland, and Percy Bythe Shelley were good, too. Oh, and the Smeetons and their attempts to round Cape Horn.

Occasionally I got a bit bored. I just couldn't bring myself to care about the Ames, a blue blood New England family, and the chapter on them seemed particularly long. I also skipped a few sections.

It was also a hard book to read through fully, without taking breaks. Maybe I've just read too much nautical disaster literature lately. Also, the deaths of 5 sailors onboard the Low Speed Chase on the Farallones race on April 14 brought disaster too close to home. I was absorbed in the unfolding of that story, and maybe just a little too inundated with drownings and crashes to want to read more. But I did (mostly) finish the book, because Rousmaniere is a great writer, and I did learn a lot.

[Artnoose McMoose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of chapters about famous shipwrecks. Did you know that Shelley died while sailing in a storm? I didn't. Rousmaniere's extensive sailing experience allows him to write about these situations with the right amount of technical terms and insight. He also has empathy for those left behind after a devastating wreck. The idea that fishing towns would expect a certain amount of men and boys to be lost to the sea every year was eye-opening.

Only four stars because sometimes I thought he dwelt too much on people that he knew, and also the part about the story of Jonah which was perhaps too long.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rousmaniere is an experienced sailor and writer about sailing, and this book was quite interesting. He explores some famous (at least in their own time) disasters at sea, tries to figure out what happened—and this is the unusual part—explores the impact the wrecks had on survivors, others who were involved but weren't on the doomed vessel, and the larger society of the time. I didn't give this a 4-star rating because, of necessity given his chosen treatment of these disasters, the depth sometimes seemed sparse, as did the facts. Given that he chose to write about, among others, the biblical Job and Percy Bysshe Shelley, that's not surprising. So, interesting. But not amazing.

[Father Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rousmaniere has put together a wide-ranging and well informed selection of narrative and reflection that is as mindful of the religious sense as it is of the awful fury of the sea. It proves as interesting a study of the Storm as it does of the human beings that try themselves against it. Whether by sail or steam, whether gloriously enduring or swiftly undone, whether biblical or contemporary, the personalities here set forth were carefully drawn and compelling. Highly recommended.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm assigning this book three stars for the research and knowledge, though I didn't love the writing or delivery. Lots of interesting material, but felt awkward to me. I think he may have tried to do too much, even padding a bit. More than a few times I thought to myself, "why that there?" Still, he does show how dangerous being a sailor can be and the terrible effects that can be wrought upon a seafaring community.

[Curtis Edmonds · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review at Bookreporter.com - http://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/a...

[Edward Renehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful storytelling.

[Diane Funk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stories and well written.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing like Fastnet Force 10. Very disappointing.

[L.C. Tang · Rating 5 out of 5]

352 pages of adventures at sea penned with the unique expression of a master storyteller and authority on seamanship who has survived storms at sea. Some parts were written like a textbook and with lots of details, but the sailor in me was fascinated. I love true stories!