At Home Afloat

by Nancy Pagh

Nancy Pagh examines the ways that gender influences the roles that women play at sea. Women were considered bad luck on boats at sea far into the nineteenth century. Nancy At Home Afloat studies women travelers as these prohibitions eased.

179 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Kristiana Kahakauwila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a hurricane for me-- scary, fraught, emotional, and at the end of it, I came out a stronger person. Nancy's academic chops were excellent, analyzing the original book logs and journals of female sailors in the Pacific NoWest from the mid 1800s through the present. But it was her personal journey, her voice, and her heart-felt understanding of these women that helped me place myself in their position.

And here's where the hurricane started ripping: I realized that a lot of the issues coming up for females in the early 1900's existed for me in the early 2000's. The idea of "the galley", of gendered spaces, and of the captain-mate dynamic was and is very real.

I highly recommend the book for anyone, but if you're 1. A woman, and 2. A sailor, you HAVE to read it. Really, it's required for your life.

[Josephine Ensign · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I am fascinated by the topic, this book reads more like a tedious academic dissertation than an actual book—and as such, my fascination soon turned to boredom.