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Rowing Into the Son: Four Young Men Crossing the North Atlantic
"Truly an epic of adventure and perseverance, this is great inspiration for anyone who thinks of someday tackling the impossible" -- New York Times best-selling author Clive Cussler
* Traces the struggle of the only American team competing in the first ocean rowing race from New York to England
* The four young rowers spent 72 days pulling across the ocean
* Author leaves for another cross-Atlantic adventure in December 2012
On June 10, 2006, college friends Dylan LeValley, Greg Spooner, Brad Vickers, and Jordan Hanssen stepped into a 29-foot rowboat as the only American competitors in the first North Atlantic Rowing Race, pulling across the northern ocean.
From the first dreams of race planning to heaving through ocean waves, Rowing Into the Four Young Men Crossing the North Atlantic takes the reader along with team Outdoor Adventure Racing (OAR) Northwest as they head out from New York Harbor, catch the Gulf Stream current, and make the final dramatic push for the finish line, a narrow 50-mile wide “gate” at Bishop’s Rock Lighthouse off the coast of Cornwall. Hurricane-level winds, giant eddies, passing freighters, flying fish, and sharks are all elements of the journey, and the race comes to a tense head on day 17 -- with another 55 days to go -- as the crew realizes their food supplies are running out and they must drastically restrict their eating.
This is lead rower Jordan Hanssen’s intimate account of team OAR Northwest’s journey, set against the backdrop of Hanssen’s reflections on the teachings of both his stepfather and his biological father, who passed away many years previously. How Hanssen and his teammates cope within the confines of their tiny ocean rowing boat and their determination to push their limits will keep readers enthralled in this remarkable true tale of coming-of-age and adventure.
* Traces the struggle of the only American team competing in the first ocean rowing race from New York to England
* The four young rowers spent 72 days pulling across the ocean
* Author leaves for another cross-Atlantic adventure in December 2012
On June 10, 2006, college friends Dylan LeValley, Greg Spooner, Brad Vickers, and Jordan Hanssen stepped into a 29-foot rowboat as the only American competitors in the first North Atlantic Rowing Race, pulling across the northern ocean.
From the first dreams of race planning to heaving through ocean waves, Rowing Into the Four Young Men Crossing the North Atlantic takes the reader along with team Outdoor Adventure Racing (OAR) Northwest as they head out from New York Harbor, catch the Gulf Stream current, and make the final dramatic push for the finish line, a narrow 50-mile wide “gate” at Bishop’s Rock Lighthouse off the coast of Cornwall. Hurricane-level winds, giant eddies, passing freighters, flying fish, and sharks are all elements of the journey, and the race comes to a tense head on day 17 -- with another 55 days to go -- as the crew realizes their food supplies are running out and they must drastically restrict their eating.
This is lead rower Jordan Hanssen’s intimate account of team OAR Northwest’s journey, set against the backdrop of Hanssen’s reflections on the teachings of both his stepfather and his biological father, who passed away many years previously. How Hanssen and his teammates cope within the confines of their tiny ocean rowing boat and their determination to push their limits will keep readers enthralled in this remarkable true tale of coming-of-age and adventure.
- GenresAdventureNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2012
7 people are currently reading
177 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 11, 2012
As a friend of the author and follower of the OAR Northwest journey, I must admit to an inherent bias when I finally got my hands on the book I've been waiting several years for. That being said, Jordan Hanssen did a magnificent job giving life to this amazing story in a way that will reach far beyond the rowing community and racing enthusiasts. His frank appraisal of his own role and the complex relationships between the four rowers is perfectly framed by their white-knuckle encounters with everything from tropical storm Alberto to cargo ships and pilot whales... all while facing a critical food shortage. From the moment this crazy adventure came to fruition in 2006, I knew the story itself was a good one. That left the only real question was whether Jordan could possibly do it justice in the retelling.
The answer is, unequivocally, yes he did.
November 13, 2012
To say I was pleasantly surprised by this book would be a dramatic understatement. The story of these young men and their journey is compelling in its own right, and if that were the extent of the book, it would be good-to-excellent.
However, framed in Jordan's struggle to reconcile himself to the death of his biological father at a young age and how to view his stepfather, this book becomes far more than the sum of its parts.
There are moments of intensely raw emotion, both between the members of the group as well as in our insight into Jordan's emotional struggles. Universal themes of human connection, anger, frustration, and triumph are present in spades.
I have a well-known weakness for the father-son relationship, and it is in these moments that I felt the most connected to this book. I read this on the plane, and quite literally had the passenger next to me ask if I was ok, as tears were being shed.
From the beginning, this journey seemed implausible, impractical, and dangerous to the point of lunacy. The story of these men actually pulling it off, despite a thousand reasons to quit, is tremendously inspiring. I cannot recommend this more highly.
However, framed in Jordan's struggle to reconcile himself to the death of his biological father at a young age and how to view his stepfather, this book becomes far more than the sum of its parts.
There are moments of intensely raw emotion, both between the members of the group as well as in our insight into Jordan's emotional struggles. Universal themes of human connection, anger, frustration, and triumph are present in spades.
I have a well-known weakness for the father-son relationship, and it is in these moments that I felt the most connected to this book. I read this on the plane, and quite literally had the passenger next to me ask if I was ok, as tears were being shed.
From the beginning, this journey seemed implausible, impractical, and dangerous to the point of lunacy. The story of these men actually pulling it off, despite a thousand reasons to quit, is tremendously inspiring. I cannot recommend this more highly.
May 2, 2023
An excellent and detailed account of what it takes to prepare for an ocean row with honest and raw details about the human dynamics involved in taking on a challenge of this magnitude with other people. This book will make you laugh, cry and shout out noises of disgust.
If you are thinking about rowing an ocean, this book is a fantastic opportunity to live vicariously through the learning experiences of Jordan and his crew mates.
If you just love tales of adventure complete with trials and hardship and resilience this is a great read.
I've read the paper copy and most recently listened to the audio book. Jordan has an amazing way with words and his narration of the book adds another level of emotion and emphasis. I highly recommend them both!
If you are thinking about rowing an ocean, this book is a fantastic opportunity to live vicariously through the learning experiences of Jordan and his crew mates.
If you just love tales of adventure complete with trials and hardship and resilience this is a great read.
I've read the paper copy and most recently listened to the audio book. Jordan has an amazing way with words and his narration of the book adds another level of emotion and emphasis. I highly recommend them both!
April 20, 2023
An excellent book for those who want to learn more about rowing across an ocean and an earnest exploration exploring what it means to be a young man on an adventure – and what it means to be a son, a father and a dad.
Well worth the investment of time for future ocean rowers and lovers of adventure novels alike.
Well worth the investment of time for future ocean rowers and lovers of adventure novels alike.
January 18, 2021
So I will be honest - I don't usually read real-life adventure stories. This is because they shed light on my inability to achieve what they have, and so I am despondent.
One of the reasons I ripped through Rowing Into the Son is because the author, Jordan, connects with people like myself. The book is about catharsis driven by loss and grief. The author makes no attempt to hide the pain from his father's death (in front of his eyes), and how that grief, like many other people who have achieved great things, was channeled into something incredible.
I'm not an explorer. I would never spend 68 days at sea. However, there is more to this book than ocean currents and technical jargon. It's a much more clever metaphor than other ocean tales like, say, Life of Pi.
I've read the book four times now. I read it alongside What I Talk About When I Talk About Running because they hit the same chords. Jordan, like Murakami, has written a book of a feat I would never be able to accomplish and yet, maybe even accidentally, inspired me to knead my own loss into action that would make those gone proud.
It isn't a self-help book, but it helped me.
One of the reasons I ripped through Rowing Into the Son is because the author, Jordan, connects with people like myself. The book is about catharsis driven by loss and grief. The author makes no attempt to hide the pain from his father's death (in front of his eyes), and how that grief, like many other people who have achieved great things, was channeled into something incredible.
I'm not an explorer. I would never spend 68 days at sea. However, there is more to this book than ocean currents and technical jargon. It's a much more clever metaphor than other ocean tales like, say, Life of Pi.
I've read the book four times now. I read it alongside What I Talk About When I Talk About Running because they hit the same chords. Jordan, like Murakami, has written a book of a feat I would never be able to accomplish and yet, maybe even accidentally, inspired me to knead my own loss into action that would make those gone proud.
It isn't a self-help book, but it helped me.
December 31, 2012
The entire time I was reading Rowing Into The Son I just kept shaking my head. Why would they choose to do this? To make this journey? To sacrifice and suffer for so long? And yet, even as my mind was baffled by their adventure, it began to understand their reason for wishing to row across the Atlantic. To be the first Americans to row from North America to Europe. To beat a record, to win a race. The struggles of the crew, physically, emotionally, and from their simple lack of food kept me wanting to read more, and more, and more. It's amazing to think what the crew went through, and how hard they fought to keep going even when it would have been much easier to simply abandon the dream and accept the assistance they so desperately needed.
This is a great book for anyone interested in an adventure. No previous rowing experience, required.
This is a great book for anyone interested in an adventure. No previous rowing experience, required.
March 6, 2013
Two weeks into the row it was discovered that the person in charge of food failed to fully stock the boat and the remaining food would have to be rationed for the rest of the voyage. Unfortunately from that point forward we heard entirely too much about food. It was an almost daily obsession with the author. Included was how each of the other three crew went about forgiving or not forgiving the offender. The row itself seemed almost a corollary. Readers would find better alternatives in Gerard d'Aboville's "Alone" or "Oars Across the Pacific" by John Fairfax
November 19, 2012
Jordan has been a rowing mentor and inspiration since I joined the Puget Sound rowing team in 2004. I awaited this authorial undertaking as much as I have his many adventures and I was not disappointed. Although I closely followed the team's preparations for their 2006 ocean race and the race itself, Jordan's book shed a whole new light on the undertaking. The intensity of the physical and emotional exertions and rewards really comes through in this gripping read. Kudos Jordan, bon voyage and I'm looking forward to tales of the next adventure.
August 31, 2025
Rowing into the Son showcases Jordan Hanssen’s exceptional storytelling and unique perspective on the world. The narrative blends humor, insight, adventure, and reflection, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Even as a non-rower, I was fascinated by the way he makes technical details, historical context, and rowing knowledge both accessible and compelling.
What stands out is Hanssen’s distinctive way of thinking and noticing the world. Small passages, like his observation that “adventuring for its own sake rather than to explore, exploit, fight, or convert is a relatively modern phenomenon,” reveal a thoughtful lens that makes even brief moments feel profound.
The book is also deeply human. Hanssen doesn’t shy away from showing the full spectrum of emotions during the journey — the frustrations, anger, and struggles to forgive others — which makes the experience relatable and authentic. His tributes to his father, including a touching Father’s Day moment on the water, add warmth and intimacy to the story.
Having had the pleasure of spending time with Jordan personally, it’s easy to see how his curiosity, generosity, and warmth shine through on the page. Rowing into the Son is an inspiring, entertaining, and thoughtful story that will appeal to rowing enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone drawn to tales of adventure and human resilience.
What stands out is Hanssen’s distinctive way of thinking and noticing the world. Small passages, like his observation that “adventuring for its own sake rather than to explore, exploit, fight, or convert is a relatively modern phenomenon,” reveal a thoughtful lens that makes even brief moments feel profound.
The book is also deeply human. Hanssen doesn’t shy away from showing the full spectrum of emotions during the journey — the frustrations, anger, and struggles to forgive others — which makes the experience relatable and authentic. His tributes to his father, including a touching Father’s Day moment on the water, add warmth and intimacy to the story.
Having had the pleasure of spending time with Jordan personally, it’s easy to see how his curiosity, generosity, and warmth shine through on the page. Rowing into the Son is an inspiring, entertaining, and thoughtful story that will appeal to rowing enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone drawn to tales of adventure and human resilience.
May 30, 2025
I had the opportunity to have the author, Jordan Hanssen, join my book club recently to discuss his book! He describes an incredible journey that is as much emotional as it is physical. He and his team overcame several challenges, from planning and funding the expedition, to food shortages and interpersonal conflict. In a boat named for his biological father, Jordan also comes to terms with his relationship between his late father and his step-father who's raised him for most of his life.
Rowing and ocean adventure are not topics that I'm very knowledgeable in, but the book does a good job of making everything understandable, and you can feel Jordan's passion for it come through. I couldn't begin to imagine being at sea for 72 days straight, let alone in a rowboat. Rowing into the Son is an inspiring and heartwarming read, and I recommend it as well as looking into what Jordan has been up to since then!
Rowing and ocean adventure are not topics that I'm very knowledgeable in, but the book does a good job of making everything understandable, and you can feel Jordan's passion for it come through. I couldn't begin to imagine being at sea for 72 days straight, let alone in a rowboat. Rowing into the Son is an inspiring and heartwarming read, and I recommend it as well as looking into what Jordan has been up to since then!
August 18, 2022
It really felt like I was on this several-weeks trans-Atlantic wild boat trip, vicariously overcoming one challenge after the other, physical and emotional, let alone overcoming what the waves, currents, wind and clouds dished out. These skilled rowers faced a range of assaults -- to the body from seasickness, infections and dwindling weight, and to their moods from the cramped and taxing conditions and personality differences. Yet, their humanity and strength pulled them through. As seen with accounts of scaling Everest and reaching the Earth's poles, those who opt for such extreme adventures are made of a special fortitude that most of us will never have, but can appreciate -- especially when it's reflected so honestly and vividly as in Jordan Hanssen's book.
May 8, 2017
I could not put this book down. A beautifully told story of the epic and inspiring journey of four young men rowing from NYC to the UK. It captures their process, tenacity, longings and frustrations. The shared humanity of pushing ourselves and what we think is possible. It exemplifies the brotherhood of the rowers and the rowing community, which is rich in history. The love and loyalty of family and friends and the many people that contributed to their journey. It elegantly describes the mundane and monotonous punctuated by raw emotion, fear, hunger and the drive to succeed in their goal, as well as the beauty and the majesty of the sea.
July 22, 2016
Review – Goodreads 07/03/14 Rowing into The SON
Jordan Hanssen
Goodreads – 3 stars
The first half of this book moves at a brisk narrative pace and discloses many technical details of the North Atlantic Ocean Row. Among the details I was most interested in, which I have not seen discussed elsewhere in book form were the rowing seats, oars construction, pin problems, rudder and skeg construction, and some knocks on Woodvale organizational construction and sponsorship support efforts.
Most ocean rowing books I have read, involved either the purchase and refitting of an existing boat, having one custom built, or in the early Ocean Events ordering a kit from Woodvale and having a builder build the boat. In this case, Woodvale shipped a boat to Seattle in complete finished hull form up to the primer coat. The author lists several deficiencies in the boat construction and materials. Notably the skeg wouldn't fit the slot and exhibited weak construction. The ruder and hatches were sub par, with the hatches leaking from rain. These deficiencies affected to competing boats significantly.
In this case the author provides some detail of the refitting. Constructing oars from solid wood isn't novel, but considering that these were college level oarsmen familiar with the best flatwater racing equipment, it acknowledges the problem of hollow carbon fiber oars breaking under the stresses of ocean rows. I was not aware that pins were also breaking. This is basically a half inch stainless steel bolt, and outside of old standard thole pins, I would like to know what other ocean boats are converting to.
Several authors have expressed the support failures of Woodvale, despite the high costs. This author was one of the most vocal critics. Some of the newer ocean rows have been sponsored/supported by Talisker Whiskey, who may have bought the rights from Woodvale. Many more boat campaigns now are going unsupported, and there is a new organization for the CA to Hawaii “race” currently underway – or just completed.
Three reasons for 3 stars rating: 1. The author consistently termed this effort a “race”, and the crew were determined to get at least one record set for a North Atlantic mainland-to-mainland crossing. I think it is misleading to the under-knowledged public to refer to these events as a “race”. When the boat goes a whopping less than 4 knots max speed unloaded, and averages around 1.5 knots in calm water, there is no sense of the speed–effort-performance from a visual bystander perspective. At least in flat water racing watching crowds can see the boat surges and the competitive gains against other teams in the same time frame, same water/weather conditions format. These ocean boats cover a distance of over 3000 miles, require 2 to 4 months, and are totally dependent on knowledge of wind and current conditions. The final pull to get to Falmouth England was a clear demonstration of this dependence and showed clearly the lack of ability of these boats to navigate at will against normal tides, currents, and winds.
The only “race” here was much more in the old tradition of the race to the poles, where the outcome was determined by organizational effort, funding, material supplies (dependent on funding), weather, and leadership and team decisions throughout the effort. Shackleton never made it to the pole, yet he has left a record of survival and crew rescue and is today highly rated as an effective manager. The Amundsen and Scott expeditions to the South pole are sometimes referred to as a “race”, yet they were expedition efforts, with the “race” criteria determined by a large cash prize from external sponsors.
In these Ocean rowing events, the large cash prize seems to be missing, and it seems that many of the expeditions are financially depleted regardless of completion status. Getting a name in the Ocean Rowing “Record book” may be the only issue that counts.
2. Second reason for 3 stars: In this case the organizational effort apparently assigned the total responsibility of food provisioning to 1 person, and failed to provide any backup checking analysis to determine that the food consisted of nutritional ingredients for an ocean crossing effort at up to 8000 calories per day per person; and most importantly – apparently no one second checked that there was a sufficient quantity.
From the mid point of the book to the end, this narrative became one of a grueling test to ration the food so that the guys could make the mainland regardless of a “starvation” diet. This lead to group dynamic upheaval which psychology majors may revel in, but I was not interested in. There were also physical consequences which although stated for the record, were not pleasant to read.
3. Third reason for the 3 stars: There was too much of a recursive mention of the fact that the author's father died early in life when the author was 5, and that his current “father” had done a wonderful job as a substitute father, despite remote family disapproval. Having this explained once and maybe expounded on once would have been OK, but it seemed to me to be so constantly reiterated that it became a sequence of skim sections as the book progressed. It is the author's prerogative to write autobiographical information as they see fit, and some readers may have a connection and appreciation to this aspect of a family history, but I did not. I had intended to read this as an ocean rowing expedition with its consequent effects in current time on the participants.
Jordan Hanssen
Goodreads – 3 stars
The first half of this book moves at a brisk narrative pace and discloses many technical details of the North Atlantic Ocean Row. Among the details I was most interested in, which I have not seen discussed elsewhere in book form were the rowing seats, oars construction, pin problems, rudder and skeg construction, and some knocks on Woodvale organizational construction and sponsorship support efforts.
Most ocean rowing books I have read, involved either the purchase and refitting of an existing boat, having one custom built, or in the early Ocean Events ordering a kit from Woodvale and having a builder build the boat. In this case, Woodvale shipped a boat to Seattle in complete finished hull form up to the primer coat. The author lists several deficiencies in the boat construction and materials. Notably the skeg wouldn't fit the slot and exhibited weak construction. The ruder and hatches were sub par, with the hatches leaking from rain. These deficiencies affected to competing boats significantly.
In this case the author provides some detail of the refitting. Constructing oars from solid wood isn't novel, but considering that these were college level oarsmen familiar with the best flatwater racing equipment, it acknowledges the problem of hollow carbon fiber oars breaking under the stresses of ocean rows. I was not aware that pins were also breaking. This is basically a half inch stainless steel bolt, and outside of old standard thole pins, I would like to know what other ocean boats are converting to.
Several authors have expressed the support failures of Woodvale, despite the high costs. This author was one of the most vocal critics. Some of the newer ocean rows have been sponsored/supported by Talisker Whiskey, who may have bought the rights from Woodvale. Many more boat campaigns now are going unsupported, and there is a new organization for the CA to Hawaii “race” currently underway – or just completed.
Three reasons for 3 stars rating: 1. The author consistently termed this effort a “race”, and the crew were determined to get at least one record set for a North Atlantic mainland-to-mainland crossing. I think it is misleading to the under-knowledged public to refer to these events as a “race”. When the boat goes a whopping less than 4 knots max speed unloaded, and averages around 1.5 knots in calm water, there is no sense of the speed–effort-performance from a visual bystander perspective. At least in flat water racing watching crowds can see the boat surges and the competitive gains against other teams in the same time frame, same water/weather conditions format. These ocean boats cover a distance of over 3000 miles, require 2 to 4 months, and are totally dependent on knowledge of wind and current conditions. The final pull to get to Falmouth England was a clear demonstration of this dependence and showed clearly the lack of ability of these boats to navigate at will against normal tides, currents, and winds.
The only “race” here was much more in the old tradition of the race to the poles, where the outcome was determined by organizational effort, funding, material supplies (dependent on funding), weather, and leadership and team decisions throughout the effort. Shackleton never made it to the pole, yet he has left a record of survival and crew rescue and is today highly rated as an effective manager. The Amundsen and Scott expeditions to the South pole are sometimes referred to as a “race”, yet they were expedition efforts, with the “race” criteria determined by a large cash prize from external sponsors.
In these Ocean rowing events, the large cash prize seems to be missing, and it seems that many of the expeditions are financially depleted regardless of completion status. Getting a name in the Ocean Rowing “Record book” may be the only issue that counts.
2. Second reason for 3 stars: In this case the organizational effort apparently assigned the total responsibility of food provisioning to 1 person, and failed to provide any backup checking analysis to determine that the food consisted of nutritional ingredients for an ocean crossing effort at up to 8000 calories per day per person; and most importantly – apparently no one second checked that there was a sufficient quantity.
From the mid point of the book to the end, this narrative became one of a grueling test to ration the food so that the guys could make the mainland regardless of a “starvation” diet. This lead to group dynamic upheaval which psychology majors may revel in, but I was not interested in. There were also physical consequences which although stated for the record, were not pleasant to read.
3. Third reason for the 3 stars: There was too much of a recursive mention of the fact that the author's father died early in life when the author was 5, and that his current “father” had done a wonderful job as a substitute father, despite remote family disapproval. Having this explained once and maybe expounded on once would have been OK, but it seemed to me to be so constantly reiterated that it became a sequence of skim sections as the book progressed. It is the author's prerogative to write autobiographical information as they see fit, and some readers may have a connection and appreciation to this aspect of a family history, but I did not. I had intended to read this as an ocean rowing expedition with its consequent effects in current time on the participants.
June 20, 2023
Truly an epic adventure of men against, nay, men coexisting with the sea for 70+ days. This book was loaned to me by my daughter who rowed with Jordan at University of Puget Sound in 2004. I was pleased to finally read the account of four men challenging themselves in a race across the Atlantic in a small, oared craft. The story was powerful yet intimate in its details. Hanssen comes to grips with his crewmates and his personal memories of both his "Fathers". The story tugs at your emotions and your heart...
May 13, 2023
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys traveling or traveling vicariously through others. I would also recommend it to any athlete who can appreciate the mental and physical endurance something like rowing across an ocean takes. There are also great bits of literary references and educational points.
It’s a great book that has something for everyone. The pacing is great and it comes across as honest and transparent. 5 stars!
It’s a great book that has something for everyone. The pacing is great and it comes across as honest and transparent. 5 stars!
April 21, 2023
Jordan’s account of his across the ocean reminded me that there is so much more to “human power” than the physical mechanics of such a feat. I loved hearing how the guys navigated their internal struggles in relation to the external ones. A great look into what it really takes to do big things as a team.
July 20, 2023
An engaging read. At one point in the book, I was so engrossed that I was just as frustrated as the rowers who were overcoming various challenges! A good read, and I recommend it for anyone interested in adventure. Hanssen is a modern adventurer and everyone should learn more about him.
February 9, 2014
Jordan Hanssen narrates a harrowing and compelling tale of an amazing sea adventure he took on with three other rowing buddies. The beginning of the story starts out a little disjointed and slow as he starts the adventure and then looks back on the process to get there, but once the story stays on the sea I couldn't put it down. Four young men rowing a boat from New York to England is an amazing feat.
One of the strongest aspects of the story is the moment in the middle of the ocean when they realize they didn't pack enough food for the journey and they have to start rationing. Jordan describes this so well that I can feel his friend Brad's shame at the horror of his mistake. I also found myself easily imagining how hard it would be not to show my anger at him if I had been one of the hungry rowers.
Not only were they racing three other rowing teams, but they were also attempting to be the first rowing team to row unassisted from mainland USA to mainland U.K. As a reader I longed for them to ask for food from the boats that stopped by to check in with them, but that would have kept them from breaking the record. Besides storms, rashes, constipation, and large ships, they also had to worry about marine animals that threatened to knock them over.
For anyone who enjoys stories of endurance this will be an engaging story. Even though it's easy to worry about any little thing threatening their safety and success, their ability to stick together and keep going is truly inspiring. I look forward to more stories of Jordan's adventures.
One of the strongest aspects of the story is the moment in the middle of the ocean when they realize they didn't pack enough food for the journey and they have to start rationing. Jordan describes this so well that I can feel his friend Brad's shame at the horror of his mistake. I also found myself easily imagining how hard it would be not to show my anger at him if I had been one of the hungry rowers.
Not only were they racing three other rowing teams, but they were also attempting to be the first rowing team to row unassisted from mainland USA to mainland U.K. As a reader I longed for them to ask for food from the boats that stopped by to check in with them, but that would have kept them from breaking the record. Besides storms, rashes, constipation, and large ships, they also had to worry about marine animals that threatened to knock them over.
For anyone who enjoys stories of endurance this will be an engaging story. Even though it's easy to worry about any little thing threatening their safety and success, their ability to stick together and keep going is truly inspiring. I look forward to more stories of Jordan's adventures.
January 31, 2013
I seldom find time to read non-business-related books. I'm glad I took the time to open this book which became increasingly hard to put down. I didn't expect to find top-drawer writing coming a world-class rower.
I had followed the adventure daily via the Internet as it originally unfolded in the summer of 2006. The whole thing was obviously an amazing – some say crazy – undertaking for four young men (one of them my nephew). But it wasn't until I read the book that I had an inkling as to how challenging it was from the incubation of the idea in Seattle to the record-setting end in England.
As I learned in the book, most of the daily reports from the Atlantic were stripped down due to the team's desire to shelter family and friends from the many risks and setbacks they were encountering throughout the row. And now Jordan fully exposes the reader to all the many twists and turns – both rowing-wise and personal – as they fought the elements and dealt with the drama that comes from cramming four big men on a small boat for more than two months.
The writing is both fast-paced and vivid. I totally enjoyed the book, a must-read.
I had followed the adventure daily via the Internet as it originally unfolded in the summer of 2006. The whole thing was obviously an amazing – some say crazy – undertaking for four young men (one of them my nephew). But it wasn't until I read the book that I had an inkling as to how challenging it was from the incubation of the idea in Seattle to the record-setting end in England.
As I learned in the book, most of the daily reports from the Atlantic were stripped down due to the team's desire to shelter family and friends from the many risks and setbacks they were encountering throughout the row. And now Jordan fully exposes the reader to all the many twists and turns – both rowing-wise and personal – as they fought the elements and dealt with the drama that comes from cramming four big men on a small boat for more than two months.
The writing is both fast-paced and vivid. I totally enjoyed the book, a must-read.
December 1, 2013
Hanssen writes about four men who set themselves the improbable task of rowing across the Atlantic in a 29 foot fiberglass rowboat. I found myself reading far later than I intended on two successive nights, keen to see how the trip ends and anxious for the rower's safe arrival on land. The story was well told and for this alone the book well worth reading.
Hanssen relates the adventure in a way that never masks the fact that humans are doing this. Sure, you have to be very brave to try attempt the trip, and obviously it is physically daunting, but this isn't hagiography. You see the best efforts of committed people that maybe didn't think everything through, that need to cope with exhaustion, frustration, health issues, and the joy of close quarters for over two months without their being reduced to some band of plastic heros. The authentic description is what is compelling about the book and I suspect it was that same authenticity that attracted the sponsors and supporters that made the expedition possible.
Hanssen relates the adventure in a way that never masks the fact that humans are doing this. Sure, you have to be very brave to try attempt the trip, and obviously it is physically daunting, but this isn't hagiography. You see the best efforts of committed people that maybe didn't think everything through, that need to cope with exhaustion, frustration, health issues, and the joy of close quarters for over two months without their being reduced to some band of plastic heros. The authentic description is what is compelling about the book and I suspect it was that same authenticity that attracted the sponsors and supporters that made the expedition possible.
November 8, 2013
What an incredible achievement! These four young men set out to do the seemingly impossible, and they did it. Jim Hanssen takes you on every step of the way, the good with the bad. Through him you experience something that few in this world know, and even fewer understand. Both the physical and mental stamina it took to cross the Atlantic by rowboat are orders of magnitude beyond what most mortals can imagine, but it gives hope that when you want something that badly -- you can achieve it. Although I'm not a rower, their dreams and their trials hold many parallels with my own, and I'm sure many others will be surprised by how inspirational this story is.
December 2, 2012
I received this through Goodreads First Reads. I wasn't sure how much I'd enjoy Rowing in the Son because it's not something that I'm generally interested in, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's an amazing adventure story that kept me fully engrossed from the first to the last page. And as someone pretty new to rowing, I kept thinking, I can't believe they're doing this and asked myself could I even do anything close to this? Always love books that make me ask myself that! I have recommended it to someone I know that rows, but it's definitely a good read for everyone!
April 14, 2014
I've done some insane things, (like, taking a 30 day backpacking trip at 14 years old), I intend to do some things people classify as crazy in the future, as well. (Biking a few different countries with our three kids in tow is top of our "crazy list".)
However, I'd have jumped this ship during the 9 day Erg ride.
These guys are ballsy and I loved their tale.
You should read it, because you will too.
However, I'd have jumped this ship during the 9 day Erg ride.
These guys are ballsy and I loved their tale.
You should read it, because you will too.
December 21, 2012
I was not sure if I would like this book, but it is great. These four men learn a lot about themselves on this journey. I admire their strength when things get hard. They also learn they working together no matter your differences, will help you succeed. I think this book is a good lesson for all of us about what family is and what is most important in your life. I also have to say a great adventure.
November 13, 2012
The author painted a vivid picture changing each time I turned the page. The life at sea turned into a stunning narrative that even though I knew the outcome made me want to finish and delight in each detail.
It's wonderful tale of adventure and I've already secured copies for relatives for the holidays!
It's wonderful tale of adventure and I've already secured copies for relatives for the holidays!
November 16, 2012
This book is a fantastic must-read narrative of a real-life adventure on the high seas. Jordan Hanssen makes you feel as if you are part of his team's record-setting row. Appealing on so many levels ~ any reader will pick it up and enjoy it! Get your copy now!
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