The Best Sailing Stories Ever Told

by Stephen Vincent Brennan (Editor)

For thousands of years, we have set out sailing for all kinds of reasons—for battle, for infinite wealth, for the excitement of exploring the unknown, and for escape from the mundane. We have always had a primal relationship with the sea—even those who have never been to sea remain fascinated by the seafaring life and tales of salty adventure. Now in a brand–new series collection, The Best Sailing Stories Ever Told brings together such diverse authors as Charles Dickens, Jack London, John Masefield, Stephen Crane, Herman Melville, and dozens more. Many of the writers featured here are instantly recognizable and have achieved deserved fame; others who are lesser known and rarely featured in print take their rightful place on the shelves of sailing literature.
Lovers of the open water will certainly get their fill with this shimmering sample of sea tales that range from the ancient epic and biblical to contemporary. Whether you’re itching for a sailor’s peaceful life at sea, his epic conquest of the azure blue, or his own private descent into madness, this collection touches on the many aspects of life at sea. Each story is illustrated with black–and–white line art that makes this book a true classic. Even if you are enjoying The Best Sailing Stories Ever Told from the warm, dry comfort of your own living room, you are sure to be inspired by the colorful and stirring stories in this timeless collection.

575 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

Stephen Brennan is the co-author of The Adventurous Boy's Handbook and The Adventurous Girl's Handbook, and editor of The Best Pirate Stories Ever Told and The Best Sailing Stories Ever Told. He has worked as a circus clown, teacher, cabaret artist, actor, director, shepherd, and playwright. He lives in New York City and Woodstock, New York.

Reviews

[Becca Guillote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of these stories came from great books of impressive adventures, like “Endurance” and “sailing alone around the world”. The rest were an odd collection, seemingly arbitrarily thrown together and called the “Best” by ... someone.

[David Sheridan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, a mixed bag of stories--some fictional, some telling of real voyages--mostly originating in the 19th century (and therefore likely well out of copyright). However, I very much enjoyed the diversion of "going to sea" with this collection. The stories that stick in my mind are The Fair Exchange by Anna McMullen (which has a strange, disturbing twist at the very end) and Voyage in the Pilot-Boat Schooner Sea-Serpent by George Coggeshall (which is a detailed account of his trip from New York to Lima and then up the western side of South America to Panama, and which is misattributed to Stephen Crane in the 2011 copy I have). Overall, the stories provide an interesting window into the lives, language, sailing technology, and challenges of a life at sea in the days of sail.

[Kenneth Clarke Carrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love a yarn?

Great book, really different styles of writing. Tales and yarns of the old square rigger days. Puts you back into times that were so different from today. If you like old sailing tales and stories,then you will enjoy this book immensely.

[Jordan Read · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a great compilation of stories, but if you have absolutely nothing else to do, maybe read it.