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Airborne: A Sentimental Journey
About this title: On a month-long cruise across the Atlantic on his sailboat Cyrano, Buckley logs daily occurrences and reflections, recalls previous sailing experiences as far back as age 13, and considers his success as a seaman and father. A chapter on how to navigate stands out.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1970
79 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
William F. Buckley Jr.
183 books338 followersWilliam Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American author and conservative commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing style was famed for its erudition, wit, and use of uncommon words.
Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.
Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.
Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.
Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.
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February 29, 2008
This is one of my favorite sailing books of all time. It is a memoir the late William F. Buckley wrote about his transatlantic sail with dear friends and his beloved son. His wit is just unrivaled. A book to read and then reread.
September 26, 2019
William F. Buckley Jr. was a man of many talents and interests. Buckley founded the influential conservative political magazine National Review, hosted the weekly public affairs talk show Firing Line, wrote a syndicated newspaper column three days a week, played the harpsichord, started writing novels at the age of 50, and was passionate about sailing. Oh, and one time he ran for Mayor of New York City. And what have you done today, old sport?
Buckley’s first book about sailing, Airborne: A Sentimental Journey, was published in 1976. Airborne chronicles Buckley’s 1975 voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in his schooner Cyrano. Various friends are along for the ride, chief amongst them Buckley’s only child, Christopher, or “Christo” as WFB refers to him. When Airborne takes place, Christo is a recent college graduate, figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Airborne features excerpts from Christopher’s journal of the voyage, and it’s very clear that he has a way with words—no surprise since we know that he goes on to become the author of 18 books, famous for political satires like Thank You for Smoking and Little Green Men. Christopher Buckley also wrote a fantastic memoir about his parents, Losing Mum and Pup, and reading that book piqued my interest in reading his father’s more personal books, like Cruising Speed and Overdrive, which both chronicle a week in the life of WFB.
Buckley uses the ocean journey at the center of Airborne as a jumping-off point to describe the important role that sailing has played in his life. Throughout the book, Buckley weaves in many stories about the boats he has owned, and the adventures they have taken him on. Buckley writes eloquently about sailing: “The ocean and the sky and the night are suddenly alive, your friends and your enemies, but not any longer just workaday abstractions. It is most surely another world and a world worth knowing.” (p.26)
The sailing bug bit Buckley early. At age 13 he was sailing regularly on a lake near the family home in Connecticut, where he raced neighbors twice his age: “Seventy-five races per summer for three summers may strike some as a few races too many. It struck me as too few races by far.” (p.58)
Buckley also describes the dangers of sailing and the power of the sea. He also gives the reader an account of the tragic events of a cruise on Cyrano in June of 1971. While sailing on the Hudson River in Manhattan, a young African American advertising executive named Marvin Hayes was sitting on the lifeline of the boat when it broke. He fell into the water, did not know how to swim, and drowned before the boat could get back to him. Lawsuits were filed, and it was ultimately determined that shoddy workmanship was to blame: the lifeline should have held up to 3,000 pounds but “the rigger had applied the wrong kind of crimp to bind the cable to the fitting that secures it to the stanchion.” (p.82) (Buckley was not on board when this accident took place.)
The voyage that Buckley describes in Airborne begins in Miami, with a stopover in Bermuda, and then on to the Azores. The trip is rife with technological problems from the very start. By the end of the voyage, even Buckley’s trusty sextant has failed him. “Now the list is pretty nearly complete: the radar, the autopilot, the batteries, the motor, the generator, the RDF, the loran, the chronometer, and the sextant. The factual errors in the instruction book for the HP-65 seem almost a diversion.” (p.211)
There’s an interesting section on celestial navigation, which Buckley was a big fan of. It sounds very complicated to a non-sailor like me, but it’s fascinating to learn about how you can find out where you are, even when you’re in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. (As long as you can see either the sun or the stars.)
As a prose writer, Buckley’s style is surprisingly similar to that of his nemesis, Gore Vidal. Both men were devotees of the aside, the digression, as though their brilliant brains had so many competing thoughts occurring to them at the same moment that they simply had to set it all down, and well, dear reader, you’ll just have to try your best to catch up with them! Sarcasm aside, that may have been close to the truth, as they were both exceptionally brilliant men who probably did have a million different thoughts rushing through their heads at any given moment. And while that is entertaining to read, it can be tough to follow sometimes.
What I like so much about William F. Buckley’s personal style is his confidence. You can see it on Firing Line. He’s leaning back in his chair, slouching, with his clipboard and pencil, eyes lidded as though he might suddenly drift off to sleep, and yet, he is never at a loss for words, for threading the complicated tapestry of the argument he is weaving. He can write a newspaper column in 30 minutes. He can sail across the Atlantic. I’m in awe of that kind of confidence, probably because I simply don’t posses it. As Christopher Buckley writes in his journal: “There are times when I’m right and times when I’m wrong. Usually, I admit when I’m wrong. WFB, it seems, does not subscribe to this.” (p.94)
Buckley was renowned for possessing a huge vocabulary, and it’s on full display throughout the book. I was thrilled to read Buckley use the word “arteriosclerotic” which was one of Tom Wolfe’s favorite words that he used throughout his first book, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. Buckley finds the world of sailors even a little too conservative for him: “Sometimes, though, the tribal spirit spills over, and you get arteriosclerotic stuffiness.” (p.127)
Buckley is aware that owning a yacht is what we would now call a “first world problem,” as he writes about reprogramming his constantly malfunctioning HP-65 navigation device: “You may put that down, if you insist, in the category of the Problems of the Idle Rich.” (p.189)
Throughout Airborne, we see Buckley’s pride in his son, and so it seems fitting at the very end of the book he lets Christopher have the last word. “…even though I’m restless for the touch of land, if you were to set sail tomorrow to cross another ocean, I’d sell my soul to ship out with you. Any day.” (p.252)
Buckley’s first book about sailing, Airborne: A Sentimental Journey, was published in 1976. Airborne chronicles Buckley’s 1975 voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in his schooner Cyrano. Various friends are along for the ride, chief amongst them Buckley’s only child, Christopher, or “Christo” as WFB refers to him. When Airborne takes place, Christo is a recent college graduate, figuring out what he wants to do with his life. Airborne features excerpts from Christopher’s journal of the voyage, and it’s very clear that he has a way with words—no surprise since we know that he goes on to become the author of 18 books, famous for political satires like Thank You for Smoking and Little Green Men. Christopher Buckley also wrote a fantastic memoir about his parents, Losing Mum and Pup, and reading that book piqued my interest in reading his father’s more personal books, like Cruising Speed and Overdrive, which both chronicle a week in the life of WFB.
Buckley uses the ocean journey at the center of Airborne as a jumping-off point to describe the important role that sailing has played in his life. Throughout the book, Buckley weaves in many stories about the boats he has owned, and the adventures they have taken him on. Buckley writes eloquently about sailing: “The ocean and the sky and the night are suddenly alive, your friends and your enemies, but not any longer just workaday abstractions. It is most surely another world and a world worth knowing.” (p.26)
The sailing bug bit Buckley early. At age 13 he was sailing regularly on a lake near the family home in Connecticut, where he raced neighbors twice his age: “Seventy-five races per summer for three summers may strike some as a few races too many. It struck me as too few races by far.” (p.58)
Buckley also describes the dangers of sailing and the power of the sea. He also gives the reader an account of the tragic events of a cruise on Cyrano in June of 1971. While sailing on the Hudson River in Manhattan, a young African American advertising executive named Marvin Hayes was sitting on the lifeline of the boat when it broke. He fell into the water, did not know how to swim, and drowned before the boat could get back to him. Lawsuits were filed, and it was ultimately determined that shoddy workmanship was to blame: the lifeline should have held up to 3,000 pounds but “the rigger had applied the wrong kind of crimp to bind the cable to the fitting that secures it to the stanchion.” (p.82) (Buckley was not on board when this accident took place.)
The voyage that Buckley describes in Airborne begins in Miami, with a stopover in Bermuda, and then on to the Azores. The trip is rife with technological problems from the very start. By the end of the voyage, even Buckley’s trusty sextant has failed him. “Now the list is pretty nearly complete: the radar, the autopilot, the batteries, the motor, the generator, the RDF, the loran, the chronometer, and the sextant. The factual errors in the instruction book for the HP-65 seem almost a diversion.” (p.211)
There’s an interesting section on celestial navigation, which Buckley was a big fan of. It sounds very complicated to a non-sailor like me, but it’s fascinating to learn about how you can find out where you are, even when you’re in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. (As long as you can see either the sun or the stars.)
As a prose writer, Buckley’s style is surprisingly similar to that of his nemesis, Gore Vidal. Both men were devotees of the aside, the digression, as though their brilliant brains had so many competing thoughts occurring to them at the same moment that they simply had to set it all down, and well, dear reader, you’ll just have to try your best to catch up with them! Sarcasm aside, that may have been close to the truth, as they were both exceptionally brilliant men who probably did have a million different thoughts rushing through their heads at any given moment. And while that is entertaining to read, it can be tough to follow sometimes.
What I like so much about William F. Buckley’s personal style is his confidence. You can see it on Firing Line. He’s leaning back in his chair, slouching, with his clipboard and pencil, eyes lidded as though he might suddenly drift off to sleep, and yet, he is never at a loss for words, for threading the complicated tapestry of the argument he is weaving. He can write a newspaper column in 30 minutes. He can sail across the Atlantic. I’m in awe of that kind of confidence, probably because I simply don’t posses it. As Christopher Buckley writes in his journal: “There are times when I’m right and times when I’m wrong. Usually, I admit when I’m wrong. WFB, it seems, does not subscribe to this.” (p.94)
Buckley was renowned for possessing a huge vocabulary, and it’s on full display throughout the book. I was thrilled to read Buckley use the word “arteriosclerotic” which was one of Tom Wolfe’s favorite words that he used throughout his first book, The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. Buckley finds the world of sailors even a little too conservative for him: “Sometimes, though, the tribal spirit spills over, and you get arteriosclerotic stuffiness.” (p.127)
Buckley is aware that owning a yacht is what we would now call a “first world problem,” as he writes about reprogramming his constantly malfunctioning HP-65 navigation device: “You may put that down, if you insist, in the category of the Problems of the Idle Rich.” (p.189)
Throughout Airborne, we see Buckley’s pride in his son, and so it seems fitting at the very end of the book he lets Christopher have the last word. “…even though I’m restless for the touch of land, if you were to set sail tomorrow to cross another ocean, I’d sell my soul to ship out with you. Any day.” (p.252)
April 9, 2021
As the doomed Mr. Hayes quipped and I reiterate, "This is a very exciting night for me. . my first on a boat of any kind." While this is not quite true for me as my brother had a row boat once (considered a grave indulgence), I had a hard time working up any kind of fellow feeling for our author. For those who understand sailing (cruising) it's terms and travails, it's mathematical navigational intrigues, I imagine this might be a moving and comedic account. Alas for me, whose blue collar substrata has trembled, but always held, this is an unwitting true confession of tremendous indulgences for those who manage to keep themselves at a financial and political advantage. Two things amused me: that the young (C) Buckley notes in the log on the last day of the cruise concerning the annoying and controlling (WF) Buckley that he'd "sell my soul to ship out with you. Any day." I guess (C) was being inoculated against the worst manifestations of the 'generation gap'(all in rage at the time) by the inevitable benefits of being (WF)'s son and heir. Secondly, the parallel of the goings on with the Buckleys in 1970 with some defining incidents in our current news cycle. Shannon Watts from 'Moms Demand Action' (gun control) notes that the CEO of NRA, Wayne LaPierre, has altered his stance. He has for years insisted that the only protection from a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. In terms of his own personal safety he's now saying that the only protection is actually a good friend with a 100' yacht. Okay, okay . . .so Cyrano was only 60'. By the way the spring of 1970 was when four students turned up "Dead in Ohio". Just saying. . .So yes, "Airborne" more annoyed than amused me. It would be enjoyed by a certain demographic, but not mine. Read dutifully for book group.
September 24, 2022
My desire to embark on a sailing voyage across a mud puddle is zero, never mind such a cruise across an ocean. But when I read this book, I wish William F. Buckley - or someone - would offer me the chance to do so. I can't swim, and I don't like oceans, and I don't know the first thing about sailing (knowing the difference between port and starboard, fore and aft, aloft and alow, the deck and the overhead, a bulkhead and a wall, doesn't constitute knowledge of sailing). For all I know I'd get seasick, though I've never been motion sick before. But when reading this book I sure would like to try it.
That's just how good a writer William F. Buckley was. He is famous (or notorious) for using "esoteric" words, though most of his vocabulary is within my range, and I've never been to college in my life. But in fact he didn't constantly use bizarre and long words any more than Ernest Hemingway only used short, choppy sentences. He used words that many might think unusual, yes, but only when in his judgment they were the best words for the purpose. And he knew as much plain English as anyone - more, in fact, than some of his detractors seem to know.
And he communicates his enthusiasm for sailing, for his boat, for his friends, for his son, in a way that's absolutely marvelous. There's no question that when he writes about sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, he truly loved doing it. There's no doubt that when he writes about the friends who sailed with him, he truly valued them and their society. It's absolutely clear that he loved his son Christoper (who is, now, nearly 20 years older than William F. Buckley was when he undertook this voyage). And it would take some execrably bad writing to negate this clear love for what he was doing and who he was doing it with - indeed, if he had been that poor a writer, his love for sailing and his friends and his son wouldn't have come through at all.
Now that I've finished this book I'll revert back to my confirmed and happy status as a landlubber. I won't again desire to cast off from land and cross an ocean using the power of the wind...until the next time I read one of Buckley's sailing books.
That's just how good a writer William F. Buckley was. He is famous (or notorious) for using "esoteric" words, though most of his vocabulary is within my range, and I've never been to college in my life. But in fact he didn't constantly use bizarre and long words any more than Ernest Hemingway only used short, choppy sentences. He used words that many might think unusual, yes, but only when in his judgment they were the best words for the purpose. And he knew as much plain English as anyone - more, in fact, than some of his detractors seem to know.
And he communicates his enthusiasm for sailing, for his boat, for his friends, for his son, in a way that's absolutely marvelous. There's no question that when he writes about sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, he truly loved doing it. There's no doubt that when he writes about the friends who sailed with him, he truly valued them and their society. It's absolutely clear that he loved his son Christoper (who is, now, nearly 20 years older than William F. Buckley was when he undertook this voyage). And it would take some execrably bad writing to negate this clear love for what he was doing and who he was doing it with - indeed, if he had been that poor a writer, his love for sailing and his friends and his son wouldn't have come through at all.
Now that I've finished this book I'll revert back to my confirmed and happy status as a landlubber. I won't again desire to cast off from land and cross an ocean using the power of the wind...until the next time I read one of Buckley's sailing books.
April 13, 2021
Started this book club selection with high hopes for a lively and entertaining read. What I got was not what I hoped for. Instead, after dutifully struggling to read every word on every page up to the following passage (pp 82) I finally lost any interest in reading further and gave up: "Exhaustive investigation established that the rigger had applied the wrong kind of crimp to bind the cable to the fitting that secures it to the stanchion." Too much nautical detail in WFB's fine writing style left me reaching for a book with characters and situations I could get into. This book is not one of those. 'Nuff said with apologies to my book club for failing this reading assignment.
January 2, 2018
A great pleasure to be transported by sail along with such wonderful people across the great Atlantic. An ode to sailing, to friends, to family, and to fathers and sons.
November 27, 2013
"Airborne" is about William F. Buckley Jr.'s first Trans-Atlantic sailing voyage aboard his beloved cruiser Cyrano. I stumbled on this little jewel in a box free books kindly given to me and thoroughly enjoyed it. Being a huge fan of maritime literature, both fiction and non-fiction, classic and contemporary... I was immediately sold on this book... and it did not disappoint.
All politics aside, William F. Buckley (WFB) was an undeniably brilliant writer and conversationalist. Unknown to some, he was also a highly competent skipper and racer. His mastery of the english language and sharp wit really added to the enjoyment of the book. For those with socio-political hangups with WFB, don't let his infamous über-conservative opinions and well known diatribes steer you away from reading "Airborne"... He keeps it non-partisan and focuses his incredible storytelling and writing skills on his intense passion for sailing, navigating, and wayward adventuring. His love of the sea is apparent in every chapter.
The book has a very pleasant anecdotal tone, which made for a quick and entertaining read. It is as if the reader is having a fireside conversation with WFB as he reminisces about his first Trans-Atlantic sailing voyage and other fond memories of sailing, racing, and the pitfalls of boat ownership and equipment failure. Buckley's wry humor and self-deprecation is present throughout. WFB also peppers in many fascinating asides on the technical aspects of sailing and a few short unrelated asides about famous figures with whom he rubbed shoulders with and often quipped. A definite high point is the chapter devoted to celestial navigation in which it is broken down in layman's terms. WFB was renowned for his mastery of celestial navigation and his ability to explain it in a simple, no nonsense manner. Text is also interspersed with very entertaining ship's log entries by the Captain and numerous members of his crew, which included his youthful son Christopher and other characters who's contributions were colorful (to say the least) and often hilarious. Laughs abound as they recount downright hedonistic "shore leaves" and shipboard pranks, often perpetrated at the Skipper's expense. Though there is plenty of levity, there are deeper introspective moments shared by WFB and crew as well as several edge-of-your-seat moments as they brave the elements and fury of the sea. There are also plenty of great photos, diagrams, and maps throughout.
I highly recommend "Airborne" to the seasoned sailer, layman, adventurer, nautical fanatic, and casual reader. It is a really fine book and great edition to any library. Not knowing much about WFB (politically or otherwise) prior to reading this book, I now count myself among his fans. The world lost a great writer, sailer, humorist, and man when WFB passed away in 2008. This book serves as a testament to his incredible life and contributions to the literary and sailing communities.
I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the WFB series of four sailing books, "Atlantic High" (followed by "Racing Through Paradise" and "Windfall".) I have no doubt the other books will deliver the same enjoyment.
All politics aside, William F. Buckley (WFB) was an undeniably brilliant writer and conversationalist. Unknown to some, he was also a highly competent skipper and racer. His mastery of the english language and sharp wit really added to the enjoyment of the book. For those with socio-political hangups with WFB, don't let his infamous über-conservative opinions and well known diatribes steer you away from reading "Airborne"... He keeps it non-partisan and focuses his incredible storytelling and writing skills on his intense passion for sailing, navigating, and wayward adventuring. His love of the sea is apparent in every chapter.
The book has a very pleasant anecdotal tone, which made for a quick and entertaining read. It is as if the reader is having a fireside conversation with WFB as he reminisces about his first Trans-Atlantic sailing voyage and other fond memories of sailing, racing, and the pitfalls of boat ownership and equipment failure. Buckley's wry humor and self-deprecation is present throughout. WFB also peppers in many fascinating asides on the technical aspects of sailing and a few short unrelated asides about famous figures with whom he rubbed shoulders with and often quipped. A definite high point is the chapter devoted to celestial navigation in which it is broken down in layman's terms. WFB was renowned for his mastery of celestial navigation and his ability to explain it in a simple, no nonsense manner. Text is also interspersed with very entertaining ship's log entries by the Captain and numerous members of his crew, which included his youthful son Christopher and other characters who's contributions were colorful (to say the least) and often hilarious. Laughs abound as they recount downright hedonistic "shore leaves" and shipboard pranks, often perpetrated at the Skipper's expense. Though there is plenty of levity, there are deeper introspective moments shared by WFB and crew as well as several edge-of-your-seat moments as they brave the elements and fury of the sea. There are also plenty of great photos, diagrams, and maps throughout.
I highly recommend "Airborne" to the seasoned sailer, layman, adventurer, nautical fanatic, and casual reader. It is a really fine book and great edition to any library. Not knowing much about WFB (politically or otherwise) prior to reading this book, I now count myself among his fans. The world lost a great writer, sailer, humorist, and man when WFB passed away in 2008. This book serves as a testament to his incredible life and contributions to the literary and sailing communities.
I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the WFB series of four sailing books, "Atlantic High" (followed by "Racing Through Paradise" and "Windfall".) I have no doubt the other books will deliver the same enjoyment.
September 4, 2013
WFB writes and shows his real passions boats, sailing to exotic places He is a man who really values friends, family and an enjoyment for life. I can totally appreciate all exploits with boats. This read rings true. It makes me want to be a better mate, sailor and honor the previlege and comraderie that this life style offers. I will read more of his adventures. Sailors don't miss this read. It still rings for me.
March 9, 2013
Though at times his writing style can be overly obtuse, this is an enjoyable read. Makes me want to find someone who I can crew for on a translantic. I look forward to reading his later book about his second crossing.
December 30, 2010
Buckley - the boys - the stories - the wine @ Nevin time - cigars and lots of sailing and weather and editorial side bars make this a very fun read indeed.
November 24, 2012
I hate sailing. I loved this book.
June 26, 2017
An early self-improvement project was reading WFB with the intention of expanding my vocabulary. In my fifties I'm much more intrigued by his phrases (e.g. the shoulders of the ocean). The vocabulary is obscure (he'd have said abstruse).
Words I learned while I read this book:
anfractuosities
billingsgate
lambent
ineluctable
nugatory
thaumaturgical
emetic
tatterdemalion
ocholocracy
sufruct
desuetude
Words I plan to incorporate in my vocabulary:
Okay, maybe lambent (glowing, flickering with soft radiance). I wrote down prestipulated mispronouncing it mentally as PREST-i-pu-LATED. Than laughed out loud. Pre-stipulated. Got it.
Buckley, his son, his sister-in-law, and friends set sail in the a sixty-foot schooner Cyrano from Miami to Gibraltar via the Bahamas and the Azores. I enjoyed reading about the planning, the potential perils, tedium, mechanical failures, a society in miniature, sublime moments and successful completion of their journey.
I enjoyed Buckley's fifteen-page explanation of celestial navigation with a sextant. And chortled at the newest technology brought aboard: a cassette television cartridge player. I learned about heaving-to (bringing a sailing vessel to a stop) and knockdowns (boat suddenly goes horizontal); YouTube offers spectacular videos of knockdowns.
Two quotes:
But this is sailing, eh. No matter that nothing works...so what if the electrical system on this boat is a cogent argument for the return to gas and steam; because on a night such as this, your hull buried in the swells and your sails knifing the wind, the only things that matter are a steady helm, a clear head, and a warm jacket. On a night such as this who needs the consolation of philosophy? — from Christopher Buckley's journal
The only female onboard goes by the name Bill. Bill F. is Buckley's wife's sister.
I point out a couple of signals to Bill, one of whose enduring charms is that she is interested in everything, while affecting knowledge of nothing: though she is a grand master as administrator, world champion as friend and counselor.
Words I learned while I read this book:
anfractuosities
billingsgate
lambent
ineluctable
nugatory
thaumaturgical
emetic
tatterdemalion
ocholocracy
sufruct
desuetude
Words I plan to incorporate in my vocabulary:
Okay, maybe lambent (glowing, flickering with soft radiance). I wrote down prestipulated mispronouncing it mentally as PREST-i-pu-LATED. Than laughed out loud. Pre-stipulated. Got it.
Buckley, his son, his sister-in-law, and friends set sail in the a sixty-foot schooner Cyrano from Miami to Gibraltar via the Bahamas and the Azores. I enjoyed reading about the planning, the potential perils, tedium, mechanical failures, a society in miniature, sublime moments and successful completion of their journey.
I enjoyed Buckley's fifteen-page explanation of celestial navigation with a sextant. And chortled at the newest technology brought aboard: a cassette television cartridge player. I learned about heaving-to (bringing a sailing vessel to a stop) and knockdowns (boat suddenly goes horizontal); YouTube offers spectacular videos of knockdowns.
Two quotes:
But this is sailing, eh. No matter that nothing works...so what if the electrical system on this boat is a cogent argument for the return to gas and steam; because on a night such as this, your hull buried in the swells and your sails knifing the wind, the only things that matter are a steady helm, a clear head, and a warm jacket. On a night such as this who needs the consolation of philosophy? — from Christopher Buckley's journal
The only female onboard goes by the name Bill. Bill F. is Buckley's wife's sister.
I point out a couple of signals to Bill, one of whose enduring charms is that she is interested in everything, while affecting knowledge of nothing: though she is a grand master as administrator, world champion as friend and counselor.
August 10, 2024
This is Wiliam F Buckley's book about sailing in 1975 on his sixty-foot schooner," The Cyrano", from Miami to Spain with his son, his sister-in-law and several friends.
Buckley uses the book as a chance to write about his love of sailing. He tells amusing stories about disasters at sea; engines dying and being towed back to port or having to radio the Coast Guard for help. He explains how insanely expensive it is to use and maintain a boat this size. He recounts his complete failure in entering ocean races. Overall, he conveys his love of sailing through all of the misadventures.
The trans-Atlantic trip, thankfully for him, was not particularly dangerous. In fact, one of the things he comes back to frequently is how boring it can be on a long-distance sailing cruise with no crises.
He enjoys dropping names, Doctor Spock, David Nivens, Gorge C. Scott and Kenneth Galbraith all make appearances. He enjoys explaining things. He has a sixteen page explain of how to do celestial navigation from a boat with illustrations and diagrams. I could not follow it. He also has a four-page explanation on how to use one of the first marine calculators, the HP-65. I also could not follow that.
The book is full of digressions. He describes his relationship with his son Christopher, who grew up to be a successful author. They struggle through father-son stuff but seem to come out OK. He has a great battle with a crooked boatyard owner. He struggles to diagnosis mysterious equipment failures on the boat.
Buckley was an interesting guy. He had a lively writing style and some good stories.
Buckley uses the book as a chance to write about his love of sailing. He tells amusing stories about disasters at sea; engines dying and being towed back to port or having to radio the Coast Guard for help. He explains how insanely expensive it is to use and maintain a boat this size. He recounts his complete failure in entering ocean races. Overall, he conveys his love of sailing through all of the misadventures.
The trans-Atlantic trip, thankfully for him, was not particularly dangerous. In fact, one of the things he comes back to frequently is how boring it can be on a long-distance sailing cruise with no crises.
He enjoys dropping names, Doctor Spock, David Nivens, Gorge C. Scott and Kenneth Galbraith all make appearances. He enjoys explaining things. He has a sixteen page explain of how to do celestial navigation from a boat with illustrations and diagrams. I could not follow it. He also has a four-page explanation on how to use one of the first marine calculators, the HP-65. I also could not follow that.
The book is full of digressions. He describes his relationship with his son Christopher, who grew up to be a successful author. They struggle through father-son stuff but seem to come out OK. He has a great battle with a crooked boatyard owner. He struggles to diagnosis mysterious equipment failures on the boat.
Buckley was an interesting guy. He had a lively writing style and some good stories.
December 20, 2020
Enjoyed this and wondered why such an intelligent individual would have wasted so much of his life of the wrong side of politics in the States helping to leave it decades behind most of the civilized world.
March 8, 2022
Sailing as it should be.
True Sailing!
An honest representation of traveling in a small sailing craft on an ocean with it's weather, currents and occasional "blow". The human interaction was exquisitely portrayed and realistic.
Good Job Mr. Buckley
True Sailing!
An honest representation of traveling in a small sailing craft on an ocean with it's weather, currents and occasional "blow". The human interaction was exquisitely portrayed and realistic.
Good Job Mr. Buckley
January 30, 2025
To know what Buckley thinks, read his classic Up From Liberalism; to know the man, read Airborne. World class sailor, celestial navigator, musician, artist, writer, this was the genuine Renaissance Man, who must have been an absolute pleasure to know and accompany.
June 24, 2025
With a wit that only William F.Buckley Jr can provide and his relatives , fascinating and as usual well-written prose. My only problem with it is the cursing. Great tales from starting In Miami to thr Azores. Along with some sailing jargon and details.
June 20, 2021
Gollywobbler!
As a lapsed sailor, the account of this crossing makes me feel that I must go down to the sea again
As a lapsed sailor, the account of this crossing makes me feel that I must go down to the sea again
March 7, 2023
I was surprised that I enjoyed this. The author is a pompous supercilious ass, but he can string words together, and doesn’t try to hide the fact he’s a PSA.
January 27, 2025
Great book about a month long sailing adventure. It would be so much fun to be able to do such a trip.
June 17, 2025
The first, and the best of WFB's sea books.
Read
September 27, 2009Sucked back in to plain good non pretentious writing by WFB about sailing. Hilarious, deadly serious, literally, at times but always entertaining. It is seducing me away from the other book I'm reading right now because it is just so much fun. When he writes about his wife, his son & his friends & is unstinting about describing all the mistakes he makes, you can tell this comes from the heart.
Thoroughly enjoyable; even though this voyage was undertaken in a 70ft boat with a professional crew of 4, the other sailors really sail & do participate in whatever discomforts occur, typical breakdown of everything electronic included.
Thoroughly enjoyable; even though this voyage was undertaken in a 70ft boat with a professional crew of 4, the other sailors really sail & do participate in whatever discomforts occur, typical breakdown of everything electronic included.
January 28, 2021
It took me a couple of years but I finally worked my way through all three of William F. Buckley's books on sailing - reading them out of order, by the way. I read Airborne last and while I thought it was a bit choppy here and there, I thoroughly, especially toward the end the book as Buckley and his crew of family and close friends describe the beauty and difficulties they encountered on their journey from Miami to Spain. WFB is at his witty best and, at times, achingly moving. If you enjoy good writing regardless of the subject you'll enjoy Airborne.
June 28, 2021
timely read, given WFB's recent passing
December 7, 2010
Very entertaining
July 14, 2011
This account was my first read of a prolonged sail. I very much want to do something similar one day.
February 21, 2020
A great read for the sailor by a man who enjoyed living, friends and family.
October 7, 2017
As an ex seafarer I just had to read this and glad I did. Brilliant, even though there are pages of digression in my opinion. A very good read. Loved it WFB.
December 30, 2024
Interesting read - a little wordy and pretentious.
September 3, 2015
This was the first of the four. Loved them all.
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