Sea Fever: The True Adventures that Inspired our Greatest Maritime Authors, from Conrad to Masefield, Melville and Hemingway

by Sam Jefferson

How did a big-game fishing trip rudely interrupted by sharks inspire one of the key scenes in Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea ? How did Robert Louis Stevenson's cruise to the cannibal-infested South Sea islands prove instrumental in his writing of The Beach of Falesa and The Ebb Tide ? How did Masefield survive Cape Horn and a near-nervous breakdown to write Sea Fever ?

The waters of this world have swirled through storytelling ever since the Celts spun the tale of Beowulf and Homer narrated The Odyssey . This enthralling book takes us on a tour of the most dangerous, exciting and often eccentric escapades of literature's sailing stars, and how these true stories inspired and informed their best-loved works. Arthur Ransome, Erskine Childers, Jack London and many others are featured as we find out how extraordinary fact fed into unforgettable fiction.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography

336 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2015

Reviews

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I both liked and disliked this book. I liked this book because it gave historical background to a number of books and stories that I have read. The author's stated purpose was to give the nautical background of each author that qualified them to write about sailing. In fact, many of the books and stories were basically autobiographical. In my opinion, he did a good job of that. I learned a lot about what conditions were like on the great sailing ships in the late 1800's and how dispotic many of the captains were. I disliked the book because it revealed the ungodliness of a number of authors that I once admired. I would have given this book a 3.5 if that were possible.

[Marissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I enjoyed reading this book. The amount of completely incorrect information in the chapter about Robert Louis Stevenson makes me wonder how many other "facts" were wrong through the rest of the book.

I picked this up because I'm an RLS expert who loves nautical and literary history. But it looks like no one did a fact check on this book. Which is simply lazy in this era when a look at Wikipedia could have fixed most of the mistakes on RLS.

This was an interesting read, but once I realized the amount of inaccuracies I became pretty annoyed that I spent my time reading something that still needs proofing by an editor. Bloomsbury, I am disappointed in you.

If you want a general impression of these authors, I would say to go ahead and read this. But if you want concrete facts - go find something else that has footnotes and/or a bibliography.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to the featured authors but between extracts from great writers it's a plodding, chatty text. Oddly, the author repeats himself from page to page, as if the reader needs reminding; and there are so many typos and so much peculiar punctuation that I wonder if the facts also have been neglected. But for me a good introduction to Conrad, Maesfield, Ransome and Childers, and a reminder of why I both love and hate the sea.

[Karen Stensgaard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This nonfiction book was a fascinating read. The author selected 12 novelists - some famous like Ernest Hemingway and some less so like Tobias Smollett. The criteria for selection was for authors who'd actually been at sea not just dreamed up their stories. He includes quotes from some of their novels, insight into their upbringing and adult life, and other works. I'm ready for another twelve!

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Dogs All

Excellent; Enjoyable read. Sam Jefferson writes with warmth and humor. The writers included came across as very real people...A few, like, Arthur Ransome, I’d have loved to have had as friends.
I delighted in the ebook as well as the audio presentation.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sailing stories always fun

[Martin Chambers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of Sea Fever describes the book as ‘The true Adventures that inspired our Greatest Maritime Authors…’ and you have to admire Sam Jefferson for taking this on. For, to write of and quote from some of the greatest writers leaves your own writing vulnerable. Despite this, and some mistakes and repetitiveness, this is a book I recommend for both sailors and writers. For sailors, obviously -few will not have already read most of these authors and the tales of what shaped them makes interesting reading.
But a writer might not be a sailor, what would there be of interest here? Well, with numerous quotes, from both published books and diaries, Sam Jefferson shows us that great writing transcends both time and genre. The authors here are ‘our greatest maritime authors’ not because of their nautical experience but because they were great writers.
‘… the low hiss of the foam under the lee bow makes a mysterious, almost sinister note, unlike the vivacious melody which it plays in the sparkling sunlight, and the vessel, with her slender upper rigging fretting against the stars, seems very small and isolated.’
Thus, Erskine Childers describes in his diary his first overnight sail. It was on his yacht Shulah and in doing so proves he could write long before he could sail. If you need more proof, Sam Jefferson relates the time Erskine and his brother arrive late and go ashore to get supplies. As they walk back to the boat in the dark of night they realize they have forgotten to put up the anchor light. In fact, they soon realize they had forgotten to put out the anchor and the boat was now off on a voyage without them.
I think that is another thing about great writers. They know what makes a good story and that this is more important than preserving personal dignity or even, perhaps, truth.
Erskine Childers went on the write Riddle of the sands that was published in 1903 and has been in print ever since. He was executed in 1922. Why someone hasn’t written a book or made a film of his life I don’t know.
Next in Sea Fever is Joseph Conrad. Then James Fenmore Cooper, and by now I’ve realized the writers Sam Jefferson writes about are alphabetical and I wonder if this is the best treatment. The genre began with Tobias Smollett and the publication of Roderick Random in 1748 and developed from that time, and if there is a story to tell of the nautical novel it is how it evolved and how each author responded to the times he lived in. (Yes, they are all male.)
For example, Authur Ransome. I’ll quote Sam Jefferson because he says it so well.
‘Working between the two grim pillars of the world wars, Authur Ransome succeeded in creating an idyllic England of ginger beer, jolly adventures and chaps who start their sentences with “I say…” .‘
Although, living between the two pillars of war you would not have known about the outer pillar, but the point is valid. It was the type of literature that people wanted at that time. It leads me to wonder at the type of literature we want now. Shades of grey? Hunger Games and Harry Potter?

And upon that thought, I am left with the desire to give up writing and go sailing. On Robert Louis Stevenson’s 95foot schooner, to Tahiti and paradise.

[Reet Champion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nautical nut that I am I nearly passed out from excitement upon spotting this book. A combination of both literature AND maritime?! Does it get any better? Probably not. In Sea Fever Sam Jefferson shows readers the backgrounds of some of the best loved stories and how they came to be through the experiences and incredibly true stories that inspired authors through the ages. It's the perfect books for bibliophilic maritime enthusiast and if you have one of those in your life or are one I suggest you read this book. It is to drool for.

DISCLAIMER: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” we would like to note that we received an electronic copy of “Sea Fever” provided by the publishers, Bloomsbury USA, through Netgalley.com in exchange for our honest review.

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[Laura Hamilton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally a book like this would be right up my alley, but the nautical adventures just aren't that exciting. They should be, but the writing is a bit flat. The premise feels a bit forced.

I'm only familiar with half of the featured writers, the others I haven't read, and I don't learn enough about their writing here to start caring about them. I'm just barely interested enough to keep reading, but I reserve this book for nighttime when I want to go to sleep.