Pier Head Jump

by Donn Pearce

Genres: Fiction

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

Reviews

[John Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book around 1971 after being in the merchant marine. Pearce wrote Cool Hand Luke and was a member of the same union I was in (International Seafarers Union). I never met him but lots of guys on my ship knew him well.

Pier Head Jump begins as a dead-on character profile of a merchant seaman. The descriptions and dialog is perfect. Unfortunately after the first part of the novel where the main character is getting to his ship (the title refers to getting on a ship at the last minute), the novel falls apart.

There just is not enough to sustain the story. The seamen find an inflatable doll and begin to fight over it and you can imagine how awful the plot gets.

If you are interested and can actually find a copy, read the first 50 pages of so and read the rest at your own peril.

[Shaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was far fetched, to be sure. But the characters​? I've met all of them. Concentrate on the lifestyle and you'll get it. It's a circus on the water.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this a two and a half star rating. Picked up at a used bookstore, and saw that the author wrote 'Cool Hand Luke'. Really enjoyed the setting on a post-war Liberty Ship, with all the crazy Merchant Marine crew, and what their typical activities were like. Could've done without the exploits with the lifelike sex doll. Donn Pearce was an interesting character--this book was based on his exploits in the Merchant Marine. 'Cool Hand Luke' was based on his experiences in prison. Skip the book, and look Pearce up on Wikipedia.