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Passage to Juneau : A Sea and Its Meaning by Jonathan Raban - 4.5* - My Review

“I’m not a natural sailor, but a timid, weedy, cerebral type, never more out of my element than when I'm at sea. Yet for the last fifteen years, every spare day that I could tease from the calendar has been spent afloat, in a state of undiminished fascination with the sea, its movements and meanings."

This book is a blend of memoir, history, travelogue, and nature writing. It chronicles Raban’s solo journey by sea in a thirty-five-foot sailboat from Seattle to Juneau via the Inside Passage. The work combines personal reflections with analysis of history and literature. The historical segments pertain to Captain George Vancouver’s voyage on the ship Discovery along the same route in 1792-1793, Vancouver’s encounters with the First Nations people, methods of exerting control over his crew (the lash), background, and “discoveries.” Raban recounts his own stops along the journey and encounters with the local people. In his travels, he notes changes that have occurred in the area, including the region’s economics, alterations in their ways of making a living, and the reasons behind these changes.

It turns very personal toward the end, when a family crisis causes him to take a break in his voyage, including a trip to his former home (where his parents still live) in England. He plans to bring his daughter and wife from Seattle to join him toward the end of his trip, but all does not go according to plan. Raban also frequently refers to his ship’s library, including many quotes and relating the contents to what he is experiencing on his journey. He obviously loves literature. The descriptions of the land, sea, weather, wildlife, and obstacles are vivid. Occasionally, I felt there were a few too many long quotations, but overall, it is one of the best written travel memoirs I have read. It not only describes a sea journey, but also a journey of the intellect and the interpersonal. Like the best travelogues, by the end, the reader understands the impact of the travels on the life of the traveler.

4.5

PBT August BWF Extra R - fits letter not tag

This one sounds right up my alley. Thanks, Joy!

Yes, this one has your name written all over it, BnB!

Joy D wrote: "Yes, this one has your name written all over it, BnB!"

I put it on my wish list, so I wouldn't forget it.