John sailed around Cape Horn literally the day I was born - January 25, 1984 - and he's recently been a mentor of mine. All of his books are on this list, but this is a good technical one mixed with storytelling like only he can, to get you started.

An awesome technical book for ideas to fiddle with the boat, but also a great rainy-day read, as Mate is hilarious in his descriptions! One that permanently occupies bookshelf space on our boat.

This is another that occupies permanent space onboard. Brion Toss, master rigger (and podcast guest!), put together this two-parter on rig design and practical rigging solutions. Need to learn a splice? It's probably in here. We re-designed Arcturus' rig based on ideas from this book. A must-have for any sailor.

Yet another in the permanent onboard library. A traditional manual on all-things sails, from design and construction to proper repairs. Fascinating read!

The book I learned celestial from in one of John Kretschmer's workshops, and the book I now teach my own workshops from! The easiest way to learn celestial, bar none, and a great reference to keep onboard the boat.

John Rousmaniere is a legend in the sailing world (and another podcast guest!), and his book, in it's 4th edition, is one I recommend most to new sailors and old hands looking to improve their technical skills. 

The incredible story of of when whole countries fought for the high seas, and finding accurate time - the ingredient needed to get longitude with celestial navigation - was the scientific challenge of the day.

Every ocean sailor's favorite book, and #1 on my list!

From the guy who wrote the 'Little Prince.' He was a mail pilot in the early days of airplanes, flying the mail route over the Sahara. This book directly relates to sailing in the philosophies behind it, and a beautiful read.

Influenced Moitessier, and one of the great voyages in small boat sailing history. Dumas was known for always keeping some sail up, no matter the weather!

John sailed around Cape Horn literally the day I was born - January 25, 1984 - and he's recently been a mentor of mine. All of his books are on this list, but this is a good technical one mixed with storytelling like only he can, to get you started.

If we ever take Isbjorn to the Pacific, this will be the route we re-trace! Great storytelling on a boat very similar to Arcturus.

Another Moitessier classic! This one famously describes his storm tactics, later dubbed in 'Heavy Weather Sailing' the 'Moitessier Method', though he actually borrowed the technique from Vito Dumas', another on our books list!

David Lewis is one of the unsung single-handers of the 1960s and 1970s - unless of course you've heard of him! This is a survival story as much as it is a sailing story, chronicling his circumnavigation of Antarctica. David Lewis previously had a ketch called 'Isbjorn', a big part of the inspiration for our own Isbjorn.

"Any long voyage should start on a foundation of financial unrest." Well said, sir. If this doesn't inspire you to go, and go now, nothing will.

John rounded the Horn on January 25, 1984, literally the day I was born, on the classic Contessa 32 'Gigi.' This is his incredible account of that voyage, and the book that introduced me to him in the first place. John would later teach me celestial and has become a mentor to me in my sailing career.

Eric Newby wrote 'The Great Grain Race,' and spent time on tall ships. But he was also known as one of the UK's best travel writers in his day, and this is one of those books. If you like adventure, check it out.

Pete Goss sailed 100 miles upwind in hurricane force to rescue a fellow Vendee Globe racer. This is the story.

The book that got me into freediving, and a fascinating look at the ocean. Tangentially related to sailing, but one that all sailors should read.

The craziest story from the fabled Golden Globe Race of 1968, and probably the saddest. Crowhurst build the 'Teignmouth Electron' trimaran for the race, and never made it out of the Atlantic...the boat today is washed ashore somewhere in the Virgin Islands.

My favorite coffee table book (too big to keep on the boat!), and a Christmas present from Mia a few years back. Every country in the world has a full two-page spread with awesome little tidbits of information and beautiful photographs.

The classic adventure story of Thor and his crazy Norwegian friends who set out from South America on a balsa wood raft to prove that the South Pacific could have been populated by South American's. The museum in Oslo is equally fascinating!

From Outside Magazine: "By now, most people know this story down to the last dog and cat, but the immediacy of Worsley's account revitalizes it. If you don't feel his sorrow in losing his ship to the ice pack, share his delirium glissading down to the South Georgia whaling station that would be their salvation (a scene to which Shackleton, ever careful not to seem whimsical, gives only a cursory line in South), or tear up when the two men return to their friends on Elephant Island 128 days after they set out, you don't love adventure."

The incredible log of Admiral Richard Byrd who spent a long, dark winter alone in Antarctica, basically just to see if he could do it!

Alvah Simon heads north in his iconic boat, the 'Roger Henry,' and gets frozen in for a long winter of spiritual inspiration. He nearly dies when his diesel heater basically suffocates him with carbon monoxide. One of several books that has me drawn to the Arctic...

Recommended by the author himself, Yanne Larsson, but also on my own list! The fantastic and hilarious tale of two Swedes - Yanne and Carl - who set out to circumnavigate the globe on a handshake agreement with zero previous sailing experience. There will be more to come from me on this title, so stay tuned...

The true-life tale of two competing dive clubs on the coast of New Jersey that discovered a previously unidentified German U-Boat wreck, and the subsequent quest to be the first to identify it. Even if you're not a diver - but especially if you are - it's a great read.

This one was recommended by Bruce M., but I'm also including it in my list, as it's an all-time classic that I had forgotten about! The first real attempt to solo circumnavigate, with one stop in Australia. Set off a lot of future solo voyages.

I was never into fiction until I was introduced to the Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. Orwell's '1984' is my all-time favorite fiction book, and this title caught my eye for it's reference. It's impossible to explain - Murakami is a master at the surreal - but it's a fantastic work of art suitable for any long night watches! It'll draw you right in and introduce you to another world...

'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' begins my all-time favorite fiction series. The Swedish cultural references are what is so cool to me, and they are super accurate! I've read this or listened to it on audiobook over half a dozen times, most on long offshore passages...

MIa's first pick for the website, recommended by the voice of the podcast, Anna Vinnars! "A powerful, tender story of race and identity by the award-winning author of 'Half of a Yellow Sun'."

Until I discovered Murakami, this was my all-time favorite novel. It's still top 2. Nobody writes quite like Orwell, and what a freaking cool story.

Recommended by reader David C.: "On Sailing. On the Sea. On Sailors. On Boats. On Weather. On Engines. On Racing. On Philosophy."

Recommended by my very good friend Clint Wells. Orwell's true story of being penniless on the streets. He's the best.