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

The book that my dad was almost in - only a day behind the ill-fated Carl Wake, the main character of this here story, my dad was on another deliver that nearly sent them into Hurricane Lenny. It didn't but the storm didn't spare Carl, John's friend, and this is the true story. A very sad one at that.

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.

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

"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.

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...

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.

'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...

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.

Swell is Liz Clark’s awesome and inspiring story of sailing, self-discovery, surfing, and adventure. Check it out!

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. 

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.

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'."

Thanks James B. for recommending this gem, Maiden!

Maiden is the story of how Tracy Edwards, a 24-year-old cook in charter boats, became the skipper of the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World in 1989. Tracy's inspirational dream was opposed on all sides: her male competitors thought an all-women crew would never make it, the chauvinistic yachting press took bets on her failure, and potential sponsors rejected her, fearing they would die at sea and generate bad publicity. But Tracy refused to give up: she remortgaged her home and bought a secondhand boat, putting everything on the line to ensure the team made it to the start line.

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.

The publication I use for celestial navigation. Buy from mdnautical.com, an awesome little commercial shipping store in the port of Baltimore and very worth a visit. Obviously buy the correct year!

You'll need all three volumes, but these are the easiest and fastest way to reduce celestial sights, and what is referenced in the 'Nutshell' book featured on this page. You can download these free from the government here, but they're much easier to use in paperback format.

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

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 Ben Shaw as a great book to read with his daughter and for being the book that Disney’s movie Moana is based on. Also recommended by Captain Bill Pinkney during his On the Wind episode for “awakening his spirit of adventure.”

By Amazon: “A boy tries to overcome his fear of the sea in this treasured classic and winner of the Newbery Medal.”

Recommended by Sven Finnis: "Author John Guzzwell sailing a home built 20ft boat around the world. Great book and shows that anyone can sail around the world if they really want to."

I just discovered this one after reading about Andy Chase, whose writing I love. This is a wonderful account of what it’s like working in the American Merchant Marine onboard ships! -Andy

Recommended by Gary Finn: "The definitive guide to understanding weather. Not only does it cover theory and basics, it delves into the latest weather forecasting technologies relevant to sailors everywhere. A must for planning cruises and passage making."

As recommended by Rory Finneran: "A riveting account of the 1968 Golden Globe race."

Recommended by Jim Burns: "They were stranded on the other side of Antarctica with the goal of establishing depots for Shackleton's trip. Once their ship disappeared from the anchorage, how would they survive the coming winter? Would they consume Shackleton's supplies or establish the depots?"

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.

Recommended by Bruce McClellan: "Clare Francis is an interesting woman. She was trained as a ballet dancer and economist, but took to sailing and crossed the Atlantic solo in 1973. She then embarked on an ocean racing career which led to being the first woman to skipper a boat in the Whitbread Race (1977-78), finishing in fifth place in her Swan 65 ADC 'Accutrac'."

Recommended by Bruce McClellan: "A very detailed book about commercial square-rigged ships. Includes information on topics ranging from design, rigging, life on board, commercial considerations, record passages, record daily runs, and much, much more."

Thanks to Lance Garms for reminding me of this one! "Godforsaken Sea is the hair-raising account of the world's most demanding, dangerous, and deadly sailing race. Around the world, one sailor, one boat, no stops, no assistance. Author Derek Lundy's vivid book follows the field of the 1996 - 1997 Vendee Globe through the race's grueling four-month circumnavigation of the globe, most of it through the terror of the Southern Ocean."

Recommended by Bruce McClellan: "Account of life aboard one of the last full rigged commercial ships."

Our friend Micah gave this to us before the trans-Atlantic on 'Arcturus.' I read it on the way across. It's a story of some guys in a wooden boat who re-traced the Vikings voyage westabout across the Atlantic. Vinland was rumored to be Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, or even New England. Equal parts history book and really cool voyaging tale. -Andy

Recommended by Bruce McLellan: "A "gripping and authentic" story of a race around Cape Horn aboard the clipper Flying Cloud."

Thanks, James U. for the great recommendation.

"An exuberant, headlong, exhausting ride . . . more than a book about sailboat racing; it's also about a dream ferociously pursued and the price paid for realizing it . . . impossible to put down."

--Derek Lundy, author, Godforsaken Sea

"A story of mythic shape--of a young girl who receives a call to adventure and sets out on a compulsive journey, and finds mentors, tests, dark caves, despair, a supreme ordeal, and triumph."

--Peter Nichols, author, A Voyage for Madmen

"Reese Palley, who passed away last year, wrote this great read about sailing experiences and overcoming fears. Great insights and well written." -Don P.

Thanks to Nelson Pidgeon for reminding me that this should be on everyone's boat! I think I have three copies - one on the boat, one in Sweden and one in Annapolis!

Recommended by Hugh Miller: "Awesome and inspiring sailing adventure into a an area where few cruisers have been. This couple have also circumnavigated, equally good book called 'Under the Endless Sky.'"

Pearson covers William Willis' exploits during the golden age of rafting. It is quick read and inspiring example of the human spirit and ingenuity. 

Recommended by Scott Shipman

Recommended by James B., ISBJORN’s former skipper back in her Naval Academy days!

Racing yachts, white Navy uniforms, sports cars, pretty girls, and a mission to win and have fun. Year of adventure for Midshipmen of the US Naval Academy Offshore Sailing Team in the year of USA's Bicentennial (1976).

Isbjorn (under her former name, Insurgente) plays a central part as the vessel that these young men and women race up and down the Chesapeake Bay and as far north as Halifax, Nova Scotia against larger boats with more experienced crews.

Recommended by Chris Heath, ‘I Can Sail Circles’ is the story of David Beard.

In 1990, David Beard of Russell Island in Moreton Bay set a record for the first solo, non-stop circumnavigation of Australia by yacht in his 11-meter Skaffie 11. Before this, Beard underwent a series of nautical adventures solo and with his family through the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.

Recommended by Dan R.

Amazon Synopsis:

Carsten Jensen’s debut novel has taken the world by storm. Already hailed in Europe as an instant classic, We, the Drowned is the story of the port town of Marstal, whose inhabitants have sailed the world’s oceans aboard freight ships for centuries. Spanning over a hundred years, from the mid-nineteenth century to the end of the Second World War, and from the barren rocks of Newfoundland to the lush plantations of Samoa, from the roughest bars in Tasmania, to the frozen coasts of northern Russia, We, the Drowned spins a magnificent tale of love, war, and adventure, a tale of the men who go to sea and the women they leave behind.

Ships are wrecked at sea and blown up during wars, they are places of terror and violence, yet they continue to lure each generation of Marstal men—fathers and sons—away. Strong, resilient, women raise families alone and sometimes take history into their own hands. There are cannibals here, shrunken heads, prophetic dreams, forbidden passions, cowards, heroes, devastating tragedies, and miraculous survivals—everything that a town like Marstal has actually experienced, and that makes We, the Drowned an unforgettable novel, destined to take its place among the greatest seafaring literature.

Thanks Craig B. for the recommendation!

In the late 1950’s, very few “middle class” sailors had taken small sailing craft on long voyages. British Sailors, Eric & Susan Hiscock became pioneers in making long trans-oceanic passages in a small sailboat to what was then quite remote destinations. Their circumnavigation paved the way for future generations of cruising sailors who would follow in their wake, making blue water passage-making the more common experience it has become today. The Hiscocks shared their sailing adventures in several books and made this 16mm color documentary about their second circumnavigation aboard their 30 foot sloop, Wanderer III. The couple departed from Yarmouth Isle of Wight on the 19th of July 1959 and returned on August 8th, 1962.

Thank you Michael S. for the recommendation! And check out Andy interviewing Lin Pardey for his ‘On the Wind’ podcast; check out the episode here!

From Michael:

Long considered elder states (wo)men of cruising, Lin & Larry are the real deal - they built two boats themselves out of wood (you remember that stuff), no engine, then sailed them around the world. Very well written by Herb McCormick of Cruising World magazine. Great title too!

From Amazon:

In As Long as It’s Fun, the biography of Lin and Larry Pardey, Herb McCormick recounts their remarkable sailing career from their early days in Southern California to their two circumnavigations to their current life in a quiet cove in New Zealand. Through interviews with their families, friends, and critics, McCormick delves deeply into the couple’s often-controversial opinions, sometimes-tenuous marriage, and amazing list of accomplishments. As Long as It’s Fun is as much a love story as it is a sea yarn, and, like all such stories, it’s not without complications . . . which makes it not only a sailing tale but also a human one.

Atlantic is a biography of a tremendous space that has been central to the ambitions of explorers, scientists, and warriors, and continues to affect profoundly our character, attitudes, and dreams. Spanning the ocean's story, from its geological origins to the age of exploration, from World War II battles to today's struggles with pollution and over-fishing, Winchester's narrative is epic, intimate, and awe-inspiring.

Until a thousand years ago, few humans ventured into the Atlantic or imagined traversing its vast infinity. But once the first daring mariners successfully navigated to its far shores - whether they were Vikings, the Irish, the Basques, John Cabot, or Christopher Columbus in the north, or the Portuguese and the Spanish in the south - the Atlantic swiftly evolved in the world's growing consciousness of itself as an enclosed body of water. Soon it became the fulcrum of Western civilization. More than a mere history, Atlantic is an unforgettable journey of unprecedented scope by one of the most gifted writers in the English language.