Real Life Sailing Story

[EdWatchmaker]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place but I really don't know where to put it. 

I just finished reading an autobiography of an American merchant sea captain. "Ocean Life In the Old Sailing Ship Days from Forecastle to Quarter-deck" copyright 1908. It's the sea life of Capt. John D. Whidden (1832-1911). It covers his sailing career from age 12 as a cabin boy to 1870 when he retired from the sea. It's written conversationally (he's not a professional writer) and the copy I read was a scanned 1914 copy, a lot of typos and not the best arranged but a good read none the  less.

It gives a great view into the real life of a merchant sailor from the time of pure sail to the time of steam. Has a fun bit about being chased by a Confederate privateer and some about South East Asian pirates.

You can get it on Amazon Kindle for $0.99. For the price I don't think you can beat it.

Have fun with it and fair sailing all.         

[IndianaGeoff]

I love those free or .99 cent amazon kindle autobiographies.  A slice of history from a first person perspective.  I have read about sea captains (maybe yours) river boat captains and gamblers, gold miners, elk hunters a family that took a boat from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the mississippi, war stories.   Lots of gold there.

I find there here...  http://www.freebooksifter.com/

Change it to your preferred reader, search on biographies or history.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by IndianaGeoff

[Urchin]

Excellent thanks very much just added to my collection.

In the .99c bracket "The Corsairs of France by C. B. Norman" is excellent reading. 

 

 

Edited February 11, 2018 by William Wade

[EdWatchmaker]

Thanks a lot William. Got it and just started reading it. I love to read and given I have a Samsung Note and Samsung Tablet I take my reading with me everywhere. Haven't read about corsairs in quite awhile. Corsairs and privateers are an interesting mechanic that we need in the game. The claned are more like the navy and the unclaned need a Letters of Marque mechanic for the role playing immersion. I really like what Iroquois Confederacy does. The lone wolf. Love reading his exploits. 

Fair sailing