Seamanship: A Voyage along the Wild Coasts of the British Isles

Seamanship: A Voyage along the Wild Coasts of the British Isles, by Adam Nicolson

Another exciting adventure story in a nautical setting can be found in Adam Nicolson's Seamanship. An admitted sailing novice, Nicolson teams up with George Fairhurst, an experienced sailor who helps him select a 42-foot sailboat and then offers to pilot the boat along the notoriously wild west coast of Great Britain. Nicolson does a great job of describing the natural beauty of the islands, and narrating the excitement and danger of North Atlantic storms. He provides some comic relief through Herve Mahe, an eccentric Breton sailor who dislikes the French, but loves to cook! It's also a character study as Adam and George learn more about each other as difficult situations arise.
-Carl