Liberty is being free from the things we don't like in order to be slaves of the things we do like.--Ernest Benn

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Summer Reading: Sex, Lies & Spinnakers

You can tell this book by its cover, which gives most of it away in the title. Except that many keel boat sailors, especially cruisers will like the details of boat and sail handling, as well as salivate over navigational details in the passage between Puerto Vallarta and the Marquesas Islands. Author Steve Van Slyke is an accomplished blue water sailor and has published a nonfictional account of his experiences in Kavenga's Wake.

For myself, I had trouble in the early going with my suspension of disbelief. I found plausibility problems with the early details in this whodunit story line. But that's because I was overlooking a lot; as Trophy Wife comments, often I have difficulty with paying attention. So fault the reader, not the writer.

In the end, which is worth pursuing, all is tied together. Even for this non-cruiser.

5 comments:

  1. I'll give it a read, just rising from the proverbial dead from yesterday's beer drinking.

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  2. Is the book so alluring that you forgot about the Tour de France race? We miss you Doc.

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  3. Yeah, I miss all of you Virtual Racers, Contig. Life is changing for me. My work has moved. I have new projects, etc. I'll try to get back and race again!

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  4. I hate it when work gets in the way! Bummer! Clipper starts at the end of July. Think about it.

    I like going without Pro Sails - more like real sailing. You have to wake up and go on deck to change sails. No stinking computer program to do it for you. More of a gamble. Good luck with your new life.

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  5. Not the way I look at it. Sailing sans options is like solo sailing. You have no crew. I love sailing solo in Lasers and other small boats. But when I race in large boats, especially blue water racing, I prefer crew. Adequately crewed boats sail better than short-handed boats. Sailing, even racing, is art. It all depends how far you want to pursue your art... the way I look at it.

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