Boating Books

High, Wide, And Handsome: The River Journals Of Norman D. Nevills presents the personal journal writings of whitewater thrill-seeker Norman D. Nevills, who discovered the joy of whitewater journeying on his honeymoon, designed a craft for more serious journeys, and explored wild rivers especially in the late 1930's and 1940's, never flipping a boat nor losing a passenger until the tragic 1949 plane crash that claimed him and his beloved wife. Editor Roy Webb presents Nevills not through the eyes of those who praised or smeared him for his passion, but through Nevills' own writings, which give a candid day-by-day account of the thrills, challenges, and exhilaration of whitewater rafting. Black-and-white photographs and extensive notes help fill in the reader on details not elaborated in the journal, in this exciting collection especially recommended for armchair travelers and whitewater sports enthusiasts interested in the personal perspective of a pioneer.

The author of this beautiful older history of yachting is a naval engineer and, as such, is focused on the development of the yacht as a vessel type rather than a social history of the sport. Phillips-Birt's ability to see and describe in layman's technical terms how racing and rating rules drove hull design, as well as his detailed knowledge of the British yachting scene prior to America's appearance on the world stage, make this book an essential complement to John Rousmaniere's "The Golden Pastime: A New History of Yachting" which was written from the social perspective of yachting in America in the Gilded Age to the end of America's hold on the Cup. The 2 books seem almost written to be read together and are both gloriously illustrated.

Well, my boyfriend really loved this book, and won't rest until he gets me to read it. And everything that he says is good usually does end up being good, so I trust that it is.

This colorful book discusses the history of the dragonboating sport, as well as the dragon boat festival. Text is in English and Chinese traditional characters. Includes bibliographical references and internet links. It is difficult to find books on this topic, so I highly recommend this one for public libraries with large Asian/Chinese communities (especially in Canada), and secondary schools with social studies curricula covering modern China.

I was attracted to this book after hearing Ms. Rapoport read aloud some of the work while it was being written. At the time, I was struck by the complex ideas, emotions and connections she is able to express in simple, understandable ways. Naturally, I wondered what the completed book would be like. I am delighted to report that House on the River exceeded my high expectations.

The book begins by recounting a long-awaited houseboat trip through connected lakes in the province of Ontario in Canada by the author, her two older children, her mother, and her aunt and uncle (who had taken a similar journey some years before). The ultimate destination is to revisit the site where the author's impressive grandmother had formerly gathered her family for marvelous, meaningful times over the decades during their engaging Canadian summers. The story continues with brief updates two and four years following the trip.

Ms. Rapoport has an ability to be open with her reader that is very rare and enchanting. You find out as much about her anxieties, her setbacks and her impractical side as you do about her many impressive gifts. There's a quiet humility woven throughout the book that makes an uplifting and thoughtful family story more original and refreshing. She then makes the story spiritually breathtaking by exploring the roots and meaning of her religious faith.

She uses the houseboat trip to give you a sense of her family, her antecedents, her friends and herself. At the same time, she raises universal questions about what time is and isn't, how we change and don't change and how we might access what is difficult to grasp or is denied to us. Her sincere questioning will resonate with any reader who has ever waxed nostalgic for another time and place, and wondered how one might regain some of that connection.

Beyond that, she looks into the future to plan ahead for how to deal with death and loss.

With all of her far-flung perspectives (which include thoughts about Jewish scholarship during medieval Europe, living in Manhattan, venturing from the quiet tranquility of Canada, and the incipient challenges of raising a third child who will be born when she is 44), you also emerge with a sense of being in the present that can make life more delicious and meaningful. Many parts of the book will remind you of sitting under a tree on a beautiful summer day watching the birds soar and the clouds scud across the sky. As a result, you will have your own meditations about how to escape the distractions that keep us away from the timeless. The experience of reading the book is very Zen-like in that sense.

Her writing is quite remarkable. She uses simple words, but picks poignant and vivid ones. So the page becomes a jumping off point for an imaginary journey of your own that's independent of her story. You are never left behind as she gently draws your attention alternatively to the horizon and to yourself. Each idea is carefully developed from every possible angle so that you can take your time to absorb the gentle wisdom of what is being described.

I hope that you will find this book (and its beguiling photographs) as intriguing as I did. Perhaps you, too, will someday take a leisurely houseboat journey with your family. I hope you will. In the meantime, House on the River will be a memorable substitute as you temporarily join Ms. Rapoport's family.

This is an excellent reference for those who wish to build a sailing dinghy using traditional methods. However, it is somewhat dated. The book acts as though things like plywood and epoxy are not in existence. You'll have to go a long way to convince me that copper rivets are better than weatherproof deck screws. Regardless, if you are trying to understand traditional methods of small craft construction, this book is a real time saver.

If you have never built a boat and are afraid to get in over your head, this "How To" book offers the perfect beginner's project. The 11' 6" Shellback Dinghy is a great boat for kids or adults who want to get out and do some exploring or fishing in protected waters--good for rowing and sailing. You can build it from scratch or buy the kit which comes with a jig and pre-cut pieces; so you don't need an elaborate shop. (...)

We use this book for the Ocean Sailing Class that we teach (soundsailingcenter.com). The book is straighforward, authoritative, and to the point. Covers a lot of material. Very good value. Some of the descriptions about the difficulty in dealing with heavy weather are so direct in a German sort of a way, that they are funny (I was reading the book initially while sailing upwind in 40-50 knots in our J44. The pounding was intense. The author writes something to the effect that 'in heavy weather, when sailing upwind in a modern, well built boat, it will seem that the boat will break apart from the pounding, but it will not'. We had a good laugh about that section, since it was exactly what we were thinking.

WOW, WHAT A BOOK. GREAT, IN-DEPTH DETAILS AND INSTRUCTIONS. EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR FIBERGLASS PROJECTS, LIKE, MY OLD BOAT RESTORATION!
THANKS,
CHRIS RASCHKA

If you like sailing stories then you will love this collection of three tales. The author has made some fantastic journies and the first two tales describe some of these journies and are told in the author's fascinating style. The third tale relates to the trials and tribulations as to how the author built a boat for his family, and then won numerous races in her.

I may be biased but I still think this is one of the best books I have ever read.