The Sailing Fanatic
Caswell, Christopher ed. The Sailing Fanatic. Lyons Press 2006 ISBN 978-1-59228-994-3 422 p.
"In little vessels there is joy. In large vessels there is travail and perplexity." Ernest K. Gann
I am usually irrarionality irritiated by books of quotations. They gather the most trite and overworked examples we have all seen tome and time again. It was therefore a relief to see that Christopher Caswell has done a much better job at the task. Yes, there are the usual old saws - Ratty of the Wind in the Willows waxing on about messing about in boats and a sampling of Slocum and Arthur Ransome. But there are some very unexpected entries E.E. Cumings, F. Scott Firtzgerald, Ibsen, Woodroe Wilson, Martin Luthor and Petrarch.
The book is divided into sections on the sea, sailors, boats, weather, engines racing and philosophy. each contains a number of gems I have seen nowhere else. To some extent this is a winter book. One entry that sums it up is from noverlist H.M. Tomlinson (of whom I have never heard)
"The sea is at tis best at London, near midnight when you are within the arms of a capacious chair , before a glowing fire, selecting phases of the voyages you will never make."
I liked this book