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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
I found it to be perfect for times when I might be interrupted in the middle of reading, because it doesn't have a suspenseful plot you are dying to get back to every time you put it down, yet each moment manages to be fascinating nonetheless. It's a mixture of high drama and naturalism and historical theorizing. I don't know how politically correct it is considered these days, but it seemed respectful to me. 4 stars because I did manage to forget about it for a long time before I picked it back up again, but I was left feeling so satisfied in the end that I nearly gave it 5 stars. It is a very nice book and I enjoyed it every time I read a passage.
Read this one in high school also, and still think of it occasionally.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Dreaming of lying on the beach drinking coconuts on a tropical island
Solid read aloud with the Husband. One more towards our “1000 Books to Read Before You Die” list. Some of the language is dated in how it talks about people from other cultures. But mostly it’s an amazing, true story about 6 Norwegians, a balsa wood raft, and the vast ocean.
Two of my teens have read it —one for his geography class and the other just for fun because he likes ocean and exploration books— and liked it as well.
Two of my teens have read it —one for his geography class and the other just for fun because he likes ocean and exploration books— and liked it as well.
Especially 5 stars for the edition beautifully illustrated by Eric Palmquist that is available at the Rochester Public Library. When I received this book from the library I was dismayed by its size, like a coffee table book, which made it difficult to read in the bathtub or surreptitiously at work, which let’s be honest, is where I do most of my reading. However, the illustrations and photographs taken during the voyage are fantastic and add so much to the story. There is something on nearly every page and I’ll admit to being disappointed when I’d turn a page and find a wall of text and no picture :) As to the story, it was fast-paced and covered the voyage from inception (I especially enjoyed the “getting the gang together” part) to safe arrival. I appreciated the Scandinavian habit of dramatic understatement. I was on the edge of my seat at times, laughed out loud, and learned a lot along the way. The author’s premise has since been disproven (and some of his ideas problematic today), but he treated everyone with respect and had reverence for the wisdom of the people he studied.
Excellent and very memorable read, and I have recommended it many times over the years.
It remains particularly memorable to me because it was my first non-fiction book. I don't recall why I was in the non fiction section, maybe someone else was in narrow library aisle I had been in. But I do remember the shelf location was about level with my waist, and the title on the spine caught my eye. The jacket description fascinated me. What adventurous journey this book was for a small town tween girl.
It remains particularly memorable to me because it was my first non-fiction book. I don't recall why I was in the non fiction section, maybe someone else was in narrow library aisle I had been in. But I do remember the shelf location was about level with my waist, and the title on the spine caught my eye. The jacket description fascinated me. What adventurous journey this book was for a small town tween girl.