2.16.2005
Ships and Epics
There is a question at the end of this post for you to answer.
I just read half of "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night and was really into it. I have loved all of the Narnia books so far, but there is something about this book that really captures my imagination.
I guess I have an attraction to stories involving ships. Is it possible to have a story revolving around a ship that is not an epic? I guess the main reason naval stories are so creative and interesting is that they involve lots of different "lands" and "peoples" by necessity. The story isn't stuck in one setting, so the author has to create lots of different landscapes and characters. "The Odyssey" is still one of my favorite stories because of this. I guess of kind of a ship geek. I took this great class in college called "Seapower in Antiquity" or something of that nature that was so fascinating.
So, my question is, for all of you out there, what books can you suggest to me that revolve around seafaring or ships, or anything else of that nature?
There is a question at the end of this post for you to answer.
I just read half of "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" last night and was really into it. I have loved all of the Narnia books so far, but there is something about this book that really captures my imagination.
I guess I have an attraction to stories involving ships. Is it possible to have a story revolving around a ship that is not an epic? I guess the main reason naval stories are so creative and interesting is that they involve lots of different "lands" and "peoples" by necessity. The story isn't stuck in one setting, so the author has to create lots of different landscapes and characters. "The Odyssey" is still one of my favorite stories because of this. I guess of kind of a ship geek. I took this great class in college called "Seapower in Antiquity" or something of that nature that was so fascinating.
So, my question is, for all of you out there, what books can you suggest to me that revolve around seafaring or ships, or anything else of that nature?
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This may seem a little pop culture-ish, but the book "The Perfect Storm" was really fascinating to me. All about fishing boat life, and the technical aspects of how boats sink, and all about drowning. I learned that a certain percentage of drowners (10% if I recall) have an involuntary tightening of the throat which prevents water from entering the lungs, so they technically suffocate rather than drown. I also didn't know that drowning is a very peaceful way to die and painless. Very intriguing stuff.
My son recommends anything on the USS Indianapolis, the USS Liberty, the Bismarck, the Lusitania, or the Titanic - but he has a thing for disasters.
(By now you're probably thinking the whole family's sort of morbid, right?)
We also really like Ernest Shackleton, and there is much in his adventures that is tied to ships and the sea. His books, and books about him, are quite extraordinary.
My son recommends anything on the USS Indianapolis, the USS Liberty, the Bismarck, the Lusitania, or the Titanic - but he has a thing for disasters.
(By now you're probably thinking the whole family's sort of morbid, right?)
We also really like Ernest Shackleton, and there is much in his adventures that is tied to ships and the sea. His books, and books about him, are quite extraordinary.
I have never read anything regarding Shackleton, but there is a mini-series with Kenneth Branaugh called "Shackleton" that was really good. Thanks for the suggestions!
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