Book Description
The common seaman and the pirate in the age of sail are romantic historical figures who occupy a special place in the popular culture of the modern age. And yet in many ways, these daring men remain little known to us. Like most other poor working people of the past, they left few first-hand accounts of their lives. But their lives are not beyond recovery. In this book, Marcus Rediker uses a huge array of historical sources (court records, diaries, travel accounts, and many others) to reconstruct the social cultural world of the Anglo-American seamen and pirates who sailed the seas in the first half of the eighteenth century. Rediker tours the sailor's North Atlantic, following seamen and their ships along the pulsing routes of trade and into rowdy port towns. He recreates life along the waterfront, where seafaring men from around the world crowded into the sailortown and its brothels, alehouses, street brawls, and city jail. His study explores the natural terror that inevitably shaped the existence of those who plied the forbidding oceans of the globe in small, brittle wooden vessels. It also treats the man-made terror--the harsh discipline, brutal floggings, and grisly hangings--that was a central fact of life at sea. Rediker surveys the commonplaces of the maritime world: the monotonous rounds of daily labor, the negotiations of wage contracts, and the bawdy singing, dancing, and tale telling that were a part of every voyage. He also analyzes the dramatic moments of the sailor's existence, as Jack Tar battled wind and water during a slashing storm, as he stood by his "brother tars" in a mutiny or a stike, and as he risked his neck by joining a band of outlaws beneath the Jolly Roger, the notorious pirate flag. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea focuses upon the seaman's experience in order to illuminate larger historical issues such as the rise of capitalism, the genesis the free wage labor, and the growth of an international working class. These epic themes were intimately bound up with everyday hopes and fears of the common seamen.
Customer Reviews:
Sailing Socialism.......2003-03-23
Rediker is hardly the only man to notice - though he is one of only a very few to have written on the topic at length - that the Anglo-American Maritime world of the early to mid 18th Century was a socio-political hotbed of burgeoning revolution. To criticize the author for being a Marxist is absurd - the era about which he is writing, and the sailors and specific cultural events of that era, were socialist themselves, though they wouldn't have had the insight to realize it at the time.
Political scientists and economists should find this book of even more interest than historians, as many of the same events in the rise of Capitalism as Rediker writes about are now coming full circle and repeating themselves, with NAFTA and GATT creating the same social conditions that led to widespread - and often remarkably effective (in the case of piracy) - rebellion between 1700 and 1750. As Rediker points out, our very word "strike," in its labor union connotation, originated with merchant mariners striking sail on their ships and halting the movement of their cargoes.
Rediker is a remarkably thorough researcher, backing his thesis with the best possible sources and representing both the Capitalist and Labor points of view from contemporaneous documents. His masterful rendering of the world of "Jack Tar," an average mariner of the age, ably demonstrates that the social upheaval witnessed during the Golden Age of Piracy was an inevitability - as was its eventual downfall. Rediker is not a Marxist apologist, as his critics claim, but a keen and competent observer of statistical trends and social events, which he elucidates with extreme precision. He is less advancing any kind of argument, than simply putting the merchant marine world of three centuries ago into clear focus, and to some degree comparing and contrasting it with our modern landscape.
This is a truly fascinating book, as much for its brilliantly vivid portraiture of the age as for the validity of its social and economic arguments. It would make an excellent textbook for political science, economics, or sociology classes.
No Quarters given.......2000-12-31
First off, before you even think about buying this book, understand that is a socioeconomic study of the maritime profession from 1700 to 1750. The book was written by a Marxist who has succumbed to Hollywood's romantic characterization of the Pirate as a misunderstood individual who only wanted his unalienable rights which were withheld by the running dog lackeys of the capitalist pigs who ran the shipping business and the Navy. Even if he had to murder people to get it.
If you want a semi-legitimate justification of piracy, you may find enough here to keep you happy. Most of the study is a legitmate presentation of maritime economics and the danger of the trade in the early part of the 18th century. Yes, most ship owners and captains were capitalist pigs who would man a ship with a minimum crew and pray they lost no crew members to the many dangers that were common to shipping at that time. Not the least of which was piracy.
His arguements begin to fall down when he describes the commraderie and equalitarian brotherhood that pervailed on board a pirate ship. He intimates that slaves captured were treated as equals. (there is documentation to indicate otherwise including the sinking of a pirate ship which the crew members escaped, but the captured slaves were allowed to drown.
If you are reading this for the economic history of the shipping industry or for information of the quaint Naval custom of impressing their crew (both the Americans and British were known for grabbing able bodied saling men off the docks and encouraging them to join - they'd untie them when they were far enough out to sea) then this book is excellent.
If you are looking for information on a typical sailor's life, I'd suggest "Before the Mast" in conjuntion with this. But if you are looking for real information on pirates and piracy, This book does not provide much. there is is more accurate information regarding piracy in "Under the Black Flag" with a more varied discussion of the possible causes of the choice of piracy, backed by statements taken from court records of the time.
I would not recommend Between the Devel and the Deep Blue Sea as a history to most people as the author is attributing many modern sociological and psychological causes to historical events about which we have only in some cases, the account books for reference.
A Review.......2000-11-03
This text is interesting and engaging, but Rediker's bias ruins the credibility of his arguments. Rediker is a Marxist historian and therefore provides an extremely slanted view of seafaring men. His thesis is centered on the seaman as a member of the working class, and his struggle to rise in a capitalist system. One example of how his bias has clouded his analysis is in his discussion of alcoholism. Rediker assumes that the resort to alcohol is caused by alienation- this draws obvious parallels to Marx's own work focussed on the alienation of the workers (200). A particularly appalling example of his bias is when Rediker discusses the cruel treatment of seaman by their masters. Rediker then asserts that "when Karl Marx noted that the modern wage labor system could not have emerged without the bloody assistance of the lash, he may well have had the early modern shipping industry in mind" (213 n19). Clearly there is no basis for this statement save his personal beliefs.
A remarkable investigation on an original topic........2000-05-28
"Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" constitutes a very serious study on a topic often covered just superficially by historians: the life, ways , customs and culture at sea in the Anglo - American Maritime World in the Eighteenth Century. The title itself suggests the wooden world of the ship, sailing through the ocean with its sailors trapped in the middle of the Devil, or the harsh conditions on board, and the Deep Blue Sea. The first part of the book provides the reader with a wide view of the port cities and trade routes where this maritime culture evolved. And starting from this geographical tour, the topic is narrowed down to the specific aspects and details regarding "Jack Tar", or the personification of an average sailor of those times. It is amazing to think of such a harsh world, very well portrayed by the autor, that was the heart of the English Commerce, and the cornerstone of the future British Empire. The conditions on board were so insane that only the stongest could survive. This reality, very accurately described by the autor, led to multiple mutinies that often ended up in piracy. The fact that English sailors died in similar proportion as slaves in the African Coast, is a true revelation for the reader. A remarkable fact dealing with piracy, that makes this book different from others, is that this investigation prooves that the pirates are the good guys of the story. These men of free spirit that broke away from the strict discipline on board, constituted a democratic but ruthless society, aside of the law, in their pirate ships and communities. Such form of democracy, based on principles of solidarity between the English poor, was one of the first examples of the fight for equality among men, before the French and American Revolutions.
A remarkable, true account of the lives of ancient seamen........2000-02-02
Markus Rediker explores the amazing way in which the harsh conditions surrounding seafaring in the Eighteenth Century built up a unique environment. The wooden world that constituted the deep sea sailor's reality is carefully detailed and well documented, which makes it very interesting and entertaining to read. Rediker reveals the reader what the real world was like, much different from the romantic idea of the sailor, built up by popular culture. He shows how seamen fought their lives caught "between the devil...", or the harsh conditions on board, and "the deep blue sea", that surrounded everything. He takes the reader in a fascinating trip to the most important port cities of the old Anglo-American Maritime World to experience how and where the personality, ideology, psychological and social characteristics of the deep sea sailor evolved. And, the most interestig feature of all, is how a group of brave and daring men decided to break away and declare a war where "no quarter wold be given" to that unfair reality to which they once belonged. Those rebels became the notorious pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy, who are undoubtedly the most fascinating seamen of the period. Rediker's comparison of the tyrannical conditions of the merchant service and the navy, on one hand, and the democratic principals that guided the Pirate Brotherhood, on the other, is a true revelation of this outstanding book.
Book Description
Captain Lord Ramage's honeymoon in France is interrupted by a sudden end to the Peace of Amiens. Finding themselves on unfriendly soil just hours before hostilities commence, Ramage and his bride elude the grasp of Napoleon's secret police.
Customer Reviews:
Ramage's Devil (The Lord Ramage Novels, No. 13).......2006-06-29
All Lord Ramage are vibrant and exciting novels based upon historical naval battles and themes during the 1800's. Very well written by Dudley Pope, a great series!
More adventures of Lord Ramage.......2002-10-08
When the Ramage novels were reprinted, they were left in a mishmash. This one is listed as number 13, but chronologically it appears to be one of five Ramage novels that go after "Ramage & the Guillotine" which is listed as No. 6, and before "Ramage's Diamond," which is listed as No. 7 (see my Listmania listing). The readers are left a bit adrift trying to determine the correct chronological order (necessary to understand some of the plot). The Peace of Amiens lasted from March 1802 to May 1803. This novel starts at the end of the peace with Ramage and his bride caught in France. The author borrows material from C. S. Forester's Hornblower series to orchestrate Ramage's escape. There is then a sub-plot as Ramage regains command of a frigate (although the author seems to forget details like which year he had Ramage promoted to captain).
At his point, history goes off track. The author places the prison colony on Devil's Island considerably before its time (Victor Hugo had things right when he had Jean Valjean sentenced to a prison galley). It is an interesting plot as Ramage uses trickery to capture enemy ships. However the author fills up space with side degressions to describe flora & fauna, weights of ships' stores, etc., when you sometimes wish he would get on with the story (was the author getting old at this point or was the publisher, perhaps, paying him by the word?). As noted by a previous reviewer, the cover art is unrelated to this novel. There are some errors reflecting bad research, e.g., the Dutch still had a monopoly on nutmeg in 1803.
An anxious time.......2002-06-13
The cover picture of ships in battle is completely false. This is a novel of naval guile instead. Ramage is a master of ruses de guerre, of victories with a short butcher's bill featuring his regular cast of characters (cf. "Ramage's Signal"). Following the life-changing events of the previous book ("Renegades"), Ramage is on a peaceable sailor's honeymoon when he finds himself newly behind enemy lines. The story of his escape and pursuit of a devilish captain to Devil's island prison includes vignettes of the oft-blockaded port of Brest, the ifyness of planning an action, diagnosis of alcoholism, the formation of trade wind clouds, messing below decks, books of secret signals, and how to fire a cannon on a pitching deck, as well as various tactical decisions that Ramage discusses with his officers.
Book Description
A lieutenant's rank belying his undistinguished naval career, Richard Delancey finds that his fluency in French lands him a secret mission, but to his chagrin, it goes awry.
Customer Reviews:
Readable, very different from Hornblower.......2003-09-14
This book deals with Lieutenant Richard Delancey's efforts to find a purpose and direction in his career after stagnating for several years. It is the second in a series, I didn't read the first one, but didn't feel like I'd lost much by skipping it.
For the first two-thirds of the book, the "purpose and direction" plot dominated (at least for me) the naval elements of the story. In fact, very little of the book covers dashing nautical adventure of the type C.S. Forester might have written--Most of it takes place on shore, and the ships seem to be just platforms and vehicles, rather than central elements. Naval battles barely intrude into the story at all.
As another reviewer commented, the last third of the book deals with a spy mission similar to the unfinished Hornblower novel. In effect, the book is four different "episodes" strung together. It is adequately good reading, but not brilliant. The most interesting part for me was watching Delancey grow in ability, find a purpose, and gain confidence in himself as an officer and a leader.
Not a brilliant book, but good enough to make me seek out others in the series (this is the first one I read). I'd give it three-and-a-half stars, if I could.
Wooden action in wooden hulls.......2002-06-15
Very little of this series, or this story in particular, takes place aboard ship. Parkinson clearly prefers life ashore to that afloat, his ships serving largely to move his wooden hero, Delancey, from one intrigue or action on land to another. Following an abortive raid on the Breton coast, Lt. Delancey, at loose ends again, suddenly becomes proactive and joins the coastal Revenue Service (as does Bolitho in the first volume of his much more exciting series by Alexander Kent). Eventually sent out of the way as a privateer, he runs into the shore and instantly constructs himself a spy mission (in effect this is the story Forester failed to complete in his novel, "Hornblower During the Crisis"). While crossing enemy territory Delancey gets into the most impossible situations and concocts one preposterous and elaborate cover story after another. It's fun to see how instantly inventive he is.
These are really stories of naval people, not of the British Navy in the Age of Sail. The few sailing episodes are precisely correct, as if from an instruction manual, worse still when Delancey is just imagining what must be happening elsewhere. The stories do highlight an unusual locale, the British Channel Islands (the "cow" islands: Jersey, Guernsey) just off the French coast. They are not romantic novels in any sense of the word, but plotted in a workmanlike fashion to go where the author wishes them to go, no more. There are too few characters introduced to successfully, suspensfully misdirect the reader from the traitors along the way. Parkinson, of all people, should have known to expand the roster to fill the time available. The volume has good sets of maps for each locale. The cover illustration is a more or less contemporary painting but has nothing to do with this story.
Book No. 2 of the Richard Delancey series.......2001-12-28
This novel, first published in the U.S. in 1973, jumps forward over 11 years from the end of book No. 1 in the series. The reader finds himself in the middle of a scene in 1794 with no knowledge of preceding actions. Richard Delancey is still a lieutenant - assigned to the Grafton, a hulk at permanent anchor, after some unexplained incident alluded to in the plot. A temporary assignment takes him back to Guernsey and the coast of France, but he then finds himself on the beach again, unemployed with no prospects.
Being in the right place at the right time, Delancey receives the temporary command of a Revenue Service cutter. His success leads to certain business interests offering him command of a privateer both in recognition of his abilities and as a means of removing him from the Revenue Service where he was a bit too successful. This provides Delancey with some profit, but also leaves him shipwrecked on the French coast and attempting to escape through Spain, just as the Spanish are entering the war. The remainder of the novel covers his flight through a hostile countryside, and action in Leon as he rejoins the Royal Navy.
The story is a mixture of action on land and at sea. Delancey has some interesting interactions with smugglers. Interaction with smugglers was also used in the plot of "Ramage and the Guillotine" by the late Dudley Pope.
This novel contains secret missions, duels, privateering.......1998-07-30
In 1794 war with France gives Lt Richard Delancey his first active duty since the American Revolution. Delancey's previous naval career was undistiguished. He has no naval mentors, so he is pleased that his knowledge of French, gained through being a native of Guernsey, has lead to him to called on for a special mission landing secret agents in France.
Through no fault of his own, the secret mission further tarnishes his reputation and prospects. It leads to a duel. Reduced to his half-pay Delancey is ready to seize any opportunity.
A chance encounter leads to Delancey learning that the Captain of a customs vessel has been injured. He seizes his chance! He decides that if he carries the news to the Customs Collector for the Isle of Wight he may receive an interim appointment to replace the injured man.
It is not a great opportunity. His acting command only has a crew of 20. And his only hope of remuneration lies in figuring out how to outsmart the wily sm! ugglers. But at least he is at sea.
Delancey's brief experience in the world of intelligence pays off. He has first one, then two, then three early successes. Delancey's confidence returns. He has mastered this task sufficiently well that he realizes that the owners of the smuggling vessels will take steps to keep their vessels out of his grasp. Perhaps they will send them to other parts of the coast?
No, instead he is offered a much better job by a gentleman he suspects owns several smuggling vessels. He is offered the command of a private man of war, the 22 gun Nemisis, based in his home town of St Peter's Port.
Delancey has further adventures aboard the Nemesis, and ashore in France and Spain.
I'll close this review with two comments. I know of no other novel of this period that deal with the nautical aspect of collecting customs duty. I regret that this novel lay out of print for such a long time.
Book Description
Mythical beasts or real creatures? You decide!
Big Foot, Moth Man, the Sea Serpent of Gloucester. These are just a few of the mythical beasts uncovered in this intriguing collection of extraordinary creatures. Firsthand accounts and the opinions of scientists weave together a fascinating web of fact and legend. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, you’ll find much to ponder in the lore surrounding these monsters.
Book Description
Harry Ludlow, forced out of the Royal Navy, becomes a privateer in partnership with his younger brother James. But for the Ludlows, murder and intrigue take more of their time than hunting fat trading vessels. Harry and James find themselves aboard the Navy's 74-gun Magnanime. In command is a captain with whom Harry has crossed swords in the past. When James is found standing over the body of a dead officer, Harry's feud shifts into the background.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good an author as Tom Connery.......2006-01-02
This was my first book by David Donachie. I have been looking for a new book by Tom Connery (David Donachie pseudo) & tried this book hoping He would be able to write naval fiction as enjoyable as his "Markham of the Royal Marines" series. Though the writing is a little easier to read than say Patrick O'Brian, David doesn't seem to have a grasp of naval style or knowledge to pull this off. He should stick to subjects He has proven He knows about.
Mystery afloat.......2005-02-01
This story begins with a bang and a shocking betrayal. Following a clever chase by privateer Capt. Harry Ludlow of a Frenchie in the Channel, the initial battle scene has a devastating twist for Harry and his brother James when the Royal Navy comes to his aid. Thrown into a hostile situation rank with dread, the two are soon struggling to survive. This story is far from the upbeat, sunny adventures of Pope's Ramage series, and beyond Woodman's Drinkwater series in bleakness.
Unless you already know your way around an old ship-of-the-line, this story takes you into many nooks and crannies that are otherwise incomprehensible. But you don't really have to know much about square-rigged sailing or arcane nautical jargon (unlike the O'Brian books), because Donachie's emphasis is on the detection and exposure of desperate dark crimes, rather than on the thrilling high seas sailing maneuvers and encounters of most naval fiction. Sleuthing aboard ship is an unusual concept, but given sharp sense here because the accused killer is James, Harry's brother, so Harry is duty-bound to investigate. He must move stealthily, for Harry himself is already in danger from shadowy forces that swirl around an old nemesis, Capt. Carter, who commands the 3rd-rate which rescued the Ludlows but is a man scarcely 10th-rate in honor, with a crew to match.
The English author modestly states that he has had more jobs than birthdays in his 60 years, and evidently none of them spent in ships. With 7 books in the series since 1991, perhaps he's found his calling. His inexperience may account for some of the dense writing and nautical errors here. Sometimes I found it hard to know who was speaking the lines of dialogue, and it took me an awful long time to match the officers with their names, to keep track of who was doing what to whom.
Good but not O'Brian.......2003-02-19
Hard to miss with this combination mystery/detective story/nautical yarn. Harry Ludlow is an ex-Royal Navy officer now operating his own vessel as a privateer. His ship is destroyed, and he and his crew are taken on board the Magnanime, commanded by one of Harry's old enemies, Oliver Carter. James, Harry's brother, who had also been on Harry's ship, and is hardly a seaman, is discovered standing over the body of a murdered Magnanime officer. Harry must find the real killer in order to clear his brother.
Using his knowledge of the sea and ships, Harry worms his way into the good graces of some of the other officers and sailors. A raft of dark secrets soon emerges, including a secret space where several of the men and officers, would gather to conduct unmentionable activities.
I would rank Donachie somewhere between O'Brian and Forester. The addition of the mystery adds a nice twist to what would otherwise be a very credible naval series.
A murder mystery at sea.......2002-09-04
I purchased this novel anticipating some amount of naval action. While it does contain some action, the author's knowledge of the subject seems to be lacking in some respects. He speaks of cannon being run out, loaded, and run back in, and of bar shot consisting of two bars connected by a chain (I can't imagine anyone trying to fire that mess from a cannon - bar shot was two half spheres connected by a short bar).
The main story concerns the feud between two officers, and the murder of an officer aboard a Royal Navy ship. Much of the action seems unlikely, but officers could become tyrants aboard their own ships. A captain commiting piracy by taking supplies from a British ship and then sinking the ship would almost certainly end his career (especially an officer without influence).
The story becomes a matter of intrigue aboard the ship, with various factions, secret routes, a hidden compartment, etc. The plot is based on some of the more evil aspects of Royal Navy service.
Blends a whodunit with naval experiences.......2001-12-14
Devil's Own Luck is the first volume in the author's projected 'Privateersman Mystery' series and is a recommended pick for any who appreciate swashbuckling action, the high seas, and a good mystery. Take Forester and O'Brien and add intrigue and you have the makings of this novel, which blends a whodunit with naval experiences.
Book Description
The only biography of Prince Valerio Borghese--the legendary Italian World War II naval commando whose covert activities shocked the Allies and became a model for today's "special forces."
At the beginning of World War II, Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, dashing Italian nobleman, assembled the famous Decima MAS naval unit-the first modern naval commando squad. Borghese's "frogmen" were trained to fight undercover and underwater with small submarines and assault boats armed with a variety of destructive torpedoes. The covert tactics he and the Decima MAS developed, including the use of midget submarines, secret nighttime operations, and small teams armed with explosives, have become a standard for special forces around the world to this very day.
After the Italian capitulation in 1943, Borghese determinedly fought on as a Fascist commando leader. After the war, he became a man of mystery, variously said to be involved with several right-wing conspiracies, abortive coups, and clandestine activity. The Prince's death in 1974 was every bit as mysterious as his life.
Greene and Massignani have drawn upon official archives as well as information from Allied and Axis veterans in an unprecedented attempt to separate fact from fantasy in this detailed examination of Borghese, the Decima MAS, and the Italian naval special forces.
Customer Reviews:
The story of Prince Valerio Borghese .......2004-09-08
Jack Greene and Alessandro Massignani's The Black Prince And The Sea Devils is the story of Prince Valerio Borghese and his infamous World War II Italian naval commando unit will intrigue any with a special interest in World War II history beyond the generalist topics and scope. Green has authored four previous military titles and Massignani brings with him a special focus on Italian naval history: the two draw upon official archival sources and veteran accounts on both sides to separate fact from fantasy.
Before There Were SEALS, SAS, or Special Forces........2004-07-02
Every major military in the world has it's special elite units. The British have their SAS. The Americans the SEALS, Rangers, and Special Forces. Strangely enough, this trend began with the Italian Navy. Their Decima MAS unit pioneered the concept of small, specially trained units that did damage to their enemies far beyond their size. Movie buffs will recognize their exploits as shown in the 1958 movie 'The Silent Enemy' where frogmen attack the HMS Valiant and the HMS Queen Elizabeth using specially modified torpedoes that they ride into the harbour.
It is nice to see that the Italian military is portrayed here as something other than the bumbling fools so often shown in American films and books. This book treats the unit as they would any other unit, telling how it got started, their training, their failures and their successes. This book is also the basis for a new movie called 'The Sea Devils' although I understand that the project is now on hold.
Book Description
Left for dead after the advent of cheap, reliable air travel forty years ago, cruise shipping in the decades since has been reborn as a $12 billion industry on the cutting edge of twenty-first century global capitalism. Today, nearly ten million Americans take cruises each year, sailing to exotic destinations on floating cities that can cost upwards of $600 million each to construct.
In this terrifically entertaining history, Kristoffer A. Garin chronicles the industry's rise from humble and comic beginnings in the early sixties through waterfront corruption and the incalculably huge impact of the hit television series The Love Boat in the seventies and eighties to the recent consolidation wars. Entrepreneurial genius and bareknuckle capitalism mate with cultural kitsch as the cruise lines dodge U.S. tax, labor, and environmental laws to make unimaginable profits while bringing the world a new form of leisure. Few businesses in America today are as colorful, lucrative, and innovative as cruise shipping, and Devils on the Deep Blue Sea is the first book to give readers a compelling behind-the-scenes look into these floating empires and the modern-day robber barons who shaped them.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Perspective on the Cruise Business.......2007-09-17
I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. It takes you beyond the marketing collateral of the cruise lines to the full story behind the industry's birth and development. The book is a wonderful narrative of the industry's short and eventful life. The author is fairly even handed in his treatment but there are times when you can sense when he likes or dislikes his subjects.
The author's assessment of the cruise line labor policies, environmental record and negotiation with Caribbean Governments was slanted. His view comes off as wanting the cruise lines to be vehicles of social change rather than commercial enterprises. I think he fairly criticizes the cruise lines for not living up to their environmental rhetoric but if the labor conditions are so bad onboard the ships, why are the positions so prized? If the Caribbean Governments are being abused so badly in their deals with the cruise lines, why do they continue to build larger piers to accomodate more ships?
The best parts of this book deal with the business deals that created the cruise industry and the characters that were involved. I have cruised for years and reading this book gave me a better perspective on the strategies and coincidences that shaped the industry. A good read!
Great fun!.......2007-05-27
Travel agents and veteran cruisers alike will get a big kick out of this book.
It's a behind the scenes look that pulls no punches but manages to remain affectionate. Garin simply proves that you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. I certainly hope it doesn't discourage any non-cruisers from taking the plunge.
My favorite bit: Carnival's Meshulam Zonis' line, "A passenger is like a wet towel," which he illustrated by hand motions that wordlessly said, "First we squeeze them this way, then we squeeze them that way."
War ships/tankers to cruise ships....Oh My!!!.......2007-04-25
In the first chapter, Garin writes of the last day on a cruise ship which any cruiser knows is every man, woman and child for themselves....no longer are passengers royalty but more like refugees! He captures the irony of the debarking day that has always made my family chuckle as we tell stories of things we see on that last day! E.g. one poor passenger's luggage broke open outside an elevator...not one steward or other crew member offered assistance....they walked right over his strewn belongings. Anyway, Garin knows cruises and gives a wonderful history of the makings/history of the cruise industry from its humble beginnings to the big business it is today (and the two major cruise lines left). I was particularly fascinated with the evolution of the ships themselves! This was an easy read (and if a portion got dry....I skimmed!). I am cruising in 17 days...will do so with even more appreciation for the experience!
If your cruise reservation is non-refundable...don't read this book.......2007-02-06
I picked this up after enjoying his Harper's article "On the great Ukrainian bride hunt". His writing style and my interest in critical looks at the evolution and externalities of specific industries (a la Fast Food Nation) made this an amusing & informative read. And the long odds that I'd ever go on a cruise got even longer.
An even treatment with a fascinating storyline..........2006-09-03
Being a vacationer who has been on numerous cruises, this book recommendation looked like a certain fit... Devils On The Deep Blue Sea by Kristoffer A. Garin. He does a very good job in revealing how the cruise industry works, and the forces that have shaped it along the way.
The story starts in the late 1950's, when the cruise industry was really nothing more than a way to transport passengers from one location to another. The rich often had a lavish experience, while the "steerage" passengers were cramped and confined to the lower decks with restrictions on where they could go and what they could do. But in both cases, it was still a case of traveling from point A to point B. The airline industry quickly made cruise ships obsolete for rapid travel, and the shipping lines were becoming a footnote in history. But a few people thought that cruising could become a destination in itself, a way to vacation, see other lands, and then return to where you started. But the appeal had to be broad, and the luxuries of first class had to extend to all the passengers. Thru visionaries, financial risks, and mergers, what we have today is a $13 billion dollar industry that is truly global in numerous aspects. But behind the glitter and glamour, there are some less appealing items of interest...
Garin talks about how the cruise industry is largely staffed by impoverished workers from third-world nations who sign on for low base wages and whatever tips come from passengers. To many of us, these base wages wouldn't even support poverty, but they are considerable in the countries where the workers come from. The hours and rules aboard ship are harsh, with 12 to 16 hour days with little time off the norm. The industry also pays little in the way of taxes due to their ship registration being out of country to take advantage of international treaties preventing retaliatory fees. The laws and rights of the United States are not always in play either, as the ship is actually foreign territory. And if that's not enough, many of the tourist destinations are unable to get additional fees from the industry to support their infrastructure, as the industry will threaten to pull out of the port and destroy their tourism. It can be capitalism at its worst...
Personally, this book was better than I expected. I thought it was going to be a muck-raking, "boycott cruises" diatribe, and one that I wouldn't necessarily agree with. But the balance between the story of the cruise lines and the less-savory parts of the industry was just about right. And even the "expose" part wasn't hypercritical. I came away understanding the abuses, but (in many cases) understanding both sides of the issues. And really, it's not much different than what most other industries would do in the same circumstances...
Yes, I'm still going to go on cruises, and I'll still enjoy them. But I'll be even more considerate of the staff that makes it all work, and more in awe of what it takes to pull off the experience, week after week after week...
Average customer rating:
- Flawed (Spoilers Ahead)
- Save this book......in case you run out of toilet paper
- Disappointing
- Loved it!
- Send me an intrest preserver someone! YAAAAAAAAAWWWWWNNNNNN!
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Sea Devil's Eye (Forgotten Realms: The Threat from the Sea, Book 3)
Mel Odom
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0786916389
Release Date: 2000-05-01 |
Book Description
Iakhovas has caused more destruction than any force since the Time of Troubles, but his true objective has been a mystery . . . until now.
When a young sailor's journey is complete, an aging bard's final song is sung, and a malenti priestess faces her most challenging test, the Threat from the Sea concludes in an explosive climax that will set all of Faerûn reeling.
Customer Reviews:
Flawed (Spoilers Ahead).......2005-10-31
Among the Forgotten Realms novels, this book is the most predictable book I've read. In the first two books, Jherek is visited by a mysterious voice that keeps saying the same thing. The voice's identity is revealed, but anyone who paid attention to the first two books should know who it is. I had it figured out before reading the first page of this novel. The simmering romance between Jherek and Sabyna happens, though the irritating drama queen of a hero drags it out. It drags to the point that, instead of being happy when the kiss comes, you're just glad it's over and done with. Jherek becomes something more than a sailor, though that should be obvious, too.
Iakhovas' true form has been revealed before, and it's no surprise when he turns into what he turns into. The final 'battle' is only a surprise because of how short it is. Iakhovas has summoned sea creatures such as giant eels and dragon turtles to attack Baldur's gate and Waterdeep. He did these things to gather a series of magical items, which you think would increase his power. Yet, in this book, all he manages to summon is singing kelp.
Pacys has stayed the same through the first two books, and his character doesn't change here. He's still constantly playing music, trying to compose his epic . . . like he's done in every scene since his character was introduced back in book one.
The dwarf, paladin, and pirate captain that showed up in the last book all stay the same, though Azla's 'alignment shift' at the end could be seen coming a mile away.
The only truly interesting character, Laaqueel, has doubted Iakhovas and, to a lesser extent, Sekolah, for a while now. Can you guess what happens in the final battle? Yes, you're probably right. When I picked up this book, my only question concerning this character was if she would live or die.
I would only recommend this book to someone who has a good knowledge of the monsters of Dungeons and Dragons. Otherwise, you may get a bit confused when a few different underwater races show up. I had to stop and think for a moment to remember the definitions of koalinth, merrow, ixixachitals, locathah, and at least three others races, not to mention the undead known as 'drowned ones.'
Random Thoughts:
- Does it seem odd that, for a mage, Sabyna fights with daggers more than she casts spells?
- Remember how, at the end of book two, Laaqueel was full of faith in Iakhovas and Jherek had become darker? Neither attitude carries over to book three.
- In book two, Azla and Sabyna seem jealous of each other, yet this never shows up in book three.
- Bloody Falkane never shows up again, nor does Laaqueel even think about the encounter that happened in book two.
- I feel like if I had an oxygen tank and a harpoon, I could kill the 'Great Whale Bard' just as easily as Iakhovas. For a whale that measured over 400 feet long, the thing just sat there, letting Iakhovas rip it to shreds.
- At the beginning of this book, Jherek makes a promise to a diviner, and at the time, this seems like a major plot point. However, this is never revisited.
- Jherek is still annoyingly polite and full of self pity, whining about his 'ill luck' every chance he gets.
- Did the ending of this book remind you of 'Jaws' at all?
- Why did Laaqueel need to have the exact same kind of divine intervention as Jherek? When she hears the deity she hears, it falls flat because we've heard it before.
If you're looking to get into this series, only do so if you have nothing else to read. Every character is one-dimensional and grows tiresome, the ending is amazingly predictable, and the action in book three doesn't compare to the other two books.
Save this book......in case you run out of toilet paper.......2004-07-29
OK I just wrote a review for part 2 and said "I enjoyed this book like the others in the series". Boy was I wrong. I first read this series like 2 years ago or maybe it was more I don't remember...Anyway I just reread the trilogy and part 3 sux. If I hadn't read the others and wanted to know how it ended I would have torn this book up halfway throw in anger...so many cheesy things happen. Like Jherek getting some magical weapon that pops out of his arm and can do pretty much whatever he wants...That girl Sabyna, who isn't hot, has some kind of creature refered to as a "familiar", don't ask me what the #$%& it means but for all intents and purposes it means the book is ruined...It is basically a bunch of cloth that can do whatever it wants and wrap itself around bad guys and make them jump overboard...the only reason I liked the first 2 books was because of the huge battle scenes, and there isn't as much of those in this book...there is a lot of talking, romance, and other stuff that takes up space...I thought Glawin was an interesting character b/c I didn't know that anyone could be that big of a tool...Jherek actually starts to become interesting, much to the dismay of the other characters...
The wierd thing is, throughout the whole book it feels like Odom is really stretching it to fill the minimum page requirements he was apparently given, but then at the end there is no closure whatsoever, it just ends...while I was glad about this at the time, it seems kinda wierd that he wouldn't just take out a few pages of Glawin crying over Jherek becoming cool and instead add a little more at the end...
This book reveals the whole series for what it is...a series with a ridiculously stupid plot and great action scenes to hide this fact...only there are few cool action scenes in the third book...
Oh and I know I am spoiling somethings here...but I don't want you to be dissappointed...in this book Jherek makes a promise to do something for this woman in return for her help, everyone is like "Don't do it, it will come back to bite you in the @%^" so he makes the promise anyway...but Odom never comes back to that...so we never find out what, if anything happened...I don't think Odom himself knew or cared, he just wanted to wrap up this series...the only reason I point that out is he really made it seem like the promise was going to end up being a huge deal later on...
Another disappointment...He also never really does anything with the whole twist of Bloody Falkane being Jherek's father...it was a great idea, and it would have been cool to have them meet up at the end or at least give some kind of closure to this situation, but again, its like the people at Forgotten Realms put a timer next to Mel while he was writing, and we're like you have till this goes off...because he just writes and writes and writes and then suddenly stops...there's no rhyme or reason to it...
Disappointing.......2004-01-18
I had to give this book a bad review because it was a horrible ending to a trilogy that showed promise. Although book 2 should have been edited and made part of this book. Ok let me gripe about this book. It takes forever to reach the the main battle between the hero and the villian but the fight is over in like 5 seconds. Iakhovas worked all kinds of impressive magics, slayed huge creatures, and completed all kinds of other mystical feats to basically be stabbed once or twice and bam it's over. Horrible ending. Also no closure either. After this climatic battle if one would call it theres a whole 2 pages maybe. Plus I have to gripe about Jhereks mystical weapons. They are stupid. Plain and simple.
Loved it!.......2002-05-08
Mel Odom has definately became my fave Forgotten Realms author. This whole story built and built and got me reading faster and faster. Each character was continually developing and learning where they fit within the story. This trilogy was one of the best stories I have read, the only problem I had was the death of the Great Whale Bard especially as I love stories with animals that can communicate with humans. Now go and read The Jewel of Turmish.
Send me an intrest preserver someone! YAAAAAAAAAWWWWWNNNNNN!.......2001-06-15
Mel Odom sholuld stay away from Novel writing. This book was so boring and the accual main character was the least intresting out of all the other highly boring characters. Two character I accually like Klinatt the Dwarf. My favorite character and the ONLY intresting one who's short fall-flat end left me dissapointed. The Sea Elf Laqueel was the only great character here. Jherek, was so whiny and self-beaten, before I got even half way though book3, I couldn't wait till I was done with him.
On the other hand, here you have Laqueel, who though started off as a villian was the only character that had any true development. I wasn't ever really sure what she was going to do with herself before the end of the story but, I could tell she was changing. I just wish somewhere at the end, Mel would have been smart enough to have her mention to the other characters, now that she had found a new calling, or even to herself. Every character that lives in a book should have complete closure for it's readers.
Mel Odom has failed to keep what I thought was good in Book2 carry over to book3. I found a continuity error in a few places in this book, that he should have kept track of. For example Sabyna asks Glawinn something of how he knew about her brother, when he never even personaly mentioned it to her in the conversasion pages before hand, or ever! Another example.....in the conclusion battle, there was a point where the story had switched from underwater to water surface, with not even letting the reader in on it.
OH and my biggest complaint......I almost forgot. Jherik traveled half-way around the world for the weapon that would help fight Ikhovas in the end. What does he find? What is given to him by the whales? Apperantly the Witchblade from Top Cow Comics because, he is granted possesion of a brazier that can change shape into any weapon he chooses as he wears it on his arms. I honestly, wanted to close the book and never look into it again. It's a witchblade, plain and simple. I'd really like to see Mel Odom deny that. That is what the witchblade does I don't see how anyone could, unless of coarse they havn't been informed that the witchblade does exactly. It changes can shape into any weapon thought up by it's owner.
The only saving point of the book is the above mentioned character, Laqueel, and the fact that it is the last of the trilogy.
Book Description
Set among the ruins of the Soviet empire, this darkly comic true-crime thriller involves environmental disaster, international intrigue, and an unsolved murder. In January 2000, Rob Ferguson went to Uzbekistan to work on a project designed to save the shrinking Aral Sea. By the time he left a year later, he was under suspicion for murder, and the project had achieved almost nothing: once the world's third largest lake, researchers warn the Aral may be gone by 2020. The Devil and the Disappearing Sea is the true story of a well-meaning man who travels to one the earth's poorest regions in the hopes of staving off an environmental tragedy. Instead, he encounters corrupt officials, bumbling bureaucrats, anti-Western hostility, and a slew of insurmountable problems. As the project grinds to a halt, only the ancient cities, friendly people, and a sharp sense of humor keep Ferguson on the right side of sanity.
Customer Reviews:
this book is good.......2006-02-27
4)
* charging farmers more for irrigation water to reduce waste and encourage a shift to less water-intensive crops
* decreasing irrigation water quotas
* introducing water-saving technologies, at a cost of at least $50 million
* developing a regional integrated water management plan
* planting protective forest belts
* using underground water to supplement irrigation water and to lower the water table to reduce water-logging and salinization
* improving health services
* slowing the area's rapid population growth
5)
* 20 of 24 fish species have disappeared and boats are now sitting on dry land
* All of this has caused the job loss for about 60,000
* farmers are also having problems with "salt rain" which is salt from salt deserts is spread up to 190 miles on nearby farms
* This is causing problems for farmers trying to raise crops such as cotton, fruit, and rice.
6) We believe that this is a very unfortunate situation. The Aral Sea has been receiving a dramatically less amount of river water causing the sea level to drop by 50 feet since 1960. Also, it was necessary for the farmers to use to water for irrigation to survive. This whole disaster was pretty much inevitable and therefore makes the situation that much more heartbreaking. The people in this area just cannot catch a break.
A "must-read" for anyone involved in an environmental conservation project.......2005-12-12
The Devil and the Disappearing Sea or, How I Tried to Stop the World's Worst Ecological Catastrophe is the true story of the Aral Sea disaster - an ecological breakdown in Central Asia that has caused the world's fourth largest body of water to shrink to 20% of its 1960 size. Experts predict that it will vanish by 2020, to the lethal detriment of the many people who need its water to survive. Author Rob Ferguson went to work on an environmental project to save the Aral Sea in January 2000; at every turn he met corruption, bureaucratic obstacles, inefficient local environmental authorities who cared more about protecting their own pride than the vanishing sea, and the Russian mafia. By the time he was forced to leave Central Asia, he was under suspicion for murder. The Devil and the Disappearing Sea weaves the sad but true story with dark comic flare, and is wildly entertaining even as it is disheartening about hope for humanity's ability to co-exist with nature. Perhaps most terrifying is the author's measured predictions of a future global water crisis, as ecological mismanagement expands deserts and overwhelms fresh water supplies. Though The Devil and the Disappearing Sea is written to bring its message especially to lay readers, this cautionary tale is also emphatically recommended for ecological and environmental studies lists, and a "must-read" for anyone involved in an environmental conservation project, particularly those taking place in unfamiliar cultures overseas.
Water Water Nowhere.......2005-09-24
There is a hideous catastrophe going on with the Aral Sea in the former Soviet Union, as what was once the fourth largest lake in the world has been shrinking and is expected to disappear completely in the coming decades. The main culprits are uncontrolled water use, inefficient Soviet irrigation schemes that deplete the nearby rivers, and grand schemes to turn the surrounding desert into an agricultural powerhouse. The most recent problem is bickering between the five newly independent Central Asian Republics that occupy the Aral Sea basin and use its water. Rob Ferguson was involved in an unsuccessful international aid project to change the attitudes of the region's peoples about water use, and to rally public support for saving the sea. Here Ferguson describes the horrendous politics that he and the foreign consultants faced in Central Asia, being subjected to stifling bureaucracy, office politics, infighting, and influence peddling that doomed the project to failure. Short-term political squabbles basically overwhelmed anyone's concern about the long-term environmental catastrophe
Ferguson mostly sticks with the drama of the office politics, and while this offers some insight into the cultures of Central Asian people and the horrors of leftover Soviet-style bureaucracy, he mostly under-reports on the sea and its larger ecological issues himself. I was also a bit turned off by Ferguson's running condemnation (sometimes verging on character assassination) of the higher bureaucrats who stifled his efforts, and especially a woman associated with the project who was murdered, only to offhandedly give them credit in the acknowledgments. There are lessons to be found in Ferguson's focus on the cultural and political weaknesses of the region that will forever stifle progress on the issue. But Ferguson's report wastes much of its potential as a powerful magnum opus on water politics and the looming disaster faced by regular people throughout Central Asia. [~doomsdayer520~]
What hogwash.......2005-06-19
First of all the title is misleading. The disappearence of the Aral sea is mostly an environmentalists wet dream, it is the stuff of legend of hyperventalating protestors. The Aral sea is in fact, not disappearing. The Aral sea is shrinking, like the Dead Sea. This is a problem. However it will not be gone by 2020 and it is not the 'worlds worst ecological catastrophe'.
Second Mr. Ferguson, the author didnt stop this problem, he got caught up in politics and accused of murder. This book does not just document the issue of the Aral sea, it also documents the politics and 'culture' of central Asia. The author, who was an appologist for communism in the 1980s todays explains wrongly how the Central Asian republics were created and their nations deliniated by evil Russian 'imperialists' who artificially divided it into five states. This is simply not true. The lines on the map may be artificial but the peoples are not. The Tajiks speak Persian. The Kyrguz are related to the Xigurs of China. The Kazakhs and Uzbeks and Turkmen are closely related cousin tribes. Before Russia arrived they all had states and wondering nomadic peoples attached to them. Russia helped give them an alphabet and allow them to create their own literary culture and homogenize traditions. Islam had already colonized these peoples, they were merely re-occupied. Now they have made up for independence by ignoring the destruction of their environment. This is where the book detours again. The book blames russia for the Aral sea problems. However it was Uzbek leadership who, during the Soviet period, destroyed and exploited their autonomous country. In the independent period, which has now gone on for 15 years the book pretends how these nations cant take any responsibility for it, as if they are just helpless cultural artifacts. However for the past 15 years they have plundered the Aral sea.
This book is sad hogwash, perhaps good as adventure writing.
Seth J. Frantzman
Limits of optimism.......2004-05-02
Truth is stranger than fiction - This age-old adage could not more aptly describe the amazing tale of a Canadian trying to bring his communications skills to the political quagmire in Central Asia. The reason is the disappearing Aral Sea and the urgent need to face the threat and, hopefully, launch a regional campaign to reverse the dangerous trend. The story is also about the politicians who have taken(or maintained control) over the running of the five neighboring states after the collapse of the Soviet system, their politics now and then to plan away this precious water and biodiversity resource. Add to that situation the ambitions of the World Bank and international consultants to guide the process you get a dangerous mix. Ferguson's account of his one-year stint in Tashkent is a fascinating read that brings to light scenarios that are as hilarious as they are infuriating.
It is not giving anything away to hint at the danger to persons: the author gets under suspicion to have been involved in the murder of one of the local recruits. As the story unfolds one can understand why - and it is a lot more complex than it appears on the surface. One major thread is the interaction of the team of local bureaucrats and experts with the international group brought in to work with them. Ferguson's characterization of the people involved is excellent. They come alive off the page, in particular those of "the other side". The sides of friend and foe are not always clear and can change more or less overnight. All the main characters are engaged in this World Bank-financed grand scheme to save the Aral Sea. It should be added that the Aral Sea once was the world's fourth largest inland body of water. Now only 20% of its 1960 size, experts fear that it will have disappeared by 2020. Urgent action was required and the Bank, with a team of foreign experts, stepped in to move the program forward. How much the local water leadership has been behind the project is another question to explore. Ferguson was hired to advise the public education component, meaning to get the publics to understand the dangers of the disappearing water and to engage them in possible remedies. Following him on his mission to connect with the five public education teams, to share ideas and to get them moving towards the common goal, the reader is drawn into mesh of intrigue, suspicion, greed and much more.
On his travels, Ferguson takes time out to visit historic cities like Samarkand and Bukhara (both in Uzbekistan), major centres on the ancient Silk Road from China to the West. His knowledge of the region's fascinating history is solid and he conveys what is useful without overburdening the reader. He has a gift for observation of places and ambiance just as much as of people. Having visited these cities many years ago and forgotten many details, I found Ferguson's vivid description brought them all back with ease. Whether he explores more remote spaces, climbs mountains or drinks tea with village elders; his astute observations and ability to put his impressions into words make this also a reliable travel guide.
Rich in culture and tradition based on a long and multifarious history of Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek peoples, this region was artificially divided into five states by the Soviet regime in disregard of where the different peoples lived. The underlying regional rivalries and resentments have remained major traits of their relationships, at least as far as the soviet-style bureaucrats are concerned who still are in control of the water management systems.
Yet, the real and underlying issue of this book are the dangers to the region's fragile ecosystems. Exacerbated by Soviet-controlled industrial development paralleled by mismanagement of its water resources, the dangers to the Aral Sea and its environment have been ignored for decades. The region is fast running out of water to sustain its growing population. It is an object lesson for similar emerging crises elsewhere. Yet, politics and power games continue to overrule environmental protection requirements. Increased international interests in the region, not only due to its position close to Afghanistan but also because of its natural gas reserves, have brought international agencies like the World Bank on the scene. Reading Ferguson's honest account of their involvement raises important questions and one has to wonder whether this venture was a good choice. [Friederike Knabe, Ottawa Canada]
Book Description
When commander Kit Killigrew of the Royal Navy is framed for murder by his old foe, the Russian Colonel Nekrasoff, he must plunge into the murky depths of the Victorian underworld in a desperate attempt to escape the hangman’s noose. Before long, he is thrust on an undercover mission to St. Petersburg to track down a missing British engineer and to discover the whereabouts of his secret weapon, the Sea Devil. But in the world of espionage, nothing is ever what it seems, and Killigrew must pit his wits against ruthless secret policemen and beautiful but treacherous women before the trail leads him to a final confrontation in his most explosive adventure yet.
Customer Reviews:
Lunn's trying to be Bond!!!!.......2007-01-10
If I want to read James Bond I'll buy James Bond.
I found this book a load of rubbish - it's too much BOND/BOND etc - it's boring, it's stupid and farcical!!!!
I shall not buy another of his books, which is a shame as I really enjoyed his others - BUT this ---Ballet dancer/trained indeed.
More inuendos than all the Bonds films/books put together!
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- Dead Witch Walking (Rachel Morgan, Book 1)
- Domestic Enemies: The Reconquista
- Down These Mean Streets
- Dr. Art's Guide to Science: Connecting Atoms, Galaxies, and Everything in Between
- Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar(TM) Diet
- Expedition to Castle Ravenloft (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)
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