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A World of My Own (The Mariner's Library) | 
 enlarge | Author: Robin Knox-johnston
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy Used: $28.91
You Save: $1.04 (3%)
Used (12) from $28.91
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 881199
Media: Hardcover
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 240
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.4 x 6.8 x 1
ISBN: 039302900X
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.45
EAN: 9780393029000
ASIN: 039302900X
Publication Date: June 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: in excellent condition
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Entertaining account of an important voyage May 2, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I enjoyed the very British humor of this author in describing his historic singlehanded around-the-world sail. A nice balance of description, technical information, and personal revelation.
 Worth reading with A Long Way & Sea of Dreams August 14, 2005
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Knox Johnson tells a good tale, and it's worth reading. But you have to wonder at his seamanship sometimes. He might have swapped the brandy for water and maybe tried a lifeline when he went overboard to fix a leak in mid-ocean. One also wonders whether some of his mishaps might have been man made. Makes a good companion to Bernard Moitessier's Long Way. No denying the courage and determination.
He now runs the Around Alone race and another book worth reading is Sea of Dreams about the 2002 race. There were 3 Americans and 2 Canadians in the race and the book focusses on them and the Canadian Derek Hatfield who was rolled over in a hurricane at the Horn and lived to tell the tale. terrific stuff. As good as Godforsaken Sea, I think.
A Really Good Read if Accompanied by Other Books December 16, 2004
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a quaint read. I picked it up after reading Peter Nichol's "A Voyage For Madmen" which provides an outstanding overview of all the men in this first-non-stop-solo-around-the-world race. Knox-Johnson waxes poetic about his extraordinary accomplishment, which, of course, he is entitled to do. There is no doubt he possessed the temperment to embark on this voyage. His skills, however, might be viewed as a bit lacking. Nevertheless, he shares his thoughts, adventures, and, on occaision, his shortcomings that occurred during this voyage. As well, there is an underlying psychological drama that unfolds as you make your way through this book. I recommend reading this book, but strongly recommend you read it only after you have read "A Voyage for Madmen" simply because it will be much more informative and provide better insight into Knox-Johnson.
No wonder he broke things so often May 10, 2003
7 out of 11 found this review helpful
...Now, I will admit he was quite young and inexperienced as a writer when he wrote the preposterously titled tome, however, there were times when I wanted to throw him and his book over the side and get on with better reading material. Being curious though, I stuck it out though his many man-made and nature caused disasters some of which could have been avoided it seems to this armchair reader if he'd have laid off the hootch he was addicted to...fresh water would have been more in order instead of so many whiskey and beer bottles cluttering up the larder. His answer to most situations was to stroll down to the locker and pour a shot or two and light up. How many times can one screw up on a trip like this and then write shamelessly about it? Enough to sell a lot of copies I guess and keep us on the edge of our bunks wondering why in the hell he's swimming alongside his 32' ketch in the middle of the ocean with apparently no lifeline tied around him. God forbid how anybody with so little common sense but plenty of guts should make such an arduous journey so ill prepared for the worst and carrying old sails to boot...Robin being an example of both somewhat. Anyway, friends of the sea, it's a compelling book if for no other reason than to experience his many perils and his solutions to innumerable screw ups. Yeah, I liked it but for perverse reasons I suppose since I can play at being a superior know-it-all sailor after cringing through page after page of calamities I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED. Now it's on to his next adventure. Keep it up Robin, old boy or man as the case may be...
Juxtaposition at Sea February 17, 2003
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
A good and easy read by Robin Knox-Johnson who now helps manage the Golden Globe race of today. (2003; see Brad VanLiew's brilliant success in the Class 2 fleet in the news)
Readers should also include Bernard Moitessier's `The Long Way' book of the same 1968 race. It is intensely interesting that where one flourished, the appointed `winner' suffered a long and arduous ordeal. Knox-Johnson describes his exhausted stop in Australia and time at anchor in this book, yet accepted the trophy. Moitessier was far ahead off the South American coast when he took a right and continued on half way around the globe again to rest free of the commercialization the media had put upon the event. Bernard had reached the highest levels of thought and global mindedness, while Robin had been reduced to survival mode and raw instinct. Can you call the "Winner" of this non-stop circumnavigation? These two accounts of the same race cover the range of human limits and ethics and should be bundled together as a set.
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