Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative (Dover Maritime Books) | 
 enlarge | Author: Richard Henry Dana
Publisher: Dover Publications
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
Buy New: $7.16
You Save: $5.79 (45%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  2 reviews
Sales Rank: 28549
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 320
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.8
ISBN: 0486458024
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.45
EAN: 9780486458021
ASIN: 0486458024
Publication Date: June 5, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
In 1834, a Harvard student enlisted as a common seaman--the result was this adventure classic. Crackling with realism, it offers memorable views of a dangerous voyage, vividly describing storms, whales, an insane captain, excruciating hardships, and magical beauty, as well as fascinating historical detail, including a portrait of California before the gold rush.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Some missing diagrams? June 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I ordered this book in large part because the library copy, also a paperback, had diagrams dipicting sailing ships and the names of each sail, rope, mast, etc. I presumed the original book had these diagrams and each copy as well. It is still a great story but it uses a lot of nautical terminology and without the diagram, I cannot fathom what is a stud sail, what is a ship, what is a brig.
 first first-hand account December 16, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
This book is utterly fascinating. It represents the first lengthy account of a sea voyage ever published by a sailor, and is thus a must have for all interested in maritime history.
Two Years at the Mast was written and is narrated by Charles Henry Dana. He was a rather naive young man who at slightly past twenty years in age contracted a sickness, measles to be precise. During the mid nineteenth century this was quite serious, and he accordingly decided to go to sea for a period of some months in the hope that the weather would improve his health. Little did he know what he was in for. The work of a sailor was and is one of the most difficult, punishing and dangerous jobs in the history of mankind. The Captain of Dana's ship believed it was bad for discipline to have any man idle at any time of day save for a brief period on Sunday. As a result the crew was kept constantly at work, all day, every day.
This book can be appreciated on two different levels. The first is for the fascinating historical insights it gives. It is the most complete and accurate account of the nineteenth century shipping industry ever written. As it is a first-hand narrative the events are presented far more vividly than even the best of historical writing can hope to match.
The second factor to be taken into account is the literary quality of the book. Although it may seem rather dry at first glance incredibly compelling. It reads like a novel, and is far more rewarding in the amount of historical knowledge gained. It is a must-have for readers interested in history and for those who simply enjoy a good yarn.
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