What one book would you recommend to take on a long ocean voyage?

[islandwoman]

What one book would you recommend to take on a long ocean voyage?  Copy and paste the list and add your recommendation to it, so that all of the ideas will be together in case anyone wants to copy them.  I'll start:

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

[LHT28]

The Source  by James Mitchener 

should last you all cruise  😉

 

[rkacruiser]

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal.  Writing a daily summary/report of your cruise and your experiences aboard and ashore will return good memories for you when you read it in the future, perhaps, particularly, when one can no longer travel again.  

 

Keeping a good journal will also help when one looks at the photos that one takes and wonders:  why did I take a picture of that?

 

And, remembering the people with whom you meet during your cruise:  record last names as well as first names, if possible.  Maybe some information about them.  As I read mine from my 2008 world cruise, "Fred and Ethel" keep appearing in my writings.  But, who were "Fred and Ethel"?  "Joe and Jill" are memorable to me while "Fred and Ethel" I don't remember, but, since they keep making appearances in my writing, they must have been significant folks to me during my cruise.  

[shipgeeks]

Yes, a journal!  I have done so for years, in place of photos; I love reading through them in later years (or weeks).

If I'm cruising to a destination (such as the Mediterranean), I try to find one or more novels set in a place where I'll be, or a book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that visit.

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Anything by James Mitchener!  “The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk...a great way to learn about WW II...as a novel.  “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham...a personal history of the Atlantic crossing.  JMG tells many of his personal stories involving the world’s greatest ocean liners...a great historical and social record.  

Edited March 25, 2021 by CGTNORMANDIE

[GlobalMethod]

Nice topic ... I'm sure it was meant as the 1 book out of the many you might read, as we sometimes read several on a longer cruise ... also picking 1 book is like trying to say what is your favorite cocktail on a cruise ... very difficult to pick 1 when you might enjoy many ... 🙂 ... Our normal sea day includes reading after breakfast on the back deck area ...

 

I like the adventure in a Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For' so much that I've read it again about every 4 years since it was published in 2010. I've read all the Lee Child's Jack Reacher books but in this novel Reacher takes on an evil family (the Duncans) that is terrorizing a farming area of Nebraska and employs ten 300+ pound ex cornhusker football players to do the bullying of the local folk. 

 

Reacher doesn't like bullies.

 

The story explands as the Duncans are part of a criminal enterprise that stretches across the globe.

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, GlobalMethod said:

I'm sure it was meant as the 1 book out of the many you might read, as we sometimes read several on a longer cruise ... also picking 1 book is like trying to say what is your favorite cocktail on a cruise ... very difficult to pick 1 when you might enjoy many .

 

😃 Well said!  I have found interesting books to read by browsing through a ship''s library (if there is one).  

 

19 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Anything by James Mitchener!  “The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk...a great way to learn about WW II...as a novel.  “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham...a personal history of the Atlantic crossing.  JMG tells many of his personal stories involving the world’s greatest ocean liners...a great historical and social record.  

 

Excellent suggestions except "anything by James Mitchener".  If Poland is a book chosen, if the reader is like me, it will never get finished and--on a ship--would probably throw the thing overboard which would not be a good idea--polluting the ocean, you know.  

 

On 3/23/2021 at 5:38 PM, shipgeeks said:

 I try to find one or more novels set in a place where I'll be

 

I do as well.  When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.  Examples:  submarine warfare around Japan during WW II, the Battle of Leyte Gulf near the Phillippines, the sinking of the Mikhail Lermontov when sailing in New Zealand waters, etc.  Before sailing on my Baltic Cruise, I had read about the loss of the Wilhelm Gustloff towards the end of WW II and could not help remembering/thinking about that tragedy when I was sailing in the vicinity where it took place.  And, of course, one cannot sail trans-Atlantic without remembering Andrea Doria,  Lusitania, and Titanic.  

Edited March 25, 2021 by rkacruiser

[GlobalMethod]

12 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

I have found interesting books to read by browsing through a ship''s library (if there is one).  

Yes ...this is a good habit even in the modern era since there can be 'technical difficulties' when trying to read electronic books ... we always carry 1 'real book' just in case we run into some strange tech  circumstance ... we have 'borrowed' a library book on 1 Azamara cruise only to return on our next cruise with them, stocking them with extra books! ... 🙂 ...

[GlobalMethod]

On 3/23/2021 at 10:26 PM, rkacruiser said:

why did I take a picture of that?

We've done so much travel and been to so many ports that we've cut way back on pictures and notes, just for the reasons, you are describing.

 

We've made it our motto that our travels are more about enjoying the journey, than recording particular new destinations, people, or events. 

 

For many, your well intended comment is probably a good suggestion.

[TeaBag]

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

[islandwoman]

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

The Source  by James Mitchener 

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal

Anything by James Mitchener

"The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk

 “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham

Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For'

one or more novels set in a place where I'll be

a book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that visit

When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken   place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

 

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

23 hours ago, islandwoman said:

Keep them coming! 

 

Books by Brian David Bruns, a former Carnival Cruise Lines crew member.  An example of a title:  Ship for Brains:  This ain't no galley tour.

 

Books by Mark Greaney whose "hero" is a character called "The Gray Man".  An example of a title:  Agent in Place.

 

I am a Tom Clancy fan and if you have not read any of his books when he authored them solely, any and all would be recommended by me.  Since he has passed, Mr. Greaney has been the author of many of the post-Clancy books that include Mr. Clancy's name.  That's how I first became acquainted with him as an author.  Of those gentlemen who have written such post-Clancy books, I consider Mr. Greaney to be the best of the group.

 

[PaperSniper4]

What one 'book'? A Kindle Fire or eReader packed with as many ebooks as would fit......😉

 

Doug

[jondfk]

Simple:

 

The Path Between the Seas, the definitive story of the building of the Panama canal.

By David McCullough.

 

Every cruiser should read it once, in all its 700 pages!

[islandwoman]

On 4/23/2021 at 4:25 PM, islandwoman said:

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

The Source  by James Mitchener 

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal

Anything by James Mitchener

"The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk

 “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham

Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For'

One or more novels set in a place where I'll be

A book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that   visit

When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken   place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Books by Brian David Bruns, a former Carnival Cruise Lines crew member.  An example of a title:  Ship for Brains:  This ain't no galley tour.

Books by Mark Greaney whose "hero" is a character called "The Gray Man".  An example of a title:  Agent in Place

The Path Between the Seas, the definitive story of the building of the Panama canal.

By David McCullough

 

 

 

 

[PurpleHays]

One book that takes me at least a week to read and that I re-read every three years or so is Stephen King's "The Stand". I read it at the beginning of the pandemic (it was time--last time was in 2017), so I'll be due again for our planned TA in late 2022.

[dave_k58]

On 4/23/2021 at 3:25 PM, islandwoman said:

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

The Source  by James Mitchener 

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal

Anything by James Mitchener

"The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk

 “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham

Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For'

one or more novels set in a place where I'll be

a book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that visit

When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken   place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

 

On 4/23/2021 at 3:25 PM, islandwoman said:

all the books by Daniel Silva - they are very realistic spy and political  thrillers.  They all take place in various European countries. They appeal to me, especially the very descriptive parts about various parts of European cities. 

 

 

 

 

 

[islandwoman]

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

The Source  by James Mitchener 

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal

Anything by James Mitchener

"The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk

 “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham

Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For'

one or more novels set in a place where I'll be

a book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that visit

When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken   place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Books by Brian David Bruns, a former Carnival Cruise Lines crew member.  An example of a title:  Ship for Brains:  This ain't no galley tour.

Books by Mark Greaney whose "hero" is a character called "The Gray Man".  An example of a title:  Agent in Place

The Path Between the Seas, the definitive story of the building of the Panama canal.

By David McCullough

Stephen King's "The Stand"

all the books by Daniel Silva

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, islandwoman said:

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

One of my all-time favourites...

 

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

[islandwoman]

Great suggestions   Keep them coming!  Here's the list so far.  Did I miss anyone's?

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

The Source  by James Mitchener 

A book with blank pages, i.e. a journal

Anything by James Mitchener

"The Winds Of War” by Herman Wouk

 “The Only Way To Cross” by John Maxtone Graham

Jack Reacher book by Lee Childs titled 'Worth Dieing For'

one or more novels set in a place where I'll be

a book about a place, such as the one about the history of the Tower of Pisa I read before that visit

When I am going to be sailing in areas of the ocean where significant maritime events have taken   place, I will try to find some books to read when I am in that area.

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Books by Brian David Bruns, a former Carnival Cruise Lines crew member.  An example of a title:  Ship for Brains:  This ain't no galley tour.

Books by Mark Greaney whose "hero" is a character called "The Gray Man".  An example of a title:  Agent in Place

The Path Between the Seas, the definitive story of the building of the Panama canal.

By David McCullough

Stephen King's "The Stand"

all the books by Daniel Silva

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

[4774Papa]

On 3/22/2021 at 10:22 PM, islandwoman said:

What one book would you recommend to take on a long ocean voyage?  Copy and paste the list and add your recommendation to it, so that all of the ideas will be together in case anyone wants to copy them.  I'll start:

 

Mark Twain:  Innocents Abroad

I don't like taking books that I want to keep on a cruise.  I generally take historical fiction or mysteries (paperbacks) so I can leave them in the ship's library or give them to others to read.   I usually read about 3-4 books in a TA.

[Etta1213]

Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl

[RGEDad]

For Sci-Fi Fans: Based on greatness of the material - and tonnage of pages:

Not gonna get through these in an afternoon speed read...

 

Heinlein - Future Histories (A compilation of many shorter stories - In sort of a time line sequence)

Heinlein -Time Enough for Love

Herbert - Dune

Tolkien - The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Weber - Off Armageddon Reef

 

I "read" via Audible Books these days - easier on the tired old eyes. Only real issue is having to rewind to get back to when I dozed off...

[gerryuk]

War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy. 

[Teeara]

On 10/10/2021 at 11:58 AM, RGEDad said:

For Sci-Fi Fans: Based on greatness of the material - and tonnage of pages:

Not gonna get through these in an afternoon speed read...

 

Heinlein - Future Histories (A compilation of many shorter stories - In sort of a time line sequence)

Heinlein -Time Enough for Love

Herbert - Dune

Tolkien - The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Weber - Off Armageddon Reef

 

I "read" via Audible Books these days - easier on the tired old eyes. Only real issue is having to rewind to get back to when I dozed off...

Dune and the Dune Encyclopedia would be a good choice especially if you've never read Dune.   Really looking forward to digging back into Dune after a good couple of decades away from the series.  Movie reviews are coming out and they sound pretty good.

 

My dad used to read us his Heinlein books when we were kids.  We loved Farmer in the Sky and Have Space Suit Will Travel.  Great kid books.

 

I would also add any of the Dragonriders of Pern books by Anne McCaffrey as well.  Add all of them to your Kindle and you're set for the TA ;o)

 

Or the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel.  I read those annually as well.

Edited October 22, 2021 by Teeara