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Two Years Before the Mast (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
Two Years Before the Mast (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) | Richard Henry Dana
14 posts | 10 read | 2 reading | 8 to read
&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RTwo Years Before the Mast&&L/I&&R, by &&LB&&RRichard Henry Dana&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R&&LI&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&RNew introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R &&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&RWhen doctors told &&LSTRONG&&RRichard Henry Dana&&L/B&&R that an ocean voyage might halt his impending blindness, the nineteen-year-old Harvard undergraduate dropped out of school and became an ordinary deckhand on the brig &&LI&&RPilgrim&&L/I&&R. The perilous journey from Boston, begun in 1834, took the ailing yet determined youth past Cape Horn and around the Americas, concluding in the Mexican territory California.&&LI&&R&&L/I&&R&&LBR&&R &&LBR&&RThis expedition inspired &&LI&&RTwo Years before the Mast&&L/I&&R, a first-hand account of "the life of a common sailor" and a work that combines history, philosophy, and personal experience. Published in 1840, the book convincingly re-creates life at sea--the beauty and adventure but also the cold, danger, and backbreaking labor. Dana's depiction of the inhuman conditions suffered by seamen at the hands of capricious, brutal, and even mad captains and ship owners was so stark that the book fueled urgent cries for reform. It also was deeply admired by Herman Melville, Dana's most famous literary confidante.&&LBR&&R &&LBR&&RDana eventually became a lawyer, devoting himself to fighting for the rights of sailors--and slaves--in court. He went on to help form the anti-slavery Free Soil Party, work for the federal government during the Civil War, and serve on the Massachusetts legislature.&&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R &&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LB&&RAnne Spencer&&L/B&&R is the author of &&LI&&RAlone at Sea: The Adventures of Joshua Slocum&&L/I&&R and three books of sea stories and folklore for young adults. A documentary maker for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, she lives in Toronto.&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R
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282Mikado
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Pickpick

If you love the sea, tall ships, or have a desire to learn more about them then this is the book for you. The introduction, first few chapters, and concluding chapter are by far the best read. The rest is merely a journal of a seaman on a merchantman in the 1800‘s. The rigorous monotony of his daily life and the hardships he was forced to endure.

282Mikado Indeed Dana‘s concluding chapter tells us this, hoping to dissuade the young men of his age from their perceived romantic notions of a life at sea. The concluding chapter also defines how that life at sea can be made better, and in truth, how everyone‘s life can be made better through a relationship with God. Not a book for everyone, but a good book for those of us who love the sea. (edited) 3y
Pip2 I would have to say perceived is sometimes an accurate word describing life at sea. One really doesn‘t know the good, bad, and the ugly until they have truly experienced sea faring life. From my experience A relationship with God will always be helpful for someone in a difficult or even a positive marker in there life and that relationship is only further developed in my experience with acts that are consciously made to bring you closer to God. 3y
3 likes2 comments
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Bowave99
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Sailing Cape Horn while reading about sailing Cape Horn! #endoftheworld

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rabbitprincess
Mehso-so

This took me nearly six months to read, which is a long time. I found the author condescending at times when talking about the intelligence of other nationalities...very "of their time" sentiments. The sailing talk was authentic but nearly impenetrable. Read this in print or as a properly divided serial; the formatting in the Gutenberg version was wonky.

RidgewayGirl I started that a long time ago and abandoned it a hundred pages in. I do mean to get back to it someday. The bookmark still shows where I left off. 7y
rabbitprincess @RidgewayGirl When I went to write my review, I read the plot summary and had totally forgotten the reason Dana went to sea in the first place! I hope you'll have a better memory for it than I did. 7y
14 likes2 comments
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rabbitprincess
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Dana's review of Paul Clifford, by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.

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rabbitprincess
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Dana notes the difference between Protestant and Catholic vessels.

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rabbitprincess
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So annoying when your copy of a book has pages missing! This reminded me of the M*A*S*H episode "The Light That Failed", where the whole camp was reading a mystery only to discover that the last page was missing ?

RaimeyGallant I don't remember that episode. Now I want to see it. Probably happened to one of the writers... 7y
rabbitprincess @RaimeyGallant It was Season 6, I think 😊 7y
16 likes2 comments
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rabbitprincess
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I giggled. Because the officers' quarters are toward the back of the ship, having too many officers would weigh the ship down (at least figuratively).

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rabbitprincess
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#bookandsecondbreakfast from the Conwy Bakery. This chocolate fudge cake looks YUMMY.

Sace 😍❤️😍 So yummy. 7y
rabbitprincess @RestlessFickleBookSlut It was! I had to save some for later, though, because it's a huge piece. 7y
Sace It did look big. I bet it's delicious with milk of hot coffee. 7y
See All 9 Comments
quietlycuriouskate Good god, will you just look at it! 😍 7y
Soubhiville Mmmmmmmm 7y
AmandaL That looks delicious! 7y
Avanders 🤤 7y
Dogearedcopy Usually, I hate it when people post food shots because the food never looks appetizing; but this looks *incredible*! I want reach out through my phone, grab it and inhale it! 😄 7y
rabbitprincess @RestlessFickleBookSlut And with tea (my drink of choice) @River_Voice @Soubhiville @AmandaL @Avanders It was divine! And there's a bit left over for evening tea 😄 @Dogearedcopy It is a very photogenic cake! I'm glad the photo did it justice. 7y
35 likes9 comments
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danibel
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My first two years in the Navy: a summary.

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danibel
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"Yet a sailor's life is at best but a mixture of a little good with much evil, and a little pleasure with much pain. The beautiful is linked with the revolting, the sublime with the commonplace, and the solemn with the ludicrous."

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rabbitprincess
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#bookanddinner, train trip edition. On the menu today: appetizer of cheese and grapes, main course of chicken coconut curry with basmati rice (accompanied by a roll), red wine, and cheesecake for dessert. 😋

tpixie Yum! Curry and basmati Rice! 7y
LauraBrook Not too shabby! 🍷 7y
rabbitprincess @tpixie It was really good and satisfied the curry craving I had recently. @LauraBrook I always have a good meal on the train, even when the dish contains mushrooms or I have to take the salmon (neither of which would be my first choice). 7y
rwmg Better food than the sailors got, I'm sure 7y
rabbitprincess @rwmg Most assuredly. 7y
29 likes5 comments
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RealBooks4ever
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Ships #floating . I love pics of sailing ships! ⛵️⛵️⛵️ . #JuneBookBugs

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SarahK
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Happy Father's Day to the man that always encouraged my love of reading.

7 likes1 stack add