Under Sail by Richard Woodman; Little Brown & Co., 1998; 374pp; 0-316-87771-9; £15.99; CA 15178

Those who hanker after the life of the sailor in tall ships at the early part of the century will not be disappointed. Steam is just taking a hold on the main shipping routes and the struggle against this inevitable progress is well illustrated. The descriptions of life on board in all weathers are penned graphically, though your reviewer is not ashamed to admit that a glossary of terms and equipment would have been useful. Students of life under sail will enjoy these passages greatly.

But this is not just a sailing book. It is a thrilling novel with much of the action ashore. The central character, James Dunbar, is a merchant seaman but also a talented artist. This leads him into relationships within the bohemian set in London before the First World War. This story is well told and will be enjoyed by many Cruising Association members for its mix of novel and tall ship sailing. However, for these same reasons it may not appeal to the wider public because of the technical nature of the sailing passages. A jolly good read, all the same. GBT

Page added 2 September1998

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