An Idiot Aboard The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing Bob Newbury Carmelline Matriano 9781542521970 Books
Download As PDF : An Idiot Aboard The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing Bob Newbury Carmelline Matriano 9781542521970 Books
An Idiot Aboard is one of a kind. It combines the travelogue and change of lifestyle genres and then tosses miscellanies of popular science and riffs on human nature and psychology into the mix. It effortlessly blends philosophical discussion with toilet humour (and toilet maintenance).
The author’s irreverent, dry humour and highly developed sense of the absurd produce reactions in the reader that range from laugh out loud guffaws through apoplectic indignation to wry grins of recognition.
At the core of the book is the story of a three year voyage by sailing boat to and around the Mediterranean. On the way, our protagonists encountered blockading French fishermen, sinister Mafiosi, forlorn refugees, the catamaran from Hell and the horrors of The Resort. Luckily, they narrowly escaped bumping in to Peter Mandelson and George Osborne. They were introduced to the dubious pleasures of pontoon politics and were mugged by an ape.
Woven into the narrative are musings on national stereotypes, French shopping idiosyncrasies, the nature of religious experience, the evolution of tribalism, how to annoy men of a certain age in yacht clubs, the ineffable vastness of space, the devastating consequences of electromagnetic pulses, why there really ought to be a ‘bollocks’ section in bookshops, survival tips for crossing the road in Italy, Greek bargaining tactics and the utter futility of trying to outsmart a Portuguese bureaucrat.
This is not just a book for sailors, although they will certainly enjoy it. It is a book for anyone who rails against the pompous, self-serving venality of politicians, paper-pushers, pundits and the press but can still take joy from the flight of fancy of visualizing them all being herded on stage at the end of the party conferences and forced to perform the birdie song (with actions).
An Idiot Aboard The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing Bob Newbury Carmelline Matriano 9781542521970 Books
This book is a bit like the proverbial curate’s egg. It is good (very good) in parts. Some of it is very descriptive, interesting and informative; some of it is very funny, but I’m afraid I got a bit bored with the rather lengthy rants against things the author didn’t like about all sorts of things. He also gets rather involved with technical descriptions of things that interest him, but not me, I’m afraid, especially when they had nothing to do with boating. There was much I enjoyed especially in the early part of the book. However, I feel an editor should have encouraged the author to cut out his hobby horses and stick to the journey. His writing is good and there are plenty of great stories and funny incidents without needing all the padding. Sailors will undoubtedly enjoy it, but I have a feeling even they might start skipping bits. My own feeling is that a memoir shouldn’t be a platform for letting off steam about personal gripes and this book would have been much improved without them.Product details
|
Tags : An Idiot Aboard: The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing [Bob Newbury, Carmelline Matriano] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>An Idiot Aboard </b> is one of a kind. It combines the travelogue and change of lifestyle genres and then tosses miscellanies of popular science and riffs on human nature and psychology into the mix. It effortlessly blends philosophical discussion with toilet humour (and toilet maintenance). The author’s irreverent,Bob Newbury, Carmelline Matriano,An Idiot Aboard: The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1542521971,TRAVEL Essays & Travelogues
People also read other books :
- Wreath, In College A Wreath Willis Novel (Wreath Willis Series Book 3) - edition by Judy Christie. Literature & Fiction eBooks @ .
- The Difference Jesus Makes Trusting Him in Every Situation - edition by H.B. Charles Jr.. Religion & Spirituality eBooks @ .
- Bayou Drama (9780982447567) Darine Davis Books
- Casino Gaming in Atlantic City A Thirty Year Retrospective 1978 - 2008 Brian J. Tyrrell, Ph.D. & Israel Posner, PH.D., Editors 9781935232131 Books
- The Boy Next Door A Standalone Off-Limits Romance Ella James 9781546768654 Books
An Idiot Aboard The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing Bob Newbury Carmelline Matriano 9781542521970 Books Reviews
Enjoyed the book and was thoroughly entertained by the adventures, exploits and observations Bob, very articulately, described of their odyssey.
As folks who are also boat itinerants we have often toyed with the idea of writing up our adventures - perhaps we will now, though whether they will be as illuminating and insightful as Bob's writing remains to be seen.
Will recommend to other folks in the marina's we visit as we continue somewhere to the left of that star over there.
I was given a copy of this book by Bob Newbury
Well, forget the title for a start. Anyone who sails from Brittany to the Aegean without serious damage to himself, his crew, or the boat is a long way from being an idiot.
I was interested in the harbour hopping cruise down the coast of Portugal, as when we did it we sailed past all those wonderful places, non- stop from Jersey to Gibraltar. The favourable wind was not to be wasted, but it was years before we discovered Portugal when returning from the Azores to the Mediterranean.
This extremely readable book is not just an account of the sailing (or motoring according to the weather) but a study of people, places, and the endless quirkiness of human beings under the assault of bureaucracy. I note that nothing much has changed in that respect.
What has changed is communication, the means to which you spend a lot of time hunting for. In our day it was (first) a long distance telephone to supplement the snail mail and the occasional frantic cable which was all we had then. There followed a short period of searching out Internet cafes, noisy, smoke-filled dens full of gaming teenagers and terrible coffee. Now you search with your laptop for the nearest WI-FI if you haven’t the wherewithal on board.
Another change is Navigation. It was all so simple in our day. You had a sextant which couldn’t go wrong. You had paper charts which were more or less accurate, according to the zeal of the Captain. No one ever switched off the Sun and the stars, though sometimes it got a bit cloudy. The rest was down to your math skills. Nowadays the yotties with GPS and electronic charts is at the mercy of mechanical failure, electrical breakdown and the general b----nce of the digital world. I am amazed how well they cope.
A keen (and sometimes merciless) observer, Bob has a way of trenchantly expressing his views which you will find exasperating or delightful according to your own feelings. However I have the feeling that under that crusty exterior is, no; certainly not marshmallow, something with a bit of crunch to it, like dark chocolate. He loves using words with zest and imagination, and his engrossing descriptions are a joy to read. Liz and Bob’s enjoyment of the cruising life comes shining through the setbacks; long may it continue.
Thoroughly recommended.
Laurel Cooper © 2017
This book is a bit like the proverbial curate’s egg. It is good (very good) in parts. Some of it is very descriptive, interesting and informative; some of it is very funny, but I’m afraid I got a bit bored with the rather lengthy rants against things the author didn’t like about all sorts of things. He also gets rather involved with technical descriptions of things that interest him, but not me, I’m afraid, especially when they had nothing to do with boating. There was much I enjoyed especially in the early part of the book. However, I feel an editor should have encouraged the author to cut out his hobby horses and stick to the journey. His writing is good and there are plenty of great stories and funny incidents without needing all the padding. Sailors will undoubtedly enjoy it, but I have a feeling even they might start skipping bits. My own feeling is that a memoir shouldn’t be a platform for letting off steam about personal gripes and this book would have been much improved without them.
0 Response to "⋙ Download Free An Idiot Aboard The Utterly Useless Guide to Mediterranean Sailing Bob Newbury Carmelline Matriano 9781542521970 Books"
Post a Comment