Adrift: 100 Charts that Reveal Why America is on the Brink of Change

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Anyone battling demons of their own will find solace in Callahan's struggle to survive, which is a metaphor for all mens' struggles to survive an often hostile world with often insurmountable odds. This book had all the elements of stories that I usually really like: an adventurous goal, a sudden disaster and perseverance and resourcefulness to overcome the odds. Yet, I DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I’ll start off with praise for the book. The story is simply amazing and the woman will go down in history as one of the most tenacious survivors at sea. Just her navigational skill is something to be admired by 21st century sailors who rely on the whims of the electronic world. Having at least a passing knowledge of nautical terms is helpful when reading this book but not necessary. Callahan does a great job at making his narrative relatable to most people. This book is part memoir, part survival guide, and part contemplation on life. The technical descriptions and diagrams are balanced out by his lyrical writing style. It was a little odd at first that it was written in present tense, but it made the story come alive. I could hardly put it down. From the moments that made me laugh to the moments that made my eyes sting to the moments that made me reflect inwards, this book is truly a treasure. And Callahan tells it with a poetic profundity. I liked that this is not another book where the person in need finds God and the whole book is about that. What I also liked that she was not shy to tell us how stupid she acted and how she swore. it did feel honest to me.I'll refrain from telling the reader of this review too much more about what happens next, because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone. Callahan departed Newport, Rhode Island, United States, in 1981 on the Napoleon Solo, a 6.5-meter (21.3-foot) sloop he designed and built himself, single-handedly sailed the boat to Bermuda, and continued the voyage to England with friend Chris Latchem. [2] He had left Cornwall that fall, bound for Antigua as part of the Mini Transat 6.50 single-handed sailing race from Penzance, England, but dropped out of the race in La Coruña, Spain. Bad weather had sunk several boats in the fleet and damaged many others including the Napoleon Solo. Callahan made repairs and continued voyaging down the coast of Spain and Portugal, out to Madeira and the Canaries. He departed El Hierro in the Canary Islands on January 29, 1982, still headed for Antigua. In a growing gale, seven days out, his vessel was badly holed by an unknown object during a night storm, and became swamped, although it did not sink outright due to the watertight compartments Callahan had designed into the boat. In his book, Callahan writes that he suspects the damage occurred from a collision with a whale. [2] [3] Sinking [ edit ] It felt mean and unnecessary. My feelings were right cause in the end she wrote about his parents who are English....That they were cold because they did not show their emotions in front of her"That pissed me of to no end. Her children didn’t read the book when it was released, they were too young, but they knew “Mommy was in a hurricane.” It’s in the past. I like to read survival stories and there are very good ones out there like Adrift by Steve Callahan and Jungle by Joshi Ginsberg (I hope I wrote the correct names) They are excellent.

Adrift is about one man's solitary journey, both internal and external, on the perilous ledge between life and death. Steven Callahan is attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Antigua, but before he departs, an elderly fisherman points to his vessel, the 21' long Napoleon Solo, and says, "In such a small boat? Tonto!" (Fool) The rest of the journey is fraught with danger, starting from when the Napoleon Solo capsizes and sinks, forcing Callahan to abandon ship in a rubber lifeboat.I think this book would be enjoyed more by someone who works with their hands and can appreciate Callahan's connection with his boat and skill in patching up equipment failures. I expected some technical details, but these were more numerous than I liked. Callahan, Steven. "The Life Raft: Don't Leave Your Ship Without It". Ocean Navigator Magazine . Retrieved 21 July 2012.

Picture yourself in a tropical climate, sailing out to sea with your fiance. Life is perfect; you're young and in love. Then picture everything going horribly wrong. You inadvertently sail into a hurricane, you're injured, and you wake up to find that your loved one is gone. Your boat's motor is shot and your masts have disappeared. Utterly alone, you're weeks from dry land. Ashcraft investigated further and found the navigation system, and the emergency position-indicating radio device, were broken. Ten years on, she met another man with ‘captivating blue eyes’ at a dance. She went on to marry him and have two children. The family live on San Juan Island, where Ashcraft can be at peace with what she went through. Gleiberman, Owen (May 31, 2018). "Film Review: 'Adrift' ". Variety. Penske Business Media . Retrieved May 31, 2018. What at first seemed like a good business decision for a couple as much in love with sailing as they were with each other soon became a nightmare.The ocean, the sharks, the weather, and hunger are all metaphors for the demons we all battle on a daily basis: joblessness, despair, jealousy, hatred, vengeance. Yet, despite the terrible privations he experiences, Callahan also experiences moments of profound solace: I recommend this book to anyone who wants a beginners look at oceanic pollution. This book is not too overwhelming, but does not water down it's subject, pun intended. This book doesn't blame the reader, but warns them of the harmful effects of plastic waste.

It all begins with entering a race........and once his beloved SOLO is lost, what if's and survival is the name of the game for Steven Callahan's 1982 life-raft ADRIFT across half the Atlantic Ocean. I also think the environmental element could have been played up more. It was mentioned, but a opportunity to really drill it home was missed. Callahan, Steven (1997-04-01), "Catamaran Overview: Catapulting to the Future", Cruising World , retrieved 2007-08-16Steven Callahan, an accomplished sailor, decided to build his own sailboat after he and his wife divorced. Once built, he sailed it to England where he intended to enter a boat race that takes place every year. The race is from England to the Caribbean. The book is very short and can be read in less than a day, which is also unfortunate. Not many people have experienced what the author went through and I believe her ordeal deserved a more detailed description. Perhaps a ghost writer could have helped this author dig deeper into her mind and soul to better describe the loneliness and desparation of the untenable situation. The raft drifted westward with the South Equatorial Current and the trade winds. After exhausting the meagre food supplies he had salvaged from the sinking sloop, Callahan survived by "learning to live like an aquatic caveman". He ate primarily mahi-mahi as well as triggerfish, which he speared, along with flying fish, barnacles, and birds that he captured. The sea life was all part of an ecosystem that evolved and followed him for 1,800 nautical miles (3,300 km) across the ocean. He collected drinking water from two solar stills and various improvised devices for collecting rainwater, which together produced on average just over a pint of water per day. [4] There was a third solar still; however, because the stills he had were an early World War II prototype without supplied instructions, Callahan had to cut and destroy one of the stills to reverse-engineer how they worked. Nevertheless, these stills surely saved Callahan's life.