Book Recommendation: The Sailor’s Bookshelf: Fifty Books To Know The Sea

This morning I was searching for a podcast to listen to during my workout at my gym. I do strength training and usually spend about an hour each time I go. I favor podcasts related to the research I am doing for my book, “Heroes By The Hundreds: The Saga of the USS Franklin.”

I scrolled through a couple of history podcasts failing to find anything of interest, so then selected the podcasts of the U.S. Naval Institute. There I found an interview with Admiral James Stavridis, USN (RET.). I had read his earlier book, “Sailing True North: Ten Admirals and the Voyage of Character.” I immediately started listening to the podcast which interviewed him about his book, “The Sailor’s Bookshelf: Fifty Books to Know The Sea.”

I came home and immediately downloaded the Kindle version. The book is divided into four parts, seas, researchers, seafarers in novels, and seafarers in non-fiction. Each chapter covers a different book, and the admiral spends three or four pages discussing why it’s relevant and why he chose it for inclusion. He makes a very good case for each book and his writing is very engaging (but I’m still not going to reread Moby Dick!).

I found that I had read about half a dozen of the books, mostly novels, but I immediately created a list and chose eight, equally divided between fiction and non-fiction that I hope will give me insight into character, leadership, and ship handling as I research and write my book.

If you know someone in or contemplating a career in any country’s sea service,  or if you are just a fan of naval literature, this book will be a valuable addition to your library. I’m glad to have it in mine.