Winter on the beach, even in my Beloved Florida, is not a time for swimsuits and water play. Rough winds do shake the curling waves of spray and summer's lease hath already passed its date, to borrow loosely from the Bard. However, dressing warmly and reading a book or two on the beach is a fine activity for the cooler months.
While any book will serve as good beach reading material, the best choices are those old sea tales from the Age of Sail, when the oceans were wide and voyages took years. Why? You're at the beach... the sea is right there... and you went to the beach to get away, right? So why not enjoy an adventure yarn or two that combine all three?
Joseph Conrad, one of my favorite authors, writes some of the best sea tales ever told. Try his collection Tales of the Sea, which includes Conrad classics such as Lord Jim, Heart of Dearkness, and Typhoon.
For those who like stories with a bit of the spooky, look no further than The Terror by Dan Simmons. This fictionalized account of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to find the fabled Northwest Passage is part carefully researched historical fiction, part mystery, and part horror. I'm not a horror fan, but I couldn't put this book down. Something is out on the ice. You will want to read this one someplace warm (like the beach) with snacks ready to hand.
For those who like stories with a bit of the spooky, look no further than The Terror by Dan Simmons. This fictionalized account of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to find the fabled Northwest Passage is part carefully researched historical fiction, part mystery, and part horror. I'm not a horror fan, but I couldn't put this book down. Something is out on the ice. You will want to read this one someplace warm (like the beach) with snacks ready to hand.
If high adventure in a historical setting is your cup of tea, the C.S. Forester's Hornblower series is for you. The 11 volume Hornblower series is hands down the best damn sea tales ever told. Follow Horatio Hornblower's Royal Navy career from lowly midshipman to Admiral of the Red during the Napoleonic Wars. Start out with the first in the series, Mr. Midshipman Hornblower. Be sure to have the others handy, as you'll blaze through Hornblower's adventures. Forester is not only a good historian, he's one helluva great storyteller.
Conrad's a favorite here, too. Especially "Youth." And if you're writing, Dan Simmons has a very good collection of essays on his site: http://www.dansimmons.com/writing_welll/writing.htm
ReplyDeleteBut the reason I'm here is to say that's the second kick-ass comment you've left at Le R's, and since I consider comment writing an art form in itself, I just wanted to send a note to say well done, and thanks.