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Two Years Before the Mast

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Two Years Before the Mast

By: Richard Henry Dana
Narrated by: Jim Killavey
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About this listen

 Richard Henry Dana called this book a "a voice from the sea". It had an influence on both Joseph Conrad and Herman Melville, both of whom sang its praises. Dana was a law student at Harvard College who decided, in 1834, to take a break from his studies in order to experience the "real world" by signing on as a common sailor for a two year voyage from Boston around Cape Horn to California. He kept a journal which he turned into a book after the voyage. In it he gives a vivid and detailed account of his fantastic voyage. The book is many things: a history, travelogue, a social documentary and an adventure story. W. Clark Russell, one of the best writers of sea-stories in English, called it "the greatest sea-book that was ever written in any language", and Ralph Waldo Emerson said, it "possesses...the romantic charm of Robinson Crusoe".Public Domain (P)1988 Jimcin Recordings Adventure Travel Expeditions & Discoveries Travel Writing & Commentary Adventure Sailing

Editorial reviews

This is a classic account of life at sea in the 1830s, written by a Harvard dropout determined to set sail and experience the "real world". Author Richard Henry Dana said his goal with the book was to "to present the life of a common sailor at sea as he really is - the light and the dark together." Performer Jim Killavey's deep voice and Yankee accent is a great match for these vivid stories, which don't shy away from the many cruelties and hardships experienced by sailors. While this is an older recording that lacks the precise sound quality of newer works, sailors and those who wish they were will appreciate its salt-drenched charm.

Critic Reviews

"Possesses...the romantic charm of Robinson Crusoe." (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

What listeners say about Two Years Before the Mast

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Terrible production quality

Very very disappointed
Sound quality is appalling and the narration is stilted and lacks natural expression. This totally gets in the way of the story.

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  • Overall
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Gave up

Great story, great concept, interesting idea of a guy going to sea as a one-off but hamstrung by jargon. After a while the jargon became so tedious, you'd have to be a man of steel to keep going.

The narration added to the general sedation being almost like a synthesized voice. The intonation programmed and dead-pan total lack of emotional correspondence. I'm still not completely sure the voice wasn't synthesized.

You'll be finally spiral down to reading this book in smaller-and-smaller doses before you finally give up and move on to more exciting pursuits (like polishing furniture).

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