Gone to the Sea: An Anthology

An anthology of the best profiles and articles from the former editor-in-chief of Cruising World magazine and current yachting correspondent for The New York Times, this is an exciting book for all sailors. Thematically separated into Faces, Places, and Races, the character profiles would at first seem like the most engaging element of the book. However, the book's real excitement lies in the racing stories: the 83-year-old sailor who experienced his first collision; a race for the in-the-know crowd that included a brief encounter with Ted Kennedy; and a harrowing account of Oracle CEO Larry Ellison confronting a storm. Exotic locations, such as glaciers along Tierra del Fuego's southern coast, add drama. Snappy comments abound, such as this description of sailors from Steve Black, founder and director of the Caribbean 1500: "They're just these warped guys who've never seen a day of bad weather. They could be out there on the worst day imaginable and they'd describe it as a 'fresh breeze.'" Sail on! (Aug.)