First You Have to Row a Little Boat

Bode ( Blue Sloop at Dawn ) uses his great love of sailing as a metaphor for the tides of life. Describing his own introduction to sailing at age 12, he stresses the importance of mastering the simple, small things before attempting more complicated actions. Later the author purchases a blue sloop, matures and, as a grown man with children, decides to sell the sloop and sail into new, uncharted waters, assuming he will never forget the many important lessons the boat taught him. Other themes include complacency (``Going with the Wind''), confusion (``Fogbound''), forgiveness (``A Forgiving Boat''), and violence (``A Lazy Sailor at Heart''). Determinedly inspirational, this book will appeal to admirers of Robert Fulghum et al. (May)