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Product Description
Two Years Before the Mast is a book by the American author Richard Henry Dana, Jr., written after a two-year sea voyage starting in 1834 and published in 1840. A film adaptation under the same name was released in 1946.
While at Harvard College Dana had an attack of the measles which affected his sight. Thinking it might help his sight, Dana, rather than going on a Grand Tour as most of his classmates traditionally did (and unable to afford it anyway), and being something of a non-conformist, left Harvard to enlist as a common sailor on a voyage around Cape Horn, on the brig Pilgrim. He returned to Massachusetts two years later aboard the Alert (which left California sooner than the Pilgrim).
He kept a diary throughout the voyage, and after returning he wrote a recognized American classic, Two Years Before the Mast, published in 1840, the same year of his admission to the bar. (Quote from wikipedia.org)
About the Author
Richard Henry Dana Jr. (August 1, 1815 - January 6, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician, and author of the book Two Years Before the Mast.
Dana was born into one of the first families of Cambridge, Massachusetts, grandson of Francis Dana, and attended Harvard College. Having trouble with his vision after a bout of the measles, he thought a voyage might help his failing sight. Rather than going on a Grand Tour of Europe, in 1834 he left Harvard to enlist as a common sailor on a voyage around Cape Horn to the then-remote California, at that time still a part of Mexico. He set sail on the brig Pilgrim (180 tons, 86.5 feet long), visited a number of settlements in California (including Monterey, San Pedro, San Juan Capistrano, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clara), and San Francisco. He returned to Massachusetts
While at Harvard College Dana had an attack of the measles which affected his sight. Thinking it might help his sight, Dana, rather than going on a Grand Tour as most of his classmates traditionally did (and unable to afford it anyway), and being something of a non-conformist, left Harvard to enlist as a common sailor on a voyage around Cape Horn, on the brig Pilgrim. He returned to Massachusetts two years later aboard the Alert (which left California sooner than the Pilgrim).
He kept a diary throughout the voyage, and after returning he wrote a recognized American classic, Two Years Before the Mast, published in 1840, the same year of his admission to the bar. (Quote from wikipedia.org)
About the Author
Richard Henry Dana Jr. (August 1, 1815 - January 6, 1882) was an American lawyer and politician, and author of the book Two Years Before the Mast.
Dana was born into one of the first families of Cambridge, Massachusetts, grandson of Francis Dana, and attended Harvard College. Having trouble with his vision after a bout of the measles, he thought a voyage might help his failing sight. Rather than going on a Grand Tour of Europe, in 1834 he left Harvard to enlist as a common sailor on a voyage around Cape Horn to the then-remote California, at that time still a part of Mexico. He set sail on the brig Pilgrim (180 tons, 86.5 feet long), visited a number of settlements in California (including Monterey, San Pedro, San Juan Capistrano, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Clara), and San Francisco. He returned to Massachusetts
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A fascinating account of a mid-19th century sea voyage undertaken by a 19 year-old whose studies have been interrupted. His decision to sail with the Pilgrim on the trading route round Cape Horn to the western coast of America changes his life (the land route was yet to be opened up). He writes with vivacity, accuracy and humor, and provides us with a window on to the arduous life of a merchant sailor, constantly kept at work on sea and on land (with the hide trade) by domineering captains and first mates (some better than others). As a result of his two year voyage, he came back Boston and finished his training for the law. He dedicated a good part of his life to the cause of sailors to improve their working conditions. His story is an inspiration.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a fabulous true story of an educated young man's adventure aboard a ship which sailed from the east coast of the USA southwards, round Cape Horn, then northwards to the coast of California before it was even part of The States. The outward voyage alone took several months and the author was away from home for two years. The reason for the voyage was to buy cow hides - enough to fill the hold - before returning to Boston via the Cape again.
Mr Dana paints a wonderful picture of the hardships and the occasional brutality of the sailor's life in the 1830s. Although there some fairly detailed descriptions of the working of the ship, the less nautical reader might skim over these parts without losing the flow of the narrative. His descriptions of life at sea and ashore make this book a real page turner.
The edition I read had an additional chapter at the end describing the authors return to California twenty years later, to find that San Francisco had grown from a town consisting of a handful of buildings to a city of approaching half a million people (largely as a result of the gold rush of 1948/9).
Mr Dana paints a wonderful picture of the hardships and the occasional brutality of the sailor's life in the 1830s. Although there some fairly detailed descriptions of the working of the ship, the less nautical reader might skim over these parts without losing the flow of the narrative. His descriptions of life at sea and ashore make this book a real page turner.
The edition I read had an additional chapter at the end describing the authors return to California twenty years later, to find that San Francisco had grown from a town consisting of a handful of buildings to a city of approaching half a million people (largely as a result of the gold rush of 1948/9).
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book paints a vivid and often gritty account of the highs and lows of life on a sail trading ship during the 1830s. The references to Monterey, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and San Diego paint a strange contrast to those cities today. The only downside is the very detailed descriptions of the rigging and sails, which at times are too much to absorb. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in sailing, history and adventure.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Two Years Before the Mast
This is a classic sailing tale which allows insight, not only into the difficulties of rounding Cape Horn in a sailing vessel but also into the social , commercial and medical... Read more
Published 3 months ago by hamster
Interesting glimpse into a time gone by
I enjoyed Mr Dana's account of his somewhat 'gap year' (well, two years actually) along the present-day west coast of the USA. Read more
Published 12 months ago by aus_books
A fine read!
The book descriprion on this page is good and I enjoyed this edition of the book with the help of the glossary provided in this edition which contains definitions of sailing terms... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 1999
Journey of life and the power of the sea
I read this book after reading some poetry by Pablo Neruda, in which he sparked a renewed love for the sea and its mysteries within me. Read more
Published on 16 Jun 1998
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