When a ship under his command was wrecked on the coast of Brazil in 1887, it seemed that his maritime career had
ended in disgrace. Not one for retiring to earthy pastures, Slocum rebuilt a hundred-year old sloop and set off from Boston in 1895 on the first single-handed circumnavigation of the globe. For more than three years Slocum battled stormy seas, attacks from raiders and pirates, and of course loneliness. He crossed the Atlantic no fewer than three times, spent weeks thrashing against the elements around Cape Horn, and found shelter in numerous exotic harbours. Sailing Alone around the
World is the extraordinary story of one man's courage and resourcefulness, and has an enduring and universal appeal as a landmark of world adventure.