Dodge Morgan, at age 53, sailed around the world nonstop in 150 days, the fastest solo circumnavigation ever made. This book tells the story of that incredible voyage, painting a portrait of a hardheaded, warmhearted individualist and the people who helped make Morgan's dream a reality.

John Kretschmer is sailing's practical philosopher – as much a doer as a thinker. And that is the overarching theme of this chronicle of a sailing life. Often amusing, sometimes poignant, occasionally terrifying but always inspiring, his deeply personal account is a welcome reminder of the good life waiting at sea. With hundreds of thousands of nautical miles under his keel, John's adventures have taken him several times around the world, with challenging crossings of the Atlantic and the Pacific, a narrow escape from a coup in Yemen, an unlikely deliverance from a coral reef off Belize as well as more serene, introspective passages where trade winds are blowing and stories are flowing. His crew has included CEOs, actors, writers, teachers, kids – in essence, everyone. John's narrative is interwoven with practical tips and advice in seamanship, but also, and just as importantly, his hard-won insights about making the most of our lives. He truly believes we find out who we really are, and what we are capable of, far from the shackles of land, when we find a place where time changes shape – days may merge into one another, but minutes are memorable. To live adventurously is to live more fully, and that is the life John Kretschmer continues to live. In this book he shares his simple profundities that will inspire those who live to sail, and those seeking something more rewarding from life.

Guy Gavriel Kay, the international bestselling and multiple award-winning author of The Fionavar Tapestry, brings his unique storytelling imagination to an alternate Byzantine world… Sarantium is the golden city: holy to the faithful, exalted by the poets, jewel of the world and heart of an empire. Caius Crispus, known as Crispin, is a master mosaicist, creating beautiful art with colored stones and glass. Still grieving the loss of his family, he lives only for his craft—until an imperial summons draws him east to the fabled city. Bearing with him a Queen’s secret mission and seductive promise, and a talisman from an alchemist, Crispin crosses a land of pagan ritual and mortal danger, confronting legends and dark magic. Once in Sarantium, with its taverns and gilded sanctuaries, chariot races and palaces, intrigues and violence, Crispin must find his own source of power in order to survive. He finds it, unexpectedly, high on the scaffolding of his own greatest creation.

Ghosts. Ghouls. Goblins. Just about every G word that makes your blood turn blue. It's in here. Banshees too. And one seriously baaaaaaad wizard. Dragons. Knights with long poles. Knights with rusty butts. It's all inside these covers. Two brothers who grow up around a house made of blue and white bricks. One becomes a singer and the other a teacher. But both wind up colliding with a tanker truck and die, exploding into space. In here, I tell you. There's also a castle where a man named Rocky falls in love with someone named Katie. Yeah, pretty yucky stuff, I know. That's in here too. But what happens in that castle will curdle your blood, and make you hurl your lunch. You got to see that stuff. Oh, and basketball too. The most famous basketball game of all time is right inside this book. Where can you buy a book with so much stuff for less than a thousand dollars? Hurry, before the author catches on and raises up the price. (This book was named a finalist in the children's fiction category of the Fresh Voices 2006 Awards, sponsored by the Writer's Marketing Association)

"I know you'll want to read more after you finish Sailing a Serious Ocean. And be warned, you'll very likely want to sail with John, perhaps across an ocean." -- DALLAS MURPHY, AUTHOR OF ROUNDING THE HORN After sailing 300,000 miles and weathering dozens of storms in all the world's oceans, John Kretschmer has plenty of stories and advice to share. John's offshore training passages sell out a year in advance and his entertaining presentations are popular at boat shows and yacht clubs all over the English speaking world. John's talent for storytelling enchants his audience as it soaks up the lessons he learned during his oftenchallengingvoyages. Now you can take a seat next to John--at a lesser cost--and get the knowledge you need to fulfill your own dream of blue-water adventure. In Sailing a Serious Ocean, John tells you what to expect when sailing the oceans and shows how to sail safely across them. His tales of storm encounters and other examples of extreme seamanship will help you prepare for your journey and give you confidence to handle any situation—even heavy weather. Through his personal stories, John will guide you through the whole process of choosing the right boat, outfitting with the right gear,planning your route, navigating the ocean, and understanding the nuances of life at sea. Our oceans are beautiful yet unpredictable—water that is at one moment a natural mirror for the glowing sun can turn into a foamy, raging wall of fury. John knows our oceans, and he is one of the best teachers of taming and enjoying them. Before you set off across the big blue, turn to John for his inspirational stories and hard-learned advice and discover the serious sailor in you.

In 2003, casting their fortunes—and their lives—to the wind, the Ellison family embarked on what they thought would be a one-year voyage on their forty-seven-foot sloop, Promise. Five years and more than 25,000 nautical miles later, the family of four returned to the United States and dry land. In this memoir, author Alex Ellison chronicles his family’s adventures on the seas. Culled from a detailed daily journal that Ellison began keeping at the onset of the voyage when he was just eight years old, A Star to Sail Her By reveals his transition from enthusiastic child to capable sailor and reflective young adult. He learned two important lessons as they traveled from port to port: not everything always works the way it should, and change is really the only thing you can count on. “A Top 5 Book Pick” —Yachting Magazine “A Star to Sail Her By is sure to entertain and inspire people who dream of adventure.” —Jennifer Castle, editor, PBSkids “Ellison’s earnest, genuine style is reminiscent of Robin Graham’s in Dove. In crafting a twenty-first century bildungsroman at sea, with a tender family spin, he’ll leave you positively envious.” —Richard King, PhD, professor of literature of the sea, Williams College “A terrific tale of an unbelievable upbringing.” —Clint Grantberry, KLIF, Dallas, TX “In and of itself, this memoir of a 25,000–nautical mile voyage is informative, entertaining, and eye-opening. That a high school student wrote it is astounding.” —Meredith Laitos, editor, SAIL