At a turning point in his life, George Fetherling embarked on an adventure to sail round the world on one of the last of the tramp freighters. The four-month voyage carried him 30,000 nautical miles from Europe via the Panama Canal to the South Pacific and back by way of Singapore, Indonesia, the Indian Ocean, and Suez. Written with dash, colour, and droll humour, Fetherling's narrative is peopled by a rich cast of characters, from the Foreign Legionnaires of French Polynesia to the raskol gangs of Papua New Guinea. The author captures the reality of life aboard a working cargo ship – the boredom, the seclusion, the differences of nationality and culture that isolation and cramped quarters seem to exaggerate. But the routine of loneliness or tranquility is punctuated by moments of near-panic – shipboard fires, furniture-smashing storms, even a brush with pirates in the Straits of Malacca.

Important American periodical dating back to 1850.

Sometimes, being disobedient brings unbelievable surprises. When five-year-old Freddie is warned by Toby Littleback, the proprietor of the local tobacco shop, never to touch the jar shaped like a man’s head, he can’t resist. Suddenly Freddie is transported to the Spanish Main, as pirates pursue his sinking ship in the search for hidden treasure. How will he escape their clutches and return home? A cross between ‘Peter Pan’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’, this action-packed fantasy story for children features flying carpets, skulduggery, and gold. Perfect for fans of fantasy adventure fiction. William Alvin Bowen (1877-1937) was an American attorney and children’s author. His best-known work was fantasy novel ‘The Old Tobacco Shop: A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure’, which was runner-up in the inaugural Newbery Medal in 1922. His other works include: ‘The Enchanted Forest’ (1920), ‘Solario the Tailor: His Tales of the Magic Doublet’ (1922), ‘Merrimeg’ (1923), ‘Philip and the Faun’ (1926), and ‘Gossip from the Sixteenth Century’ (1938).