Great Combination! Sailing and Spy Novel!

[Quantico Frank]

For the both of you who are still monitoring this forum like I am, I thought I'd throw out this book recommendation: "The Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers. Set in the Baltic and North Seas around the turn of the 20th century, before WW-1, it's about a couple of guys on a seven ton, I believe ketch who get involved with some espionage games with the Germans. I'm having fun trying to figure out the boat. I know it's shallow-draft, and I think it's beamy. It has a dagger or other retractable board. It may have a lee side stabilizer. (I'm listening to it on audio.) Anyway, it's extremely well written, and the plot line is great. Lots of old-school sailing gear and fittings, and LOTS of old school navigation and seamanship. Fascinating how they deal (or don't deal) with what we would consider cold weather, but that fits with my experience with the Swedish Navy. Checks all my boxes!

[Wolverine]

I have had that book in my library for years. Just haven't gotten to it yet. Currently reading Jules Verne.

[Riggerdood]

Frank, do you happen to have a link to the audio book of that?

[tjspiel]

For the both of you who are still monitoring this forum like I am, I thought I'd throw out this book recommendation: "The Riddle of the Sands" by Erskine Childers. Set in the Baltic and North Seas around the turn of the 20th century, before WW-1, it's about a couple of guys on a seven ton, I believe ketch who get involved with some espionage games with the Germans. I'm having fun trying to figure out the boat. I know it's shallow-draft, and I think it's beamy. It has a dagger or other retractable board. It may have a lee side stabilizer. (I'm listening to it on audio.) Anyway, it's extremely well written, and the plot line is great. Lots of old-school sailing gear and fittings, and LOTS of old school navigation and seamanship. Fascinating how they deal (or don't deal) with what we would consider cold weather, but that fits with my experience with the Swedish Navy. Checks all my boxes!

Thanks for the tip Frank. Always looking for a good book to read.

[Quantico Frank]

Frank, do you happen to have a link to the audio book of that?

Here you go, Tim: https://www.amazon.com/The-Riddle-of-the-Sands/dp/B001JT6ENI/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2YUFB39GIJ7FV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VQXXjAsPA9FMI6qnd2tmqv3mSCZXo4zkZdugb-8HrKVz-aT7OjRxarFQb07BpkqUhcxBKImfqe8qvhZ42ulG0z0I5w3U7E1DinGRJe9JP-pntHgU0Ns34cx9pjuhqHpyH4ZNwIi-8IjMCR4lJxiLgKvyvcXUeCb_RD2Qzk2t4Q2PLjZ9MxefWZeIUrkKvEJ4bxSm5SJAneZInL6GOFBMhm3z0RQDa5XY2q82BX-s6pk.GuRWEv2rrXq9CLSOm6XqSpYl0Ndj1dc5naPWLl4cn9g&dib_tag=se&keywords=riddle+of+the+sands+erskine+childers&qid=1736082544&sprefix=Riddle+of+the+sands%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5

I actually listened to it on my Libby app through the library, but it depends on whether the libraries you use have it.

[Brian N.]

Thanks for the book recommendation. It may already be in my library, but I can't recall. I'm on a fly fishing book binge currently, re-reading some that have been in my collection for 30 years. Also, concurrently with the fly fishing is practicing on-line chess. The reading is going well, the chess just mediocre  . My wife and I are doing lots of skiing to avoid the winter doldrums, but some good sailing stories will fill in some down time.

[Wayne Howard]

Just Great! 

I'm on the Central Texas Library with Libby and there are 48 books listed, all with "Notify Me" tags. Meaning they are not available to download.         

But that seems to be normal for any book I want to read.

[Riggerdood]

Frank, do you happen to have a link to the audio book of that?

Here you go, Tim: https://www.amazon.com/The-Riddle-of-the-Sands/dp/B001JT6ENI/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2YUFB39GIJ7FV&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VQXXjAsPA9FMI6qnd2tmqv3mSCZXo4zkZdugb-8HrKVz-aT7OjRxarFQb07BpkqUhcxBKImfqe8qvhZ42ulG0z0I5w3U7E1DinGRJe9JP-pntHgU0Ns34cx9pjuhqHpyH4ZNwIi-8IjMCR4lJxiLgKvyvcXUeCb_RD2Qzk2t4Q2PLjZ9MxefWZeIUrkKvEJ4bxSm5SJAneZInL6GOFBMhm3z0RQDa5XY2q82BX-s6pk.GuRWEv2rrXq9CLSOm6XqSpYl0Ndj1dc5naPWLl4cn9g&dib_tag=se&keywords=riddle+of+the+sands+erskine+childers&qid=1736082544&sprefix=Riddle+of+the+sands%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-5

I actually listened to it on my Libby app through the library, but it depends on whether the libraries you use have it.

Thanks Frank!

[Quantico Frank]

Just Great! 

I'm on the Central Texas Library with Libby and there are 48 books listed, all with "Notify Me" tags. Meaning they are not available to download.         

But that seems to be normal for any book I want to read.

Wayne, you might qualify for more than one library if you want to check into it further. My local library has reciprocal agreements with other larger libraries, and yours might too. Also, try a google search on free book downloads. At one point, I wanted to do a text search in the book, but since I was listening to audio, t tried one of the free sites and searched the text there. I could just as easily have read the book there.