Books are part of our life and a way to let our imagination run wild but also improve our knowledge. Even though the technology is developing at a fast rate and has now given us the chance to read E-books, there’s nothing comparing to touching and feeling a book. In the world of books, every person has his own unique opinions and every person is keen on different subjects and fields. Anyway, in this article, I’m going to suggest my favorite books to read while sailing including all-time classics, sailing adventures, literature, and historical books. Keep reading if you’re interested to know more about the best books to read while sailing!

Sailing Alone Around the World

by Joshua Slocum

A travel narrative and autobiographical book by Captain Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail single-handed around the world. He set off from Boston with his 36 feet sloop in April 1985 and traveled 46,000 miles around the world. He explored Rio Negro, the Amazon, the Pacific, South Africa, and many more locations. It’s a must-read book for maritime lovers and a worthy book that shows what determination, passion and courage can achieve. Get it on Amazon.

The Eight Sailing/Mountain Exploration Books

by H.W. Tilman

H. W. Tilman is a mountaineer, sailor, and one of the great explorers of our time. In this book, you’re going to read about his mountain and sailing activities and adventures. An adventurer who used the sea in order to have access to remote mountains and isolated corners of our planet. He traveled to many places and with an enjoyable crew and company. Some of the places he visited were the Patagonian ice cap, the crossing of Bylot Island, Kerguelen, and the Crozet Islands, among others. If you’re keen on sailing adventures then this is a not-to-miss book. Check it out here.

Wildtrack

by Bernard Cornwell

Adventure, scandals, action, intrigue, and many more are combined in this sailing and thriller novel. The war hero Nick Sandman has become bored with the routine and just wants to sail away from everything with his beloved sailboat- Sycorax. He will experience some difficult situations in order to repair his sailboat but in the end… Check it out by yourself to see what happens next.

Two Years Before the Mast

by R.H. Dana Jr

Richard Henry Dana wrote this book after a 2-year sailing voyage that started in 1834 from Boston to California. Dana was studying at Harvard University and unfortunately had the measles that affected his vision. He then left Harvard to enlist as a sailor on a sailing voyage around Cape Horn on the brig Pilgrim. During his voyage, he was keeping a diary published in 1840 after returning from his voyage. This all-time American classic is also a must-read. Check it out here.

The Endurance

by Caroline Alexander

In 1914, Ernest Henry Shackleton set sail in order to cross the Antarctic continent with his sailboat named Endurance. However, during the voyage Endurance was crushed and sunk by a pack of ice in the Weddell Sea. He struggled to rescue his men and then began a journey of 800 miles across the South Atlantic in a lifeboat. This book narrates one of the greatest adventures in the Heroic Age of exploration. Another all-time classic that’s not to be missed. Link to Amazon.

Second Wind

By Nathaniel Philbrick

Nate Philbrick is a best-selling author of history, including In the Heart of the Sea, which won many awards. His new book, Second Wind, is a memoir that reflects on his sailing life, on the pleasures of sailing and racing a Sunfish, and on the family, that sailing brought together. Located in Nantucket, the memoir is also a pean to that famous New England island that was once home to the whaling industry and is now home to America’s elite. As always, Philbrick writes with warmth and style. Check It Out.

Shakedown Cruise

By Nigel Calder

Nigel Calder is one of the most renowned marine writers in the world. His claim to fame is primarily his vast technical knowledge of all things mechanical on boats and his ability to explain how things work and how to fix them in language a luddite would understand. His new book, Shakedown Cruise, is a sailing memoir that covers his first cruising adventures with his family, the adventures that forced him to become a technical wizard. So, if you want to know the expert before his rise to fame, the stories in Shakedown Cruise will make you smile. Link to Amazon.

The Log from the Sea of Cortez

by John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck is a well-known writer for many great works of fiction. This book was published in 1951 and recounts the expedition of six weeks that Steinbeck spent with his friend the marine biologist Ed Ricketts, sailing in the Sea of Cortez. They traveled with a 75-foot Western Flyer, lived great adventures, and explored the Sea of Cortez. This book is a combination of philosophy, science, and spiritual adventure. It’s great if you’re keen on spirituality, science, and of course, sailing. See the book on Amazon.

The Voyage of the Narwhal

by Andrea Barrett

In 1845 Sir John Franklin began an expedition in order to look for the elusive Northwest Passage, the legendary sea route to the Pacific passing through the Arctic Ocean. But one day his ships, Erebus and Terror, were suddenly lost, as well as his crew. Then the naturalist Erasmus Darwin Wells decided to set sail from Philadelphia in 1855 so as to discover Franklin’s fate. In this classical novel, we experience the mystery, adventure, and the 19th-century atmosphere coming back alive. Find out what happened next.

Circle of Bones

by Christine Kling

This nautical thriller makes us lively experience the adventure of seeking a submarine that sunk in World War II. The female sailor Maggie Riley, an ex-Marine, sails her 40-footer into the Caribbean and deals with many terrifying adventures and unexpected situations. See what happened next…

Voyages of a Simple Sailor

by Roger D. Taylor

This book is a collection of three autobiographical narratives by the British sailor Roger Taylor. The book is a narrative of his life at sea that lasted for five decades. He describes to us his long voyage that was bound to reach New Zealand. After his ship was caught in a storm, Taylor survived and continued to put his dreams into reality. A book about independence, seamanship, and self-reliance highlighting the importance of simplicity in ocean cruising. Check it out here.

The Great Gatsby 

by F Scott Fitzgerald

In Fitzgerald’s classic from the ’20s, Gatsby experiences his first luxurious sailing voyage. Gatsby finds a sloop named Tuolomee, a sailboat that belongs to the magnate Dan Cody. Cody invites him to join him and work for him as a steward, skipper, and secretary. Gatsby sailed for five years, cruising the whole continent three times. Tuolomee was a fictional name for the boat, but the one she was based on was real: Ventura, an 18.5-meter cutter-rigged sloop designed by Nathanael Herreshoff. Fitzgerald once went aboard as a guest of its original owner, George F. Baker, the co-founder of the First National Bank of the City of New York. A truly must-read book that’s not to be missed.

As Long as It’s Fun: The Epic Voyages and Extraordinary Times of Lin and Larry Pardey

This book is able to inspire you and make you follow your dream of sailing the world and living on a sailboat. The Pardeys are experienced sailors that traveled the world in small sailboats and with few amenities. Whenever things would get tough onboard or they experienced harsh weather conditions, they always got through. They were called the first couple of cruising and support their saying “Go simple, go small, go now”. After 200,000 miles of cruising they explain that the dream of voyaging overseas is possible for any passionate sea lover. This book tells their story and is worth reading it if you like high-seas adventure, and a great love story! Get it here.

How to Sail with Dogs – 100 Tips for a Pet-Friendly Voyage

by Michelle Segrest

Through their research and real-life experiences sailing around the world with their 2 beloved beagles, Michelle shares 100 tips about how to prepare, plan, prepare, and ensure safe sailing with your four-legged crew members. In this book, you’ll learn about traveling with pets by air and by sea, potty training and exercising on board, first-aid at sea, and of course keeping your pet safe! They also cover detailed customs requirements for the U.S., Europe, Atlantic South America, the Caribbean, and North America. Check it out.

Best Books to Read When Sailing – Summary

The above-mentioned books are my favorite ones and the ones I’d recommend to any sailor that is keen on sailing adventures is looking for inspiration, and appreciates all-time classics. Your sailboat, a book, and a four-legged pal can be your best friends during your sailing voyage, allowing you to make your dreams come true, inspiring you, and giving you strength for your voyages. I hope that I gave you some ideas about the best books to read while sailing.

This summer as you are out on your boat cruising along the coasts or making passages to distant lands, you’ll have a lot of time to tune out the news and bury yourself into some of these great books.