The Outlaw Sea

The Outlaw Sea by William Langewiesche caught my eye in our public library. The jacket liner promises a description of a world beyond the control of any and all governments… A world of freedom, chaos and crime.

It delivers – and provides significant understanding of areas that intrigue me. I know one mariner: Cap’n Gooch. I admire and respect anyone who could sail into open ocean, using their own wits and skills to return to dry land, more than once.

I haven’t even been cargo at sea, but have read and seen photos of some really scary manifestations of raw natural power. Turns out that is only a piece of the variables that determine success and failure of seagoing ventures.

I rarely read non-fiction books outside of politics and economics, but this was a good one. The author describes each of the major challenges in the water world, using one detailed account to illustrate each problem/challenge. He offers no significant hope of a change to that world, but great insight to it.