$7.15

Two Years Before the Mast

By Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Introduction by John Seelye
Afterword by Wes Davis

Note: This is an advanced level book meant for the adult reader

Tracing an awe-inspiring oceanic route from Boston, around Cape Horn, to the California coast, Two Years Before the Mast is both a riveting story of adventure and the most eloquent, insightful account we have of life at sea in the early nineteenth century. Richard Henry Dana is only nineteen when he abandons the patrician world of Boston and Harvard for an arduous voyage among real sailors, amid genuine danger. The result is an astonishing read, replete with vivid descriptions of storms, whales, and the ship’s mad captain, terrible hardship and magical beauty, and fascinating historical detail, including an intriguing portrait of California before the gold rush. As D. H. Lawrence proclaimed, "Dana’s small book is a very great book."

Praise

"Possesses the romantic charm of Robinson Crusoe."
–Ralph Waldo Emerson

About OLP Selects for Adults

There's nothing like teaching history to wet your own appetite for a deeper study of the subject. We're offering a selection of history books aimed at adults that you're sure to find interesting and informative. Great for personal study or as a backup to the information in our Teacher's Manuals.