A Voyage for Madmen

Rich with excitement, accomplished, gripping and authoritative, A Voyage for Madmen is the story of the yachting tournament from hell written by a man who is himself a gifted sailor as well as writer.

Peter Nichols' previous book, Sea Change, was the telling account of his own crossing of the Atlantic in a ridiculously small wooden boat. Now he's taken the skills he employed in that much-praised slice of autobiography to relay another quixotic tale. The subject this time is the infamous Golden Globe yacht race of 1968, when nine men, some French, some English, all bonkers (hence the title), undertook the most challenging adventure of their lives. The goal was to sail around the world solo, a feat no one had yet achieved; to make matters just that extra bit tricky some of the sailors were total novices.

The book analyses the fate of each sailor in turn. Using polished, craftsman-like, clear and sometimes moving prose, Nichols describes how the nine fought through storms and collisions, through the roaring 40s and the furious 50s, and how each man experienced those moments of solitary despair, lonely disappointment and occasional mystical elation that are unique to long-haul solo sailing. One of the most commendable features of the book is the way Nichols discusses the technical side of yachtsmanship with verve and passion without ever turning into an anorak. This is a fine and absorbing true-life tragicomedy, suitable for landlubbers and sea dogs alike. --Sean Thomas

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Well crafted - Rated
I am a small boat sailor and I loved it. This was a documentary that read like a novel and I was totally absorbed by it. It left me feeling both satisfied but sad and I was sorry it had to finish.

A first class read ... - Rated
I hate writing reviews, but a book this good deserves to be commended, and for the pleasure it's given me, I feel I owe it to the author, in some small way, to show my appreciation. For Peter Nichols is not only a seasoned sailor himself and so knows his subject well, but is also a very talented writer. His wonderful account of the 1968 Golden Globe circumnavigation race is beautifully told, a real adventure-packed page-turner that seamlessly weaves in the very diverse experiences of the extraordinary men who launched themselves into a venture that had never been done before, none of them knowing if it could indeed be done at all. From first to last Nichols skilfully laces the facts into an immensely readable narrative that keeps the reader glued to the page right to the last. It's a tale of courage and derring-do and self-suffiency and - in some cases - of extreme fool-hardiness and hopelessly optimistic naivety. Nichols' insight and sensitive appreciation of the personalities involved and the personal difficulties and mental hurdles each had to contend with in their respective journeys and battle with the elements, make for thoroughly engrossing reading. In fact, so enamoured with Mr Nichols' fluent and intelligently entertaining delivery am I, that I've since ordered everything else he has written. Now half-way through Sea Change, his autobiographical account of crossing the Atlantic in a little wooden schooner called Toad, I'm really glad I have. The man knows how to craft a tale and make it addictive stuff.

They'd never allow it today... - Rated
A fellow crew member brought this on board for a recent sail. It lives up to the cover hype - 'unputdownable', 'gripping'. Nichols keeps the pace up and even if you know the outcome you want to know what happens next... He interweaves the stories of the extraordinary competitors' solo battles very elegantly. Could you imagine today's owners of The Sunday Times sponsoring a race whose almost ridiculously courageous participants were so poorly prepared? Chay Blyth set off not knowing how to sail. The author's handling of Donald Crowhurst's mental unravelling - the subject of the well-made film documentary 'Deep Water' - is properly sensitive. My companions (several of whom had already read the book) kept demanding to be read extracts. Buy it, but make sure you put aside some time and don't have to put it down.

Great writer - Rated
The difference with Nichols and the authors of books on a similar topic, e.g., Perfect Storm, is that he can write. He avoids resorting to sentimentality in order to engage our interest. I'll be looking for other titles by this author. Evolutions Captain I would say is even better.

Well written Gripping Account - Rated
I'm not a sailor but I loved this book. It's really good to have the story of the whole race brought together in one book rather than having to read all the individuals own accounts. The storytelling is first rate and you just can't wait to find out what happens next. I'm going to read it again soon!