Two Years Before the Mast (Richard Henry Dana Jr., 1840)

I enjoyed this book a ton, a favorite. I had heard of the movie (which doesn't seem to track the book all that closely) but was unfamiliar with the book.  Found it in a $0.99 edition of the Harvard Classics - thousands of pages mostly comprised of classics in the way we thought of them 50 years ago (meaning high quality, enduring content - unashamedly Western Civ focused).

Google's summary is below, it's good enough.

Absolutely unique in mostly being told from the perspective of the ordinary sailor - the unusual circumstance of a college boy taking on this role for health reasons.

All the detail one could want about shipboard life, the terminology, the tasks; the excitement going around Cape Horn; dealing with storms; adjusting rigging in ice (the expertise required to make the decisions that led to the commands that were so difficult to execute).

They are engaged in the "hide" trade in California. This is a rare description of California in those days - starting all the way down in San Diego and moving all the way up to San Francisco - interesting to read about places with which we are so familiar. Santa Barbara, Monterey.  The "hides" were acquired from the few ranchers established in this part of the world - difficult work collecting them and then getting them through the rocks and surf onto the landing vessels, then rowing to the main vessel anchored offshore.  I hadn't thought about this part before - life prior to docks and cranes and the like was so difficult for the sailors - they handled these duties on top of their usual sailing tasks. Picked up Sandwich Islanders (Hawaiians) for assistance with labor.

I really liked the postscript that was added about 20 years after publication - the author goes back to California and finds out that most everyone had read his book.  He learns that not a few of the persons named in the book were still there in California.

Great read, just what I like. 

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"Two Years Before the Mast is Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s famous 1840 memoir about his two-year voyage as a common sailor from Boston to California in the mid-1830s, detailing the harsh life at sea, the brutality of captains, and the culture of pre-Gold Rush California, making it a classic of American maritime literature. The book, based on his diary, offers a realistic and vivid account of the hardships, adventures, and the hide trade, and it served as a powerful commentary on the poor conditions for sailors. 

Key aspects of the book:

Author's motivation: Dana, a Harvard student, left for the sea due to eye problems, seeking adventure and a remedy for his ailment. 

Content: It vividly describes the treacherous journey around Cape Horn, the daily life of a sailor, the cruelty of officers, and the beauty of the natural world, including whales and icebergs. 

Historical significance: It provides an invaluable, firsthand look at the California coast before the Gold Rush, documenting the hide trade and the people of Mexican California. 

Impact: The book was an instant classic, influencing writers like Herman Melville, and remains a significant work for its realism and social commentary on the plight of sailors."