Sailing Alone Around the World.

SLOCUM, Captain Joshua.

Item Number: 139673

New York: The Century Company, 1900.

First edition of “the finest single-handed adventure story yet written” (Seafarer). Octavo, original blue cloth, pictorially stamped in silver and green, top edge gilt. Presentation copy, inscribed on a bookplate on the front free endpaper, “Presented to J. W. Shackford, Marine Superintendent, International Navigation Company By the Author. December, 1901” with the former owner’s signature.  In near fine condition. Illustrated by Thomas Fogarty and George Varian. An exceptional example with noted provenance.

Sailing Alone Around the World was published by Century Company in 1900. The sailing memoir records Slocum's amusing experience as the first person to sail around the world alone. National Fisherman called it "[a] literary gem, adroitly and engagingly written," but interest extends beyond mere sea-aficionados. Excitement for the voyage was universal, and Slocum was awaited by admirers at his ports. To these he gave popular lectures and lantern-slide shows upon his arrival, including the English writers Edwin Arnold and Arthur Ransome. The memoir was first published in installments before its popularity became such that it was issued in lavishly illustrated book form. Slocum conveys an appreciably casual, almost self-deprecating, style. Contemporary reviews speak as well of it even now as "one of the most readable books in the whole library of adventure" (Sports Illustrated). "There is so much to this book that it is not surprising that it is has been continually in print since 1889..this book has literary merit, thoughtful and beautifully written and packed with incident" (Nautical Magazine).