Adrift: Seventy-six Days Lost at Sea Kindle Edition

Great condition, easy to read and very informative about surviving on the ocean

Very well written and captivating, with the benefit of a first hand account from the survivor. It is realistic, thrilling and thought provoking and what was most expected (I was looking for the survivial-adventure part) was the human reflection: on our insignificance, connection to our surroundings, true needs, resilience and madness. The authors direct reflection on these topics elevated the book, and brings readers closer to a relatable human. There were pompous moments (overly elaborated topics, dramatic inclusions, unnecessary alliterations) and overly complex moments (overly technical descriptions of contraptions, sailor jargon for credibility). But, despite these mild annoyances, the book was very well done with great adventure, survival and human story telling.

First off I have to say the author wasn’t really “lost” at sea. His abilities and skills coupled with the mindset and tenacity to survive kept him more than just alive. At times he seemed to thrive. His ordeal made me think often of the phrase “hope is not a good plan”. One has to have a plan and work the plan to survive. Steven does this (not giving anything away here as it’s evident he makes it through) and gains a deeper appreciation for all the blessings we take for granted.A line from the book states “Before this voyage, I always had what I needed - food, shelter, clothing, and companionship - yet I was often dissatisfied when I didn’t get everything I wanted, when people didn’t meet my expectations, when a goal was thwarted, or I couldn’t acquire some material goody. My plight has given me a strange kind of wealth, the most important kind.”I was enthused and happy when he ended his journey. The reader will definitely feel as if they too are in the survival raft. Many of the critical reviews cite the repetition and down trodden feel of the book. Well the guy was stuck in the middle of the ocean for over two months alone. Many of us couldn’t go over two weeks without a cell phone.The book also gives us a great description of who and what he encounters after he ends his time adrift. It’s also very interesting to read this book in present time and realize the author is now 71 years old and end through all this in 1981. Worth a read if you want to learn more about what man is capable of and how blessed your life itself might be.

I love adventure/survival stories. Steven Callahan, by all comparisons, spins a great yarn. What makes his story better than others is he presents a genuine view for us all to evaluate. Most provide vivid details about the survivor's ordeal but few reveal personal triumphs and losses as well as Adrift. You know the outcome because the author wrote the story but you never know the details until he reveals them. Furthermore, the reader gets a privileged look into the thought processes of a private person - quirks, strengths, weaknesses, regrets, anxieties, etc. I am not much of a voyeur nor do I like reality shows because none of them provide the full panorama of the individual. Callahan manages to give us that full view. You can feel with him as he survives one calamity after another. He also paints himself as a person - not as a hero or someone who demands respect but just a regular person who survives partly from luck and stubbornness. He even goes so far as to say that a true hero would welcome death at sea whereas the coward struggles to survive. We learn about Steven's personality throughout the story and, what makes this story so compelling is that he paints himself in a genuine manner. I admired him for all he accomplished in spite of his reassurances that a more brave individual would gladly die at sea. Perhaps - and hopefully so - I will never know if I would survive but after reading this book I know I will be prepared for whatever might be thrown at me. If I am cowardly for wanting to survive at sea then so be it! Call me a coward.Thank Steven for educating us all by reading this book.

This book looked very interesting to me when it was offered by Kindle at a price one third the cost of any paper back book on the magazine stand. This book of survival was akin to the book "Up In Thin Air" and "The Perfect Storm". It can be a very fast read but I choose to read it and then deliberate on the experiences of Steve Callahan, in this well written true story (memoir). I am not sure if the uninitiated experiencing this situation would have survived the ordeal. Callahan was very knowledgeable in things nautical and understood the principles of navigation. His construction of a sexton using pencils give tribute to his extraordinary will to live and survive. I had to stop at several points to collect my own feelings and how I would face the challenges that Callahan did. Callahan was a very good presenter of his experiences and this speak volumes for his writing skills. I did find him to be too self centered (even concerning God) but then, I am guessing survival against all odds requires this quality of personality. The average person, I believe would have surrendered to the many obstacles he faced. This was a very good read and I unhesitatingly recommend it any reader wanting a change of pace in their reading.

This inspirational moment-by-moment survival narrative puts one in the raft with Steven Callahan as he is crossing the vast Atlantic. I found myself relating to his fight to survive because of my own life, though my struggles were small compared to his.

Kept me glued to it. Really amazing insight into human nature. Amazing the difficulty he was able to overcome and great insight into life itself.

Acho que ele poderia ter abordado por outro ângulo. Se prende apenas nas tarefas que tinha diariamente

A very engaging read about staying in command of self in the face of absolute uncertainty. I liked how the author, Steven Callahan, focussed on the positive attitude of how he kept himself going, how he forced himself to keep working at finding solutions instead of dwelling on his fears. I'm sure that the fear factors of large fish and rogue waves would have been enough to have caused another sailor to panic and make mistakes that lead to disaster.Great book, I read it in one sitting - couldn't put it down - if you are looking for something to take you away from your everyday life for a while, and plunge you into the depths of the sea, then this book won't let you down.

esta en ingles

TRUELY EXCELLENT