The Great Wide Sea

• #14 in Best Sailing Books

13 Reviews

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As a fifth grade teacher, I find it difficult to find books that appeal to everyone in my class. I either please the girls, or the boys, and usually it's just the girls. Finally, I have found a book that all of my students enjoy. In fact, for the first time, both boys and girls are begging, "Don't stop. Please keep reading." I even have students begging to take it home so that they can find out what happens next. The Great Wide Sea, by M. H. Herlong, is spell-binding, (even for the adults)!

The spectacular achievement of this book is that it shows dads what they look like to their teenage sons. It holds the mirror of your son's eyes right up close, where all the unflattering things show. Then it shows us that our sons love us anyway. I finished the book, wiped a way a tear -- something I almost never need to do -- and hugged my sons.

It is definitely a terrific sea yarn. Like all great books, it builds in some wise observations about life without being the least bit preachy. Perhaps that is because the wisdom comes through the voice of a fifteen-year old who, after struggling with dad, becomes the father figure through chance, or maybe through a choice (a question you will have to answer for yourself, Dad). There are also some sly allusions to Hemingway sea tales and to Hurricane Katrina (the author is from New Orleans), but maybe I just made that up.

Read the two-page prologue and you will be hooked. Give it to your son. Give it to your Dad. Read it with your son, or for your husband, or your brother. Sail in your son's boat (or your father, husband, or brother's boat) for a while.

If this is a tale oft told, I can think of no other than has been told so eloquently. The author's descriptions are as vivid as they are beautiful. Male or female, young or old, you will find this first work by M. H. Herlong touching and incisive. If the last portion of the book doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you are cold indeed. Add the information provided at the companion website [...] and you will double your pleasure.

This book captures the imagination both as a beautiful and harrowing adventure story and a drama of family loss. The aftermath of his mother's death challenges the narrator's relationship with his father. But when Ben confronts a life and death struggle at sea his bond to his young brothers becomes the focus of this gripping tale.

I received this book Friday and read it in one sitting on Sunday. It is excellent in so many dimensions. Young readers will love the gripping plot in the fascinating nautical setting, as well as how the boys, with only themselves to rely on, manage to survive. Older readers will appreciate the near-poetic quality of the prose. Having said that, I have to confess that I was so enthralled by the plot that I hardly had time to appreciate the marvelous language. I may just have to read the book again, slower!!

suspenseful adventure...insightful characterizations...powerful language...what a gift Madaline Herlong has given to young adult readers and classroom teachers! J. Danos

This incredible first novel is a gripping and extremely well told adventure tale that will keep you turning page after page. Though her vivid descriptions will have you feeling each toss and sway of the boat, you realize it is much more. Told through the eyes of the oldest son, it is a poignant story of a family coming to grips with a terrible loss and it is the bond between the father and his sons and the siblings with each other that will ultimately resound in your memory. This is a wonderful story of loss, love, perceived betrayal, and peace. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to future publications by Ms. Herlong.

Artist create paintings to tell a story or to depict an emotion choosing pigments, mixing the colors, and using various stroke techniques to create a work of art. M.H. Herlong has done this with words creating a masterpiece of literature. She skillfully paints the picture of every character and scene leading the reader through a captivating tale that one cannot put down.

This book is Great! I couldn't put it down!

After reading this book I had a lot of questions about what the sail boat actually looked like, how are the Bahama Islands laid out, and more and I was thrilled to find the companion web site with lots of pictures and maps that go along with the story in the book. [...].

This is one of my all time favorite books, the writing is simple but profound. You feel like you are there, riding along on this adventure, learning a lot about the Bahamas, sailing, and survival while you're at it.

Ben doesn't want to spend a year on a sailing trip with his father and brothers recovering from his mother's sudden death, but he's on the trip anyway - so when disaster strikes and the father vanishes halfway between the Bahamas and Bermuda, it's up to him and his brothers to survive a storm, a shipwreck, and more. Survival on many levels is a key issue in THE GREAT WIDE SEA, a riveting story for middle to high school leisure readers.

I read this book all in one sitting, today, and I loved it. Couldn't put it down.

I have to say that after reading all the 5 star ratings I had high hopes for this book, and was a bit dissappointed. This book has a great sotry about relationships between brothers, and fathers and sons. The author did a great job writing about the emotions each character. However it seems the plot was quickly arranged with simple, rough and blunt phrases and sentences. I think for youth this wouldn't be a negative, but I personally wished the story of the day to day events was given the attention he put into explaining the feelings of each character. Great message in the end. I liked it and recommend it but probably won't read again.

This is a wonderful book, written with an authentic knowledge of sailing. Herlong knows the mind of young males and captures the voice to make this a compelling story. She has crafted interesting characters--people we care about--as well as a story that is fascinating, flawless, and satisfying. This may be her first published novel, but it seems like she has managed to channel Madeleine L'Engle. I look forward to many more wonderful books by this author. As a developmental reading teacher in a community college, I am excited to have found a book my students enjoy talking about to others.