Two Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast
Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 1840
Book Brief
432
Biography • Nonfiction
California Coast • 1830s
1840
Adult
14-18 years
1290L
Super Short Summary
Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr. is a memoir chronicling the author's 1834-1836 voyage from Boston to California aboard a merchant ship. Dana, a Harvard student recovering from measles, joins the brig Pilgrim, travels around Cape Horn to California, and returns on the Alert. Over time, he learns to sympathize with sailors and documents his observations of California's ports, indigenous cultures, and the arduous life at sea, ultimately becoming an advocate for sailors' rights and opposing slavery.
Adventurous
Informative
Contemplative
Nostalgic
Emotional
Reviews & Readership
15,114 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana Jr. receives praise for its vivid depiction of 19th-century seafaring life and its detailed, authentic narrative. Readers appreciate Dana's firsthand account and descriptive prowess. However, some find the slow pacing and nautical terminology challenging. The book remains a historical and literary classic.
Who Should Read Two Years Before the Mast?
Readers who enjoy maritime adventures and classic sea literature, like Moby Dick by Herman Melville or Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, will appreciate Richard Henry Dana Jr.’s Two Years Before the Mast. This reader values historical narratives and real-life seafaring experiences from the 19th century.
15,114 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
432
Biography • Nonfiction
California Coast • 1830s
1840
Adult
14-18 years
1290L
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