Coasting: Running Around the Coast of Britain – Life, Love and (Very) Loose Plans

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This is one man's account of a voyage around the coast of England in a sailing boat, written in the 1980s. He plots his naval trajectory, getting it wrong more often than not, while he ponders the perilous state of Thatcher’s Britain (at the time of the Falkland war), the insular arrogance and condescension of the people living there, the rigid social hierarchies in place, the creaky state of the Church of England, and so much more. The coal mines were closing, fishing grounds were being taken over by other North Sea countries, and mechanized container ships were taking over the docks.

There is some really good writing in this book (written in 1986) but I've given up (I'm about a third of the way into the book) because of the author's continual negativity about his own life. However, the balance in some of these chapters just feels a bit off, and while I enjoyed reading this, I think the book itself wasn't well resolved as one thing or the other.

In this acutely perceived and beautifully written book, the bestselling author of Bad Land turns that voyage–which coincided with the Falklands war of 1982-into an occasion for meditations on his country, his childhood, and the elusive notion of home. At the beginning, the author was obviously quite nervous as she reads at quite a fast pace, but she soon gets into her stride and it becomes much more accessible to listen to. Having said all that, I do think it is quite a remarkable thing that a 23yr old decided to do this (and whilst she could) rather than stick to the norms of life that probably a lot of her friends were doing and take herself out of her comfort zone.

There is something about Raban’s writing that is beguiling and very readable too, he is a stickler for the details that he drops into the narrative when meeting people like Philip Larkin or talking to the owners of trawlers in Lyme Regis but also has that ability to present you the seascape; you sense the rock of the boat and the wind on your cheek as you bob along with him, in sparse lyrical prose. For the most part, though, the English, both men and women, are afflicted by such a morbid decay of their libido that it has always puzzled the rest of the world how the English manage to reproduce themselves at all. Applicability of cancellation rights: Legal rights of cancellation under the Distance Selling Regulations available for UK or EU consumers do not apply to certain products and services. He spent 30 years at sea and, when in command of the 190 ton sailing barge Scone, one of the last of her type to be built, scoured the UK coastline and the Continent for hard won cargoes, whilst coping with some of the worst weather ever experienced around this island nation. The sale of customised goods or perishable goods, sealed audio or video recordings, or software, which has been opened.

She's literally just spent pages telling us how they are encrusted in poo and really offensively stink. Octavo hardcover (VG+) in d/w (VG+); all our specials have minimal description to keep listing them viable. I am not English/British and clueless about the sea so lots of references are lost on me, but that in no way detracts from the pleasure of the wordcraft.

She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship - and they were all making her utterly miserable. Occasional binge drinking alongside of a breakup with an abusive boyfriend features prominently in the narrative.

He moves seamlessly between awkward memories of childhood as the son of a vicar, a vivid chronicle of the shape-shifting sea and incisive descriptions of the people and communities he encounters. However hard, tough, excruciating and doubt-driven a challenge might be, at heart it's a funny, funny story. The writing is well balanced between details of shore time adventures and the challenges of life at sea. This was a lovely travel account of Raban’s 1982 journey around the coast of England in a boat, “coasting” from unknown town to remembered city. However hard, tough, excruciating and doubt-driven a challenge might be, at heart it’s a funny, funny story.

Just goes to show that there’s a ram-spinning, swashbuckling adventure right there on your doorstep. I really enjoyed the very honest account with all the ups and downs, it really showed that life is messy and imperfect hut it’s possible to achieve brilliant things. Throughout this story the author keeps saying how she's not the negative whinger that her ex said she was but this is EXACTLY how she presents herself which is a shame. some of it in the making here: The Falklands conflict gets under way, coal miners are going on strike, and England is decaying as Raban sets sailing in the Gosfield Maid.

It's definitely a great achievement BUT in nearly a year she hardly camps instead getting hundreds of free nights accomodation. In fairness the things that annoyed me were classic twenty-something behaviour, I just think I’m a bit old to appreciate it now! Loved his review of the current UK coastal geography, and the socialogical variences from town to town. It was a good time to be taking an outside-in look at the British: Margaret Thatcher was at the height of her authority , and the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands brought out the worst in British jingoism and sabre-rattling The country was changing rapidly but continuing to hanker after an imperial past. That said, it was written just as the country had begun an enormous political change, was at war and in the middle of a enormous strike by the miners.