The complete autobiography of the great adventurer Sir Francis Chichester, the first and fastest man to singlehandedly circumnavigate the globe.
Aged 18 and with a taste for adventure, Francis Chichester emigrated to New Zealand with ten pounds in his pocket. He tried his hand at a number of ill-fated careers a boxer, shepherd, lumberjack, and gold prospector, to name a few before returning to England. Having qualified as a pilot, in 1929 he embarked on his most famous solo flight in the de Havilland Gipsy Moth from England to Australia. Shortly afterward, he survived a near-death catastrophe in an attempt to fly solo around the world. Turning to sailing, he won the first single-handed transatlantic yacht race in Gipsy Moth III, despite having been diagnosed with cancer two years previously. In 1967, he became the first person to sail around the world solo from west to east via the great capes. Here, his entire life including his greatest failures and successes are told by the man who experienced it all firsthand. A foreword from his son, Giles Chichester, is also included.
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Summersdale; Reprint edition (May 11, 2012)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 5 x 1.2 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
Review
"I would find myself engrossed in his book; he was one of my greatest inspirations and motivations to get involved in the world of solo sailing." - Dame Ellen McArthur, author, Taking on the World
"This is an autobiography with adventure. It starts with the young Francis and his early life, which moves well and does not linger too much, but introduces us to his matter-of-fact style of writing. Francis tells of his major flying achievements, which are stunning considering they were done in the early, primitive beginnings of aviation, where a compass, a clock and sextant were the navigational tools. He also is not afraid to tell of his mistakes and mishaps too. He flew solo from England to Australia in the 1930's. Then onwards across the Tasman sea, knowing he would have to find a small island in the middle of the ocean or he would run out of fuel and perish, has the tension of the personal account of a kamikazee pilot. To do this he developed a new technique of navigating called 'dead reckoning' and proved it works by finding the island. The book also details his solo sea voyage around the world, and he tells of curious and amazing adventures while he does it. Mr. Chichester has made his mark in adventuring history with his achievements and has come back to tell about it in an exciting way. The book wastes no words and moves quickly, almost too quickly at times, but the tales he tells easily sit one on the edge of the seat anxiously reading on for more. I recommend this book as a wonderful adventure true story for all ages."
By A. C.
"I haven't read the book, but I bought it as a Father's day gift for my stepfather. He was a sailor in his early twenties and credits this book with the reason he fell in love with the sea. He was absolutely ecstatic that I found it."
By Emily
"Loved the book so much that I painted a portrait of Sir Francis and the Gypsy Moth. Love this story."
By Solarct
"A rivetting story of Sir Francis Chichester's daring and resourcefulness in first flying across stretches of the world in the 1930s then sailing the Atlantic single-handed in the '60s. His adapted Gypsy Moth flight from New Zealand to Australia via Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands (before those islands had airstrips) was a highlight of the book. Thankfully, the reader already knows he makes it!"
By Janty
"One amazing individual living life to the fullest! I went to the same school as Chichester and probably was in the same dorm. Wish I had known him but we were years apart. Chichester was truly a man for all seasons!"
By Charles Geib
"A good read. It is almost two stories in one - the first part, covering his adventures by air during the pre-WW2 period, and the second when he turned into sailing after WW2. Personally, I found the former to have been written in a more entertaining manner."
By Alex Fontes
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