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to be this extraordinary woman, traveling 

 the high seas a century and a half ago. 

 Illustrations and appendices help make a 

 firm connection to her life, and Petroski's 

 writing skillfully describes the social 

 customs, ships and navigational methods 

 of the time. I was sorry to read the last 

 pages and to wish Susan farewell. 



• Henry the Sailor Cat by Mary 

 Calhoun, illustrated by Erick Ingraham. 

 1994. Mulberry Books. William Morrow 

 & Co., 1350 Avenue of the Americas, 

 New York, NY 10019. 38 pages. 

 Paperback, $4.95. ISBN 0-688-15846-3. 



Younger readers and cat fans will 

 appreciate the gentle humor and high 

 adventure of Calhoun's Henry the Sailor 

 Cat, lavishly illustrated by Ingraham. 

 Henry, a daring Siamese, stows away on a 

 sailing lesson for "The Kid" and helps 

 save "The Man" when he falls overboard. 

 The suspenseful action provides a natural 

 way for parents to discuss boating safety 

 and the importance of listening to 

 directions. 



Both the text and the illustrations 

 convey the joy — as well as the possible 

 dangers — of sailing. In Ingraham's 

 beautiful watercolors, we see the changing 

 moods of ocean weather, the deep 

 affection between a father and his son, 

 and the playful antics of dolphins and a 

 clever Siamese. 



Ingraham seems well aware of the 

 necessity for boat safety, too: "The Man" 

 and "The Kid" are outfitted in smart red 

 and yellow life preservers, and Ingraham 

 dedicates his work "to all boating 

 enthusiasts who obey water safety rules." 

 Here is a book that both parents and kids 

 will applaud. 



• I Don't Do Portholes by 



Gladys Walker and Iris Lorimer, 

 illustrated by Peter Wells. 1986. Westcott 

 Cove Publishing Co., Box 130, Stamford, 

 CT 06904. 108 pages. Paperback, $9.95. 

 ISBN 0-9 18-752-06-X. 



For those who actually brave the 



waves, the 

 387 "Super 

 Boatkeeping 

 Tips" 



collected in 

 this informa- 

 tive and enter- 

 taining book 

 could be a 

 lifesaver. The 

 authors speak 

 with authority as 

 longtime boaters, 

 and they've split 

 their tips into useful 

 categories like 

 "Carrying and 

 Stowing," "Outfitting 

 the Galley" and 

 "Boating with 

 Children." You'll get 

 helpful hints on ways to 

 save space, reduce waste 

 and make your boat safer 

 and more comfortable to 

 live in. A few examples: 



• Tip 28: 'Two-inch 

 PVC tubing, cut into 

 appropriate lengths and 

 fastened securely to the 



cabin overhead (ceiling) or stored 

 elsewhere, can be used for chart 

 storage." 



• Tip 113: "Whenever possible 



use a plastic bag instead of a mixing 

 bowl. Blend ingredients by kneading 

 them. It eliminates washing a bowl and 

 utensils." 



• Tip 369: "Print step-by-step 

 instructions for using your radio and 

 tape them right to the set. You never 

 know who might have to make an 

 emergency call." 



The book also offers quick recipes 

 and water-saving methods and suggests 

 products that are useful to have onboard. 

 Some of these hints are now outdated 

 ("Boaters are hailing the introduction of 

 UHT milk ..."), but the products listed are 

 as helpful as ever. All the tips are 



numbered and 

 indexed for easy reference. 

 The authors' humorous style, 

 combined with the illustrations of widely 

 known cartoonist (and fellow boat owner) 

 Wells, make the book a pleasure to read. If 

 you want to jump-start your boating season 

 by organizing supplies and planning ahead, 

 this book will be infinitely helpful. It even 

 has a checklist for all your boating needs, 

 from the bare necessities to bedding and 

 linens and emergency stores. / Don 't Do 

 Portholes deserves a place on any serious 

 boater's bookshelf. 



• Seaports of the South: A 

 Journey by Louis D. Rubin Jr., with 

 photography by John F. Harrington. 

 1998. Longstreet Press, 2140 Newmarket 

 Parkway, Suite 122, Marietta, GA 30067. 

 268 pages. Hardcover, $25. ISBN 

 1-56352-499-6. 



If the sheer size and huge horsepower 



28 SPRING 1999 



