Rare Antique Book, Sailing Alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum; 1923

One of the most important books on sailing, the turn of the century international best seller, Sailing Alone Around the World by Captain Joshua Slocum. This is a rare 1923 edition, illustrated by Thomas Fogarty and George Varian. Published by The Century Co., New York; original publishers. The blue covers are in the same style as the first edition, blue with seahorses curled around an anchor. The book is in vintage condition with some exceptional issues; some may find them a negative; some may think they are a positive; I'm of the latter.

There is a tear and and an inscription to a yachtsman dated 1924 on the interior cover page. The next blank page has a 1927 letter glued into the book, the letter is from Alice A. Cherry; a seacaptain's daughter and a former neighbor of Slocum's when he resided in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. The next torn cover page includes a glued down letter from Elizabeth Delano (a Roosevelt relative); and an inked list of voyages written by the owner. The facing title page has come loose from the binding, it is an important photograph of "The Spray" the sailing vessel used during the voyage. There are notes written throughout the book, most likely be the owner, who appeared to be doing research on Slocum, indicated by the letters attached to the book. The back cover has separated from the binding; there is a third letter from Ms. Charry dated 1937 with additional historical sailing recollections.

A fascinating copy by one of the most important Captains during the turn of the last century. The additional documentation makes it all the more interesting. Captain Slocum was lost at sea in 1909 and declared legally dead in 1924; one year after this book was published.

From Wikipedia:
In 1899, he published his account of the voyage in Sailing Alone Around the World, first serialized in The Century Magazine and then in several book-length editions. Reviewers received the slightly anachronistic age-of-sail adventure story enthusiastically. Arthur Ransome went so far as to declare: "Boys who do not like this book ought to be drowned at once." In his review, Sir Edwin Arnold wrote, "I do not hesitate to call it the most extraordinary book ever published."