might be expected, but his real passion and skill were in the des ign and co nstruction of wooden boats. The boats designed by Joel and buil t by Brookli n Boatya rd in Maine we re and are, by anyone's standards, glorious to behold and timeless in their craft ing. His las t, the 76' W class, is a magnificent offshoot of the New York 50s built with modern materials, but mos tl y wood, and designed to be raced with her sisters in a one-design class. Indeed, she is essentially a day sailer. But there is more, much more, to this story than the birth of a new class of racing boat. For those of us who grew up on or near the wa ter in the days of hand-crafted wooden boats, this sto ry is a treat; fo r those un fo rtunate so uls who d id not, the book will open a wo rld not well know n, but fi lled with real people whom you will get to know and like. It is a leisurely stroll through a D owneast wooden boat yard wh ere not only is the pace a little di ffe rent, but so is the philosophy. It is especially rewarding to meet people who feel "there's value in the hand-wrought piece .... It requires someone who ca res. " W!LLlAM H . WHITE
A Press of Canvas: Vol. I in the W ar of 1812 Trilogy, by William H. White (Tiller Publishing, St. M ichaels MD, 2000 , 2 56pp, illus, !SB 1-888-67 1-11 -4; $14.95 pb) Make way fo r a sailor! W elcom e aboard the young N ew E ngland seaman Jsaac G riggs, a clear-eyed, athletic topman with an eye for a taunt ship , a pre tty wo m an, or any chance fo r honest adva ncement, and a healthy scorn for the dirry tricks and vil lainous mares one meets even aboard a spruce W est Indies trader in the early days of the American Republic. In t his fas tpaced narrati ve the idealistic and peaceloving Griggs is impressed aboard a British fri gate, distinguishes h imself in th at ship 's company unti l he is retaken from one of the frigate's prizes. H e rejoins the American flag to go a- privateering, and by this time he's as ready for a fight as a fro lic. Plen ry of both co me his way. T he author, an active sailor and veteran of naval service, is a trustee of the N MHS. H e came to know us th ro ugh beco ming a virtual part-time resident of the N MHS library in Peekskill in the course o f w riting this book. His spirited Isaac G riggs is just one of the notable (and sometimes ig-
SEA HISTORY 93 , SUMMER 2000
noble) characters th e author brings to li fe in these pages, whose allure has the rare gift of putting you righ t on the slanting decks or aloft in the swaying to ps of the ships his p ro tagon ists sail. An excellent historical introduction by John B. Hattendo rf, Professo r of H istory at the Naval W ar C ollege, gives a picture of the scene within which G ri ggs pursues his adventures, and vignettes by the marine artist Paul G arnett enliven the text. PS Railroad Ferries of the Hudson and Stories of a Deckhand, by Raymond J. Baxter and Arthur G . Adams (Fordham University Press, Bronx NY, 1999, 272pp , ISBN 08232- 1953-4; $34hc; ISBN 0-8232- 19542; $ 19. 95pb) T he ferries that crossed the Hudso n River are described in considerable derail in this book; it also includes a series of recollections of one of the authors who served as a deckhand. T he two secti ons don't flow readi ly in to one integrated wo rk, but the book is mostl y a matter of getting the facts and experiences down fo r the record, and it is good grist fo r the inquisitive mind. Several new chapters were added to this new editi on to brin g the story up to date. Among other things, the book is a co mmentary on the social and technological changes that have occurred . It is clearly nostalgic, and that has influenced the authors' choice of much of the material, some of wh ich may be of lesser interest to the ave rage nauti cal reader. On the other hand, from a research point of view, the authors have do ne their homewo rk. T he book is chock fu ll of factual information and it is illustrated with a fine collection of photographs. It is clearly indexed and sources are cited . Readers with specialized interest in ferryboats or the New York-New Jerseywaterfront will find m uch of the in for mation usefu l, and the book is a worthwhile contribution to the history of New Yo rk H arbor. ARTH UR D. KELLN ER Roseland, New Jersey Legendary Yachts, by Gilles M artin Rager (Abbeville Press, New Yo rk, Paris, London, 2000, 200pp, illus, glossary, ISBN 07892-0637-4; $55hc) "Nothi ng stirs the imagination quite the way beautiful classic yachts do, " says
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