Customer Reviews

Away All Boats (Classics of Naval Literature)

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Dodson's 'Away All Boats' is a novel that is both a study of human nature and the art of command. The central theme is the ship and it's missions. The charecters of the crew bring this mass of steel to life and give it personality. There are strong charecters amongst the officers as well as the Sailors. Likewise there are officers and Sailors that one would cross the street to avoid. they are all thrust into the confines of theat attack transport Belinda and give the story so much of it's richness. The captain is a driven man and his goal is to make his ship the best attack transport in the Pacific Fleet. HIs drive whittles down the rough edges and shows up the weak leaders and followers. He makes few friends but ultimately gains the respect of many. This book is an excellent leadership text and would aid many, in the military as well as the civilian world, as they work with what they have been given and turn their people into a cohesive whole. This is a masculine book; women appear only in letters. It is a monastic existence as the men serve the Gods of War and now that the bulk of U. S. Naval ships are crewed by men and women, it is a reflection on an era that is rapidly slipping into the realm of memories.

Kenneth Dodson poured a lifetime of seagoing experience into Away All Boats. I had the opportunity to get to know this remarkable man before his passing just a few years ago and heard some of the true-to-life experiences aboard U.S.S. Pierce that formed the basis of this book. Away All Boats is a story that will leave you feeling as tired as McDougal and the other men of the fictional U.S.S. Belinda. It's a strong story of teamwork, loyalty and people faced with challenges beyond human endurance. It's also a true picture of what life was like aboard a Navy attack transport. In fact, this book has long been required reading at the Naval Academy for it's accurate picture of amphibious warfare. Like McDougal, the protagonist in Away All Boats, Dodson skippered merchant ships in the 1930s. He got to know Charles Lindbergh while carrying him, Anne Morrow Lindbergh and their aircraft back from an Asian airline route scouting trip. Dodson spent the end of 1941 dodging Japanese forces in the Pacific before voluntarily leaving command of a merchant ship for a lieutenant's berth in the U.S. Navy. If you want a three dimensional look at a seldom covered aspect of WWII Navy operations, Away All Boats is a top pick.

I read this book a long time ago and I'm long overdue to read it again. I've spent some time at sea on merchant vessels and research ships. His descriptions of life on board make you feel like you are right there with all the sounds and smells of a working ship. It's one of my favorite alltime books. It's a great movie too. Not just for lovers of sea stories.

Not an easy read but worth every minute. Helped save my life. Really it did.

Excellent military fiction! I picked up this book (1954 edition) at a public library free offering three years ago and just now starting reading it. Surprisingly well done, and reminiscent a bit of the Seafort saga and The Big 'E'