Customer Reviews

Home Is the Sailor

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading Dove, I was anxious to find out what happened toRobin, Patty and Quimby. This book took us through their trials and triumphs as he and Patty found the Lord and learned to live off the land. It us not full of bible thumping rhetoric, just the story of a young couple trying to find what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives and the hard work that went into that quest. After reading Dove, I was so anxious to find out what happened to them. Now that I have read Home is the Sailor, I am left with enormous admiration for them and I STILL want to know how things are and what they have done since the book was published. Robin was an inspiration to me when I read Dove and Home is the Sailor didn't disapoint me one little bit. My copy of Dove is in tatters from constant reading and I have loaned out Home so often I have lost it and am heartbroken to find it is out of publicationl

Robin continues to live and grow in his quest to be a husband, father, and spiritual person. Very painful to read about some of the family's hard lessons in building their home.

I contacted Robin several years ago wondering whatever happened to the rest of the story. He was very gracious to respond (twice!) and those notes, as well as his family newsletter are proudly stored with my copies of his books.

I know many people pursue truth and faith. Few have written about their journey in such a transparent, warts-and-all manner.

Like so many I followed Robin's jouney in the pages of National Geographic and was totally captivated. I enjoyed Dove and it has take me many years to find a copy of Home is the Sailor.

Overall it was well worth the wait. The story picks up with fairly little material reproduced from Dove although some background had to be added in case a reader was not familiar witht he story of Dove. Robin shares his bouts of depression and sometimes the mood is gloomy, but realistic. The book is a great cautionary tale for those who think that can easily live off the land.

The writing suffered in the last third of the book from poor pacing conveying too much detail in some minor events. The book also suffered from the fact that just when life in Montana was becoming settled they were thinking of leaving for the ocean once more preventing the reader from finding closure leaving the author as unsettled at the end as he was at the begining.

In closing a good followup, but lacking the elements that would make it fully satifying read.

Writing style is honest, It took a while to get going. I am impressed with where he was at in his life 1983 and wish I knew what he was up to now. I followed his journey in the NG, all those years ago, envious of his freedom to do as he pleased in the Dove. While he was naive about Montana, I found myself relating to their struggles and was impressed with the openness of his writing. In this book I believe he just let it all hang out.I think this book could be useful to a couple having marital problems! Their simple faith as discussed openly in the book is refreshing all the more in 2005! I recommend it for Teenagers and grandparents. My grandkids will be getting a copy!

An autobiography of what happened after sailing around the world alone, Home Is The Sailor can't keep her sails filled.

I read "The Boy Who Sailed Around The World Alone" as a kid, shortly after it came out. Now thirty years later, that book is still in my head. So when I discovered that Robin had written another book, I was intriqued. What I found was mostly dissapointment.

It's a brutally honest book: he talks about suicide and depression and religon. But I found it to be uninspiring and the writing style to be amatueresque. When he did talk about sailing, his words kept my attention. But when he delved into his family troubles, he lost my interest for the most part.

There are years that he describes in detail in many chapters. Then there are others that are tidied up in a paragraph or two. For instance, he wrote at length, about his first child, daughter Quimby. But his second, Benjamin, gets barely a mention, save for his birth.

Overall, I found this book boring and lacking in substance, considering it's 217 pages. I kept saying to myself "so what!?"

The ending I found to be rushed and inconclusive, as the book was published right before they decided (apparently) to return to the sea.

I give it two stars, only because he was honest enough to put his problems in print, and because I like his previous work.

I read Robin's first book "Dove" when I was a boy and was truly in awe of his voyage and of his sailing achievement. It had been many years since I picked up his book again and as an adult related to it quite differently. I was more touched by his meeting and falling in love with his wife and his discovery and journey to become his own person.

I really was very surprised and quite delighted to discover Robin Lee Graham had written a second book "Home is the Sailor" and was happy to pay good dollar to get it. Upon reading this book I am very much inspired by the life of Robin lee and Patti Graham and had to slow down my reading as I did not want their story to end. Robins life to date of writing this book had really been so inspirational that to read of his struggles as an early adult only adds to his character and to how people can relate to him. Robin and Patti Graham are true advocates of what life personifies- God, love, marriage, children, respect, nature - and Bloody Hard Work! God has truly blessed there lives and many others through their books "Dove" and "Home is the Sailor". I crave for a life as dipicted in this book as it shows through Gods help we can overcome great trials. Robin and Patti's books have given more to people than they will ever know in this life.

I sincerely feel this book is more relevant in todays worldy society than when it was initially written. The fruits of "Home is the Sailor" are great!. A must if you are seeking truth!

I can't imagine what I would do after having seen the World by age 21. Robin chose to head for the mountains of Montana where he and Pattie found their creator and learned life's lessons the hard way. At the end of the book he hints that he wants to sell the ranch, buy a large teaching crusier, and once again sail the South Pacific.
I hope he made it.
tony@willingham.net

Robin Lee Graham really swallowed the anchor. He is now a very religious dude far from the sea. This book is all about him finding GOD, and I don't really think it has anything to do with sailing, except that a sailor, retired, wrote it!

I had missed this book when it came out years ago. I found it when searching for what Robin Lee Graham has been up to in the intervening 40 years from his sailing days. I was glad to read of the next few years of his story. His depression showed through clearly in the book. But I found that, even in 'Dove', all was not happy either. So it goes. I always thought that National G put a very positive spin on his sailing life and adventure. If I was anticipating an up experience, that's not what I found. But it realistically gives us his struggling and maturing through efforts to find the next best thing to be or do. I didn't give the religious tone much truck. So many have gone through that experience and want to share with others that it is easy to tune out. I am glad that at the end he seemed more at ease and that he and Patti were still together. Not enough about the kids but it wasn't necessarily about them. Very consistently focused on Robin. Read this book in conjunction with the National G articles and 'Dove'. It doesn't stand alone well but ties in nicely with the whole series.

I was fascinated by Robin Lee Grahams adventure when I read about him in National Geographic almost 45 years ago.As an adventure loving teenager I was also very envious in a good way. What does someone do to top that? Well he didn't top it, but he certainly has had some unique adventures in finding the way he wanted to live his life. It was very interesting and I just wish his co-writer had talked him into doing another book in recent times. I'm sure there was a lot that has happened in RLG's life that I would love to read about. I can tell he is someone that isn't looking for the limelight and maybe has to duck writers that aren't really so much interested in RLG as they are in coming up with something to sell.