Customer Reviews

Steaming to Bamboola: The World of a Tramp Freighter

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a very clever, creative and satisfying read. "Steaming to Bamboola" both demonstrates Buckley's sophisticated intellect and entertains in his characteristically unpretentious and powerfully understated fashion. Following "The White House Mess" this book also reflects the author's development as a writer, and is in keeping with the rapier wit evident in his later "Thank You For Smoking" , "Wry Martinis", and "Little Green Men".

Having first read "Wry Martinis" I quickly recognized that "Steaming to Bamboola" was written from Buckley's first hand experience having worked on a freighter. The book weaves nuggets of nautical science, policy, and history with droll observations on the myriad, misfit personalities drawn to the merchant marine lifestyle. Besides making you laugh, the book is educational and informative as it is written in a style that the total neophyte can understand and appreciate.

"Steaming to Bamboola" would fall into the "a man's book" genre; it is written from a masculine perspective, but could be fully appreciated by both sexes. The book leaves you with an tremendous amount of admiration for Christopher Buckley as a extremely bright, worldly, witty, and tremendously likeable guy.

Incredibly, I have sailed every ocean with ships-full of the characters in this book. What's more, although the names vary, the mannerisms, language and interaction of the crew is almost too true to life. If Tom Clancy were to start having a little more fun with his subjects (not a trivial task), he couldn't match Mr. Buckley's work for authenticity accompanied by everything from a smile through great belly laughs. Cheers. No, you can't borrow my copy. Sorry.

I'm positive that I sailed with at least two of the people in this book. Sal was really Sol and always claimed that we were gonna get gassed one night while sleeping in our bunks. The fellow from Norfolk got booted off the ship and threatened to come back in order to knife the 2nd Engineer, henceforth he was always referred to as "Knifeman". An excellant book and an all too true tale about the misfits of the American Merchant Marine.

I was sailing msc when i read this. most of the characters were living on that ship. loved every minute of both, the book and that ship. my mom read it and cried, what can I say. the best, most true to life book about the merchant marines I have ever read.

Best non-fiction account of life at sea during the 60's and 70's. I sailed 27 years, knew the vessel written about, and I feel I knew some of the sailors. Especially good account of the SIU leader and feelilngs of the sailors. Lost my copy when I moved, trying to get another for my kids.

Two of the most regrettable things I have done in my 43 years of life was agreeing to allow my children to do science experiements in my kitchen and lending my copy of Steaming to Bamboola to friends. Both have been disasters . "Steaming" can be best described as One flew Over the Cuckoos' nest on water. Mr. Buckley has a wonderful wit. Do not read this book while others try to sleep or in a quiet corner as this book does not allow for repose but rather loud outbursts of laughter. I miss my copy of Steaming to Bamboola and my kitchen.

Mr. Buckley has a better eye for the construction & foibles of merchant mariners than most mariners themselves have. If you don't [frequently] laugh out loud, get a cat-scan... your brain's missing!

I am a great reader of travel literature, Chatwin, Bryson, Theroux, Dervla Murphy and just about anyone who ever traveled by camel or through post-our-war Vietnam. Kinglake's "Eothen" is a wonderful book, but "Steaming to Bamboola" is the BEST TRAVEL BOOK EVER WRITTEN.

THE BOOK RELATES THE EXPERIENCES OF MR. BUCKLEY ON A FREIGHTER. IF YOU CONNECT WITH THAT IT MEANS MORE TO YOU. CERTAINLY READABLE, BUT IT'S SLOW TOO. AND IF YOU LOSE YOUR PRECIOUS COPY YOU CAN ALWAYS BUY ANOTHER ONE.