Unlikely Passages [Paperback]

Reese Palley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 1998

The many fans of Reese Palley's There Be No Dragons will be thrilled to learn of the release of his first book on sailing, Unlikely Passages. Long out of print, Unlikely Passages is a "sailor's manifesto." Palley gave up a successful career as an art dealer while in his late 50s and embraced retirement with a vengeance. He sailed away in his ship Unlikely and circled the globe. In doing so, he created his own universe - a small boat in a large ocean. Through a series of humorous anecdotes and illustrations, insightful observations, and practical information, Palley expounds his unique sailing philosophy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Sailing With Reese: From Angels to Zen: Reese Palley has written about things he knows - sailing, people, and art. His sailing books are: There Be No Dragons, Unlikely People, and Unlikely Passages. There Be No Dragons gives the wannabe ocean cruiser a rational approach to the dangers and the technical knowledge needed to voyage in a small boat safely. Unlikely People is a collection of very interesting personality sketches of people Reese has met in different ports of the world.

Unlikely Passages uses a travelogue approach in each chapter. Those introductory passages are not nearly as unlikely as the musing he gets into. Reese is crazy - like a fox. He makes statements that bruise your sensibilities and then comes to conclusions you can't help but agree with. For instance: In Chapter 4 he says he is not a moralist and he doesn't believe in God, but for the eleventh tribe (the sailing tribe) he says, "The Word of God is curiously difficult to improve upon. . . when even the agnostic sailor, faced with unacceptable odds, will seek His intercession."

So in Unlikely Passages, Reese covers sailing from Angels to Zen. In between he throws in a dash of sex, vomit, and God. This is a book I had to put down on occasion - but I had to pick it up again. Reese has a galling way of coming to truths I usually agree with. He said all he really wanted to accomplish in writing this book was to elicit a little giggle, and he got mine.

Unlikely Passages had a short life when it was first published in 1984, since the publisher went out of business shortly thereafter. It was republished in 1998 in its original form. Reese is currently working on a book about the Schooner, FANTOME, which was lost in Hurricane Mitch. He sails UNLIKELY VII, a 46-foot cutter, out of Key West. --Good Old Boat July/Aug. 1999

About the Author

Reese Palley is an alumnus of the New School and the London School of Economics. After a successful career as an art dealer, Palley, in his late fifties, decided to go sailing. He made three transatlantic crossings and a circumnavigation in his 46-foot Ted Brewer designed sailboat, Unlikely VII. He is the author of The Porcelain Art of Edward Marshall Boehm, Unlikely People, There Be No Dragons and numerous articles in sailing magazines.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Sheridan House (January 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574090518
• ISBN-13: 978-1574090512
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #383,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Mildly Entertaining, January 1, 2000

By 

Bryan Laurila (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unlikely Passages (Paperback)

I purchased the book because the reviews sounded good. I was disappointed wish I would have checked it out from the library instead. I found it only mildly amusing and felt that it was not written very well. If you are looking for a good sailing book, read John Kretschmer's "Flirting with Mermaids" or Susan Tyler Hitchcock's "Coming About" instead.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just a giggle, July 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Unlikely Passages (Paperback)

A found it a struggle. Put it down many times but eventually made it to the end. The odd 'giggle' yes, but I expected better. If you really want a good one and laugh, get 'No Shoes Allowed' by Jan de Groot.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impeccably written, tremendously entertaining, May 20, 2005

By 

David C. Smith (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unlikely Passages (Paperback)

I received my copy from a non-sailing friend who proclaimed the book one of his favorites. I must agree with his assessment.

Unlikely Passages is equal parts philosophy and humor. There is considerable relevant musing, and a touch of travelogue. The prose is simply exquisite. I will continue to recommend this book to all who long for the cruising lifestyle, as its generous pearls of wisdom come without reservation or romance. Have I mentioned that it's funnier than hell?

This book is honest. I would consider it a good indicator whether one's mate was up to the lifestyle. If he/she feels compelled to put it down due to unsavory content, he/she should probably remain firmly planted to soil.