The most recommended maritime books

Who picked these books? Meet our 50 experts.

50 authors created a book list connected to maritime, and here are their favorite maritime books.
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Book cover of Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania

Jan Cullinane Author Of The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, 3rd edition

From Jan's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Retirement expert Avid tennis player World-wide Traveler Happy mother/spouse/grandmother/sibling/aunt Reader

Jan's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Jan Cullinane Why did Jan love this book?

Itā€™s a true story that reads like a mystery, thriller, and yet was an actual historical event.

There were so many little things that could have gone differently that would have changed the ultimate outcome for the Lusitania. Itā€™s like a metaphor for life ā€“ small differences can result in huge outcomesā€¦sometimes wonderful, sometimes terrible.

I loved it because of the intrigue, the rich character descriptions, and how it reminded me of Greek tragedies with the ā€œhubrisā€ of many of those involved in the shipā€™s ultimate fate. I was immersed in a fascinating history lesson, story, and character study all in one well-researched and well-written book. It was a nonfiction book that read like a thriller.

By Erik Larson,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Dead Wake as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On May 1, 1915, a luxury ocean liner as richly appointed as an English country house sailed out of New York, bound for Liverpool, carrying a record number of children and infants. The passengers were anxious. Germany had declared the seas around Britain to be a war zone, and for months, its U-boats had brought terror to the North Atlantic. But the Lusitania was one of the era's great transatlantic "Greyhounds" and her captain, William Thomas Turner, placed tremendous faith in the gentlemanly strictures of warfare that for a century had kept civilian ships safe from attack. He knew, moreover,ā€¦


Book cover of Life of Pi

S. Chris Shirley Author Of Playing by the Book

From my list on exploring crises of faith.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up as a closeted homosexual in a fundamentalist Christian home, enduring nearly two decades in a crisis of faith. Sermons frequently warned of damnation for my natural inclinations, pushing me to fast, pray, and achieve to resist temptation. This crisis gradually resolved over the eight years I spent writing Playing by the Book, the first coming-out novel to win a National IPPY Medal in religious fiction. Although I donā€™t consider myself a spiritual writer, I am drawn to stories that explore existential struggles and triumphs, including those related to a crisis of faithā€”much like the characters in the novels on this list.

S.'s book list on exploring crises of faith

S. Chris Shirley Why did S. love this book?

I loved this book for its fantastical portrayal of a Pacific voyage that mirrors the internal conflicts many of us face. Like Pi, who embraced multiple faiths during his ordeal, I searched for answers to reconcile my faith and sexuality across various denominations, religions, and philosophies.

Piā€™s story as he journeys across the Pacific, a tiger in tow, allowed me to reflect on the moments when I felt alone, wrestling with my faith in the face of an overwhelming challenge, given my fundamentalist upbringing. 

By Yann Martel,

Why should I read it?

25 authors picked Life of Pi as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

After the sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen-year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a wounded zebra, an orangutanā€”and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

Soon the tiger has dispatched all but Pi Patel, whose fear, knowledge, and cunning allow him to coexist with the tiger, Richard Parker, for 227 days while lost at sea. When they finally reach the coast of Mexico, Richard Parker flees to the jungle, never to be seen again. The Japanese authorities who interrogate Pi refuse to believe hisā€¦


Book cover of Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula

Robert Vitalis Author Of Oilcraft: The Myths of Scarcity and Security That Haunt U.S. Energy Policy

From my list on crazy things we believe on oil and world politics.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been fascinated with the relationship between the United States and the Middle East since my freshman year at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where I began as a commuter, stuck in gasoline lines, during the ā€œenergy crisisā€ in the fall of 1973, and where I was among the first SUNY students to study abroad in Egypt after the United States resumed diplomatic relations. I wrote my dissertation on Egyptā€™s economic development (When Capitalists Collide: Business Conflict and the End of Empire in Egypt, 1995) and have been teaching and writing about U.S. involvement in the region for 35 years.

Robert's book list on crazy things we believe on oil and world politics

Robert Vitalis Why did Robert love this book?

Professor Laleh Khalili provides an absolutely riveting account of the transformation of the Gulf region, where the U.S. fifth fleet has operated since the 1990s, into a hub of world commerce in oil and arms. She argues that the lines between civilian and military logistics have grown increasingly blurred. To prove it, she takes us aboard the container ships, detours back to the time when British firms and government agencies ruled, explores the ports and free zones, follows the rails and roads, and uncovers the complex labor relations that make war and trade possible. 

By Laleh Khalili,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Sinews of War and Trade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On the map of global trade, China is now the factory of the world. A parade of ships full of raw commodities-iron ore, coal, oil-arrive in its ports, and fleets of container ships leave with manufactured goods in all directions. The oil that fuels China's manufacturing comes primarily from the Arabian peninsula. Much of the material shipped from China are transported through the ports of Arabian peninsula, Dubai's Jabal Ali port foremost among them. China's 'maritime silk road' flanks the peninsula on all sides.

Sinews of War and Trade is the story of what the making of new ports andā€¦


Book cover of The Golden Rendezvous

Carmen Radtke Author Of The Case of the Missing Bride

From my list on mysteries set on ships and trains.

Why am I passionate about this?

After years dedicated to the hard facts of a newspaper reporterā€™s life, including a sting covering the police beat, Carmen Radtke has changed her focus to fiction. Sheā€™s been fascinated by both history and mystery as long as she can remember and stays dedicated to the truth behind the lie, and the joys of in-depth research. As a repeated emigrant, she is enthralled by voyages into the unknown and the courage (or madness) that takes.

Carmen's book list on mysteries set on ships and trains

Carmen Radtke Why did Carmen love this book?

Fast-paced, exciting, with enough twists to keep me reading without a single break ā€“ this is one of my all-time favourites by prolific author Alistair MacLean. I found myself chuckling and, in the next instant, holding my breath as the First Officer has to outwit terrorists who have taken over the tramp carrier cum cruise ship ā€œCampari.ā€ But what I enjoy most is the mix of humour and lightheartedness that balance the high octane thrills which are grounded in meticulous research.

By Alistair MacLean,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Golden Rendezvous as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A timeless classic of modern-day piracy from the acclaimed master of action and suspense.

Aboard the SS Campari, all is not well.

For Johnny Carter, the Chief Officer, the voyage has already begun badly; but it's only when the Campari sails that evening, after a succession of delays that he realises something is seriously wrong.

A member of the crew is suddenly missing and the stern-to-stern search only serves to increase tension. Then violence erupts and suddenly the whole ship is in danger. Is the Campari a victim of modern day piracy? And what of the strange cargo hidden belowā€¦


Book cover of The Motion of the Ocean: 1 Small Boat, 2 Average Lovers, and a Woman's Search for the Meaning of Wife

Liesbet Collaert Author Of Plunge: One Woman's Pursuit of a Life Less Ordinary

From my list on sailing memoirs written by women.

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve always enjoyed reading memoirs that pull me in, take me on a unique journey, and entertain me with real-life drama. Nonfiction can be better than fiction, when the experiences and a compelling voice are present. I have been a writer and a nomad since 2003 and, during my thirties, sailed throughout the Caribbean and South Pacific for eight years with a partner and two dogs. When publishing my own account of this journey, I merged the present tense with enticing elements of fiction writing, like flashbacks, foreshadowing, and cliffhangers. Using correct grammar and eliminating typos are important to me as well, which is why I am a picky reader.

Liesbet's book list on sailing memoirs written by women

Liesbet Collaert Why did Liesbet love this book?

The Motion of the Ocean has been a longtime favorite sailing memoir of mine, not in the least because I read it during my own sailing years and felt connected to the author.

I appreciate her humorous, honest, conversational, and compelling writing style and love the title of the book, which inspired me to keep adventuring by sailboat and even to write my own memoir.

The narrative focuses on Janna and her husbandā€™s relationship on a small boat in a remote area of the world. Itā€™s a story not unlike mine in regards to relationship idiosyncrasies, the Pacific territory, the coupleā€™s ages, and some of their experiences.

Janna was a teacher in a previous life as well and shares my love for travel and writing. This is an entertaining, well-written book.

By Janna Cawrse Esarey,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Motion of the Ocean as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The humorous true story of a woman who abandons her tidy life to honeymoon across the Pacific on a leaky, old boatā€”only to find that sailing 17,000 miles is easier than keeping her relationship off the rocks.

ā€œSomewhere fifty miles off the coast of oregon i realize the skipper of this very small ship is an asshole. he also happens to be my husband.ā€

While most thirty-somethings are climbing the corporate ladder or popping out babies, Janna Cawrse and her boyfriend Graeme take a different tack: they quit their jobs, tie the knot, and embark on a most unusual honeymoonā€¦


Book cover of Tricky Business

Susie Black Author Of Death by Jelly Beans

From my list on funny men whose stories take place in Florida.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am Susie Black. Before I became an award-winning, humorous, cozy mystery author, I had a successful career as a ladiesā€™ swimwear sales exec. As you can imagine, I spent a lot of time in Florida. I interacted with progressive, traditional, and conservative buyers and sellers from large cities to small towns all over the Sunshine State. My experiences gave me a unique perspective on the social mores and hierarchy of Floridaā€™s diverse, multi-layered, and complicated society. 

Susie's book list on funny men whose stories take place in Florida

Susie Black Why did Susie love this book?

I bet itā€™s because I lived on a houseboat for ten years that this hilarious book grabbed me by the sea legs and never let me go. Nothing tickles my funny bone more than a group of people who have nothing in common and are thrown together on a boat out to sea but going in circles.

The antics of this ship of fools on a gambling boat who are seemingly clueless as to the shipā€™s nefarious real business make for a madcap tale of side-splitting laughter. 

By Dave Barry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tricky Business as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Extravaganza of the Seas is a 5,000-ton cash cow, a top-heavy tub whose sole function is to carry gamblers three miles from the Florida coast, take their money, then bring them back so they can find more money. Travelling this trip are Fay Benton, a single mom and cocktail waitress, desperate for something to go right for a change; Johnny and the Contusions, a ship's band with so little talent they are, well, the ship's band; Arnold and Phil, two refugees from the Beaux Arts Senior Centre; Lou Tarant, a wide, bald man who has killed nine people, thoughā€¦


Book cover of The Captain's Table: Life and Dining On the Great Ocean Liners

Julian Stockwin Author Of Sea of Treason

From Julian's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Sea writer Cat lover Bibliophile Trencherman Rambler

Julian's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Julian Stockwin Why did Julian love this book?

In my previous life, I would have loved to have traveled with my wife in one of the great ocean liners in their heyday. The glorious food, fine wines, and the general ambiance are wonderfully evoked in this book, and a well-chosen selection of recipes, contemporary photographs, and original menu cards enhances the text.

Your decision will be just what recipe to try first.

By Sarah Edington,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Captain's Table as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

To sail first class on the great ocean liners was to experience the last word in luxury and service. The Captain's Table recalls not only the glamour and excitement of life on board, but also the rich creativity of the excellent cuisine. The author has expertly recreated an inspiring selection of classic recipes from the First, Second and Tourist Class dining rooms for the modern cook, adding to them with fascinating research on their origins, including period memorabilia in the form of dining cards and menus. Beautifully illustrated with a wealth of nostalgic imagery, this book exudes glamour and elegance,ā€¦


Book cover of Lifeboat 12

Nancy McDonald Author Of One Boy's War

From my list on historical middle grade exceptional child heroes.

Why am I passionate about this?

A longtime student of history, particularly WW2 and the Cold War, my interest was personally piqued when I started to discover more about how my husbandā€™s family narrowly escaped capture by the Gestapo ā€“ and certain death in a concentration camp. Iā€™m driven to write novels set in this era for middle grade kids ā€“ featuring brave young heroes faced with moral dilemmasā€“ so they can learn about the horrors of antisemitism, tyrants, and war because ā€œthose who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.ā€

Nancy's book list on historical middle grade exceptional child heroes

Nancy McDonald Why did Nancy love this book?

A page-turning, true-life adventure! The story is told in first-person verse by 13-year-old Ken Sparks whose parents send him from England to Canada at the start of the Blitz as part of the British governmentā€™s ill-fated child evacuee program. Five days into the crossing, his ship, the SS Benares, is torpedoed by a German U-Boat, and as it sinks fast, Ken finds himself in a lifeboat with five other boys fighting for their lives. I read this book and loved it from page one. Although they come from very different backgrounds, Ken and KƤfer share endearing qualities: pluck, resourcefulness, and a childā€™s optimistic view of the world. All of which stand them in good stead.

By Susan Hood,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lifeboat 12 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

"This page-turning true-life adventure is filled with rich and riveting details and a timeless understanding of the things that matter most."-Dashka Slater, author of The 57 Bus
"Brilliantly told in verse, readers will love Ken Sparks." -Patricia Reilly Giff, two-time Newbery Honor winner
"Lyrical, terrifying, and even at times funny. A richly detailed account of a little-known event in World War II." -Kirkus Reviews
"Middle grade Titanic fans, here's your next read." -BCCB
"An edge-of-your seat survival tale." -School Library Journal (starred review)

A Junior Library Guild Selection
The 2019 Golden Kite Middle Grade Fiction Award Winner
A 2019 ALSCā€¦


Book cover of Rites of Passage

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been fascinated by "sea stories" since I could read, maybe before. I was born in Liverpool, my dad was in the navy, my family ran an 18th-century inn named the Turkā€™s Head after a nautical knot, and Iā€™ve directed or written more than twenty films, plays, and novels with the sea as their setting. But theyā€™re not really about the sea. For me, the sea is a mirror to reflect the human condition, a theatre for all the human dramas I can imagine. More importantly, Iā€™ve read over a hundred sea stories for research and pleasure, and those Iā€™ve chosen for you are the five I liked best.

Seth's book list on books about the sea that arenā€™t just about sailing on it, or fighting on it, or drowning in it, but are really about the human condition

Seth Hunter Why did Seth love this book?

Golding will forever be remembered for Lord of the Flies, but I think this is better (and so did he, apparently, a lot better).

Itā€™s the story of people on a seemingly endless voyage from England to Australia in the 19th century, but for me, itā€™s like a spaceship on a voyage to another planet, like the spaceship in Alien with its own monsters aboard, the social mores, the injustices, the class privileges and prejudices, the sexual hangups, and the guilty secrets they carry with them. Pity poor Australia!

For me, it demonstrates that the sea can be a metaphor for reading (and writing). You embark on a journey, and you want to get to the end, but in a way, you want it to last forever.

By William Golding,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Rites of Passage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Sailing to Australia in the early years of the nineteenth century, Edmund Talbot keeps a journal to amuse his godfather back in England. Full of wit and disdain, he records the mounting tensions on the ancient, stinking warship, where officers, sailors, soldiers and emigrants jostle in the crammed spaces below decks.Then a single passenger, the obsequious Reverend Colley, attracts the animosity of the sailors, and in the seclusion of the fo'castle something happens to bring him into a 'hell of self-degradation', where shame is a force deadlier than the sea itself.


Book cover of Star of the Sea

Why am I passionate about this?

Iā€™ve been fascinated by "sea stories" since I could read, maybe before. I was born in Liverpool, my dad was in the navy, my family ran an 18th-century inn named the Turkā€™s Head after a nautical knot, and Iā€™ve directed or written more than twenty films, plays, and novels with the sea as their setting. But theyā€™re not really about the sea. For me, the sea is a mirror to reflect the human condition, a theatre for all the human dramas I can imagine. More importantly, Iā€™ve read over a hundred sea stories for research and pleasure, and those Iā€™ve chosen for you are the five I liked best.

Seth's book list on books about the sea that arenā€™t just about sailing on it, or fighting on it, or drowning in it, but are really about the human condition

Seth Hunter Why did Seth love this book?

I love this story because, for me, itā€™s a perfect example of why a ship is such a great platform for storytelling, a moving stage for a compelling cast of characters to act out the drama of their past and present lives while heading into an uncertain future.

The Star of the Sea is a "coffin ship," the name given to the leaking hulks that transported a million emigrants from Ireland to America during the Great Famine of the 1840s.

Itā€™s a historical novel but for me, a timeless story about emigration and the human condition, of refugees fleeing the monsters of their past, war, famine, disease, whatever, into what they hope will be a brighter future, and of what happens to them on the way.

By Joseph O'Connor,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Star of the Sea as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 14, 15, 16, and 17.

What is this book about?

* Over a million copies sold *

Rediscover Joseph O'Connor's monumental #1 international bestseller.

In the bitter winter of 1847, from an Ireland torn by injustice and natural disaster, the Star of the Sea sets sail for New York.

On board are hundreds of fleeing refugees. Among them are a maidservant with a devastating secret, bankrupt Lord Merridith and his family, an aspiring novelist and a maker of revolutionary ballads, all braving the Atlantic in search of a new home. Each is connected more deeply than they can possibly know.

But a camouflaged killer is stalking the decks, hungry forā€¦


Book cover of Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania
Book cover of Life of Pi
Book cover of Sinews of War and Trade: Shipping and Capitalism in the Arabian Peninsula

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