10 seaside books (+1) for World Book Day

Today is World Book Day, once I learned that I wanted to sit down and read a good book. Then I started remembering great books I’ve read, and realized several that came to mind had something to do with the sea, or water, or boats.

The Curve of Time
M. Wylie Blanchet
A mother takes her children cruising through the islands of the Canadian West Coast.

Hunting Mr. Heartbreak
Jonathan Raban
The author follows in the wake of Hector St. John de Crevecouer, (heartbreak) boarding a freighter in Liverpool bound for America. NOTE: The author found something he likes here, he now lives in Seattle.

Swallows and Amazons
Arthur Ransome
A group of British children runs amok in small boats. Very satisfying.

Huckleberry Finn
Mark Twain
Okay, it’s a river, but it’s a big river and a great adventure.

The Highest Tide
Jim Lynch
A young naturalist finds an amazing creature on the shore of Puget Sound.

Blown Away
Herb Payson
A couple sells everything, buys a sailboat and cruises the South Pacific in hilarious style.

Shipbreaker
Paolo Bacigalupi
A young boy struggles against an inhospitable society and rising seas.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
C.S. Lewis
The world-hopping quartet from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe goes to sea.

The Old Man and the Sea
Ernest Hemingway
An old fisherman breaks his dry spell.

Ship Fever
Andrea Barrett
Eight amazing stories of science and history. The title story about a Canadian doctor in a quarantine station is simply wonderful. Won the National Book Award.

The Red Sea Sharks
Herge’
Blistering Blue Barnacles! Adventure and fun with Tintin, Captain Haddock, the Thompson Twins and Snowy.

I love all these books, whether cartoon or high brow literary fiction. All highly recommended.

What books about water and the sea do you recommend?