A Sailor in Spite of Himself

by Harry Castlemon

The story follows the adventures of a young man named Tom, who, despite his initial reluctance, finds himself drawn into a life at sea. The novel begins with Tom's life on land, where he is content and somewhat disinterested in maritime affairs. However, circumstances force him to take to the sea, and he becomes a sailor.

Throughout the novel, Tom encounters various challenges and adventures, all while grappling with his initial resistance to life at sea. The narrative showcases his growth and development as he adapts to the demands and thrills of nautical life.

183 pages, Paperback

Published September 6, 2024

About the author

Charles Austin Fosdick (September 6, 1842 - August 22, 1915), better known by his nom de plume Harry Castlemon, was a prolific writer of juvenile stories and novels, intended mainly for boys. He was born in Randolph, New York, and received a high school diploma from Central High School in Buffalo, New York. He served in the Union Navy from 1862 to 1865, during the American Civil War, acting as the receiver and superintendent of coal for the Mississippi River Squadron. Fosdick had begun to write as a teenager, and drew on his experiences serving in the Navy in such early novels as Frank on a Gunboat (1864) and Frank on the Lower Mississippi (1867). He soon became the most-read author for boys in the post-Civil War era, the golden age of children's literature.

(wikipedia)