DESCRIPTION
The stirring narrative of Unsinkable** tells 16-year-old Abby Sunderland’s remarkable true story of attempting to become the youngest person ever to sail solo around the world.
More people have flown into outer space than have sailed solo around the globe. It is a challenge so immense that many have died trying, and all have been pushed beyond every physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual limit. In Unsinkable, readers follow Abby Sunderland into those depths. This biography delivers a gripping and evocative firsthand account that starts prior to her departure, travels through her daring (and sometimes near-death) encounters on the open sea, to her dramatic rescue in the remotest corner of the Indian Ocean, and the media explosion that happened upon her safe return to dry land.
Along the way, readers discover what it means to boldly face any challenge, to strive after something great, and to plumb the depths of faith, fear, and desperation only to emerge changed, renewed, and emboldened. In this day and age, when the most productive thing a teenager may do is play videogames, Abby’s ambition and tenacity is a real-life parable of what can happen when we choose to exceed our own limits and strive after what all the naysayers say is impossible.
About the Author
Abby Sunderland is among the third generation in a family of sailors and adventurers. In 2007, at age 13, Abby discovered her dream of sailing solo around the world and was inspired by her brother Zac’s successful circumnavigation in 2009. Her own journey, in 2010, ended in the Indian Ocean when a rogue wave rolled her sailboat, Wild Eyes. Abby now shares her story of tenacity and courage with audiences everywhere. Lynn Vincent is the New York Times best-selling writer of Heaven Is for Real, Same Kind of Different as Me, and Going Rogue: An American Life. The author or coauthor of ten books, Lynn worked for eleven years as a writer and editor at the national news biweekly WORLD Magazine covering politics, culture, and current events. A U.S. Navy veteran, she teaches writing at colleges and conferences around the country. Lynn lives in San Diego, California.
MY THOUGHTS
I am the mother of two young men 21 years old and 16 (almost 17). Would I have been trusting enough of the world to let either one of them at the age of 16 to travel or even set sail on the high seas on their own? With no support but a radio? Ummm Heck no! Do I think they were mature enough at age 16 to try such a task? Ummm again I have to answer - Heck no! Abby Sunderland comes from a large family and they have supported Abby and her older brother in their dream to sail around the world. Both at what I think very young ages. But Abby and her siblings come from a strong sailing family and she went through the normal training to get her ready for the trip. Maybe I am just too over protective or maybe I missed something in raising my kids. Whichever the reason, I have to give props to her parents for being able to stand strong while she was away on her excursion and for giving all of their kids the freedom to explore their dreams.
Whether you and I agree or not about letting someone so young go on such a daring trip is not what really matters, because Abby did and survived. Abby is a a really strong young lady not only physically (because it takes a lot of physical labor in order to maintain and keep control of a sail boat) but emotionally and spiritually.
When Abby first set sail, many kept up with her through her blog. For months she lived her dream and would let everyone know how she spent her days through blog journals. The day came though that her updates stopped and the family received no radio transmissions.......Abby had encountered a huge storm and now was lost at sea. Miles away from land and no radio communication Abby tells of what she endured until the day came and she was rescued.
Abby is an amazing young woman and because of her strong convictions and huge support of her family will be able to achieve any goal she has in life. I was really surprised how much I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to any young woman or man searching to fulfill their dream.
You can purchase this book at Amazon or any other online book store starting at around $12.41.
Disclosure: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
