poor jack

In the Western World the deep-sea sailor has now all but disappeared, so it is possible to look dispassionately at what the seafaring life meant for those who went down to the sea in ships. Drawing on a mass of contemporary material spanning four millennia, this book follows the merchant seaman ashore and afloat through the typical vicissitudes of his exotic but uncertain life. Although it is an unsentimental “warts and all” portrayal, it is nevertheless an affectionate valedictory tribute to a lifestyle that has almost vanished.