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Thread: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

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    Default Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    In the 50’s and 60’s?

    Thank you

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Just June 14th. 1957 the official expiry of my indentures. The day officially entered the real world, and the wonders of shore life for 12 weeks, until the dole stopped . JS
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    Post Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert George Young View Post
    In the 50’s and 60’s?

    Thank you
    R.G.There might be a few in our Recommended Books Forum.
    Reading.jpg

    Sadly,a lot of our books on life as a merchant seaman will remain in our heads,but from time to time little stories emerge on site....

    Poppy (2).gif

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    The likes of one passage in 1954 BA to Japan took 90 odd days at sea without going ashore , the 3 days in Japan one lived the 3 days as trying to get the previous 3 months lived in those 3 days to make up for time lost. Most seaman’s experiences were in his mind of excursions ashore , but never mention of the hardship suffered getting there. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy , and Jack didn’t want to be a dull boy. After his 3 days of high living it was back to long ocean passages sometimes with a lot of regrets , until his next spree ashore . The life one learns to live with until one knows no better. Shipboard duties never stopped any playtime came in outside duty time , so some of the regrets will have been on the fines and forfeitures which some thought were worth the cost, the other regrets were probably romantic ones gone sour. Cheers JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 15th November 2021 at 12:48 PM.
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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Are you the same Robert George Young who was on site some years ago asking about life in the MN in the 1930's for a novel you were writing about the time. I don't go through past posts, so am relying on my disappearing faculties, but your name rings a bell

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Cloherty View Post
    Are you the same Robert George Young who was on site some years ago asking about life in the MN in the 1930's for a novel you were writing about the time. I don't go through past posts, so am relying on my disappearing faculties, but your name rings a bell
    Yeah, I’m the same person.

    The writer has not really used much of the merchant navy stuff I sent her.
    I was just thinking that was a big part of dads life and I might revisit that 27 years period

    Thank you

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert George Young View Post
    Yeah, I’m the same person.

    The writer has not really used much of the merchant navy stuff I sent her.
    I was just thinking that was a big part of dads life and I might revisit that 27 years period

    Thank you
    Thanks for your reply, perhaps if you're thinking of writing another book, the title may be more appropriate as 'The life of a mental seaman' plenty of material on here without researching any outside reading.

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    As Ivan says you can’t imagine a seaman’s life you have to live it. Your father may have appeared to a non seafarer as a boorish and rough typecast individual , but to another seaman he wasn’t judged on the niceties of a softer living type of existence. He was judged on his capabilities and his loyalty to his fellows. This of course will also depend on the vessel types he sailed on. I was on over 80 vessels of various types during my time at sea , and there was always that feeling of expectation on joining anyone of them for the first time , every ship was a challenge , there were more successes than failures is the only thing I can say, as some were real bangers and past redemption. Success means different things to different people , success to me was reaching job satisfaction and
    Surviving until the next one. JS
    Last edited by j.sabourn; 16th November 2021 at 12:49 AM.
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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Quote Originally Posted by j.sabourn View Post
    As Ivan says you can’t imagine a seaman’s life you have to live it. Success means different things to different people , success to me was reaching job satisfaction and
    Surviving until the next one. JS
    Brilliant thank you Bob
    Last edited by Doc Vernon; 23rd November 2021 at 07:08 PM.

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    Default Re: Any fantastic books on life on a merchant seaman

    Hi RG.
    There are plenty of good true sea stories on this site, click on search at the top and type in sea stories. Also there were quite a few books written by ex Vindi boys, try their site .
    Cheers Des
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