Seaspray and Whisky

"Seaspray and Whisky" is a classic story of maritime misadventure. This genuinely entertaining read tells a true story of how a 'dodgy' crew of misfits drank their way through a cargo of whisky as they crossed the Atlantic in their tramp steamer. Only to face arrest when they reached America. The worst trip of the author's life that turned out to be the best. The only second-hand copy in the UK on Abe Books is going for GBP30 and its had some good reviews: 'Writes Katherine A. Powers, of "The Boston Globe" , 'I read "Seaspray and Whisky" in one enthralled sitting. It is a memoir of a young Irish Radio Officer who has the exotic misfortune to sign up for a tour of duty on a ship commanded and crewed by a collection of topers. The ship's most notable presence is a cargo of Scotch whisky. The author, who is a teetotaler and a bit of a priss, observes with awed restraint as the voyage from Liverpool to New Orleans and on to Houston disintegrates into a binge, the consequence of 960 bottles of Vat 69 disappearing during transit. Freeman's powers of description are stunning: the voyage comes alive with its curious assemblage of seamen, all exceptionally human in their cunning and folly, in their aspirations and failures'. Alun Richards, editor of the "Penguin Book of Sea Stories": 'I thought it was marvellous and read it avidly. I was on one of these hooligan boats myself and Norman Freeman has captured it perfectly'. This could fit into our maritime list as well as apeal to a wider readership that we are reaching with our growing narrative non-fiction list.