When an accident with an open oil lantern set the American clipper Hornet alight in 1866, the 31 passengers and crew were forced to abandon ship. Cast adrift in three small lifeboats, they had less than 10 days rations to share between them. They were over 1000 miles from the nearest island. Over the next six weeks they were to encounter every danger the Pacific could throw at them. They were attacked by sharks and swordfish. They endured storms, and even tornadoes. Their hunger became so intense that they resorted to eating their clothes, and later, half-mad from the effects of drinking sea-water, were driven to the edge of cannibalism. A FURNACE AFLOAT tells the story of their 4000-mile voyage through the eyes of three men, who kept journals throughout their ordeal. It is one of the rare, great historical survival stories, and yet it also transcends its genre: the boatful of castaways becomes a microcosm of 1866 America - a diverse mix of immigrants struggling to overcome class divisions, and to recover from the recent Civil War.

A Furnace Afloat : The Wreck of the 'Hornet' and the 4,300-Mile Voyage of Its Survivors

Joe Jackson

Sports & Outdoors

Phoenix Paperbacks

Nanci Griffith's distinct blend of pop, rockabilly, and folk has made her one of the most respected, popular, and loved singer-songwriters working today. Having released fourteen of her own critically acclaimed albums as well as recording countless guest appearances on other artists' albums and contributing to film scores, Nanci creates music that has taken root all over the world--her melodies and lyrics resonating wherever they are heard. The Grammy award-winning album Other Voices, Other Rooms--one of the most successful albums of contemporary folk music ever--marked a watershed moment in Nanci Griffith's career. Not only is it her sole album of cover songs, but it is also a seamless blend of tradition, collaboration, and innovation. The follow-up album, Other Voices, Too: A Trip Back to Bountiful, continues that tradition of passing on other writers' work and presenting folk music as a vital force in today's music. Go behind the scenes with Nanci Griffith and listen in on a very special conversation with Joe Jackson, an acclaimed music journalist, as they explore the roots and inspiration for Nanci's extraordinary career and trace the history of the folk music movement. This book is a guide to Nanci's trip back to bountiful--to the place where inspiration springs freely. With more than one hundred behind-the-scenes photographs and candid interviews with Nanci and her collaborators, including John Lomax III, Emmylou Harris, Dave Van Ronk, Pete Seeger, Odetta, the members of the Blue Moon Orchestra, and many, many others, this book offers a rare glimpse into the artistic heart and soul of one of this country's greatest musical treasures: Nanci Griffith.

Nanci Griffith's Other Voices: A Personal History of Folk Music

Biographies & Memoirs

Nanci Griffith

Arts & Literature

Three Rivers Press

The amazing tale of one of history’s most daring acts of biopiracy—and how it changed history In this thrilling real-life account of bravery, greed, obsession, and ultimate betrayal, award- winning writer Joe Jackson brings to life the story of fortune hunter Henry Wickham and his collaboration with the empire that fueled, then abandoned him. In 1876, Wickham smuggled 70,000 rubber tree seeds out of the rainforests of Brazil and delivered them to Victorian England’s most prestigious scientists at Kew Gardens. The story of how Wickham got his hands on those seeds—and the history-making consequences—is the stuff of legend. The Thief at the End of the World is an exciting true story of reckless courage and ambition that perfectly captures the essential nature of Great Britain’s colonial adventure in South America.

The Thief At the End of the World. Rubber, Power, and the Seeds of Empire

Gerald Duckworth Co Ltd

Dead Run: Untold Story of Dennis Stockton & America's Only Mass Escape from Death Row

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Random House Times Books

A Cure for Gravity

Anchor Books

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Books by Joe Jackson