In the Non-Fiction Corner---Seven at Sea

In the Non-Fiction Corner With Lauren

Seven at Sea: Why a New York City Family Cast Off Convention for a Life-Changing Year on a Sailboat
is a book written by a husband and wife who left everything in New York City to set sail for a year with their five children. Erik and Emily began sailing as a hobby, but after many classes and teaching their children to love sailing as well, they knew that they wanted to take a chance and make it their lifestyle. They found a boat they loved, acquired the funds and they were on their way! The family experienced many ups and downs throughout their journey, and this book gives the details on all of it.

Erik and Emily make excellent cowriters as they give insights into their decision making, as well as humorous stories from their trip abroad. I loved the first few chapters. I feel like I really got to know the family and what drove Emily and Erik to follow their dreams no matter what. I felt like I was learning to sail as well! There is a line in the book that said their travel sometimes was just “fixing their boat in exotic places” and that definitely sums up the beginning part of their trip. Lots of maintenance needed, and as the authors give a log of that, they also tell a little bit about the people they met and how these setbacks brought them closer as a family. They aren’t afraid to share the hard parts of living in such close quarters with their family, and I definitely appreciated their honesty. The overall theme of the book is to follow your dreams and don’t be afraid to try something new, and I think that the authors portray this message perfectly.

You can get your copy here

Here's the back copy:

A New York City family's remarkable story of how they gave up their urban life, packed up their family of seven, and braved the difficult conditions of the Atlantic Ocean as they sailed more than 2,500 from New York to and around the Caribbean.

They thought of all the reasons why risking everything for year at sea was a bad idea: they could go broke, get injured, be stranded at sea--maybe even die. More than likely, the only thing they would accomplish would be to embarrass themselves. Besides, only rich people sailed the world, right?

After all the deliberations, one thing was clear: their children would either be an excuse or a reason. They chose to set sail.

Seven at Sea tells the story of a family learning to live together, simply and in harmony with the natural world. In doing so, they learned that giving up control can sometimes lead to amazing adventures. More importantly, they discovered how little they actually needed to be abundantly happy.