Reading in Reykjavík

Year of publication: 1903. Genre: Thriller, espionage novel. Type of mystery: Military secrets. Type of investigator: Amateur. Setting & time: (mostly) the Frisian Islands, Germany, around he turn of the 20th century. Story: The narrator, Carruthers, is invited by Davies, an old acquaintance, to join him on a yachting trip in the North Sea. When he arrives, Carruthers discovers that the “yacht” is in fact a small boat, with no crew, and that Davies is hiding something from him. As they make their way down to the Frisian islands, Davies eventually reveals that he has started an impromptu investigation of possible nefarious doings by a man he suspects of being a British defector working with the German military. To complicate matters, Davies has fallen in love with the man’s daughter. The book is in the public domain, and here is a link to an online edition: The Riddle of the Sands . Review: The Riddle of the Sands was one of the earliest spy novels, and has had immense influe...

Year published: 1956 Genre: Non-fiction: Memoir, travel Setting & time: Aboard ship and shore leaves in the UK and Australia; 1938-9 The Story: In 1938, 19 year old Newby gave up his job as a clerk and signed on for a round trip as an apprentice seaman aboard the freighter Moshulu, one of the last sailing ships that plied the grain route between Britain and Australia. His descriptions of the excitement and hardships of shipboard life make for wonderful reading, and a documentary of a lifestyle that was soon to be extinct. The 1938-9 season was, according to Newby, the last time a fleet of sailing ships vied with one another for the fastest passage from Australia to Britain. After the Second World War was over, the fleet had broken up, many of the ships were destroyed, and ships with engines had mostly taken over the cargo routes. Review: Eric Newby had a wonderful way with words and this first book is no exception. He had the ability to make the things he wrote about come alive...