Song of the Sirens

By Ernest K. Gann

Soundings, February 2008:

“Ancient Greek mythology’s sirens lured sailors to a rocky death with their songs; Ernest K. Gann’s sirens did not sing, but they lured him nonetheless. Song of the Sirens originally published in 1968, details Gann’s love affair with 17 of his most beloved vessels and of his years as master of a commercial fishing vessel along the Pacific.  His infatuations reveal that, at least to him, the ships were as beautiful as any living being. ‘I paddled around the Albatros for nearly an hour photographing as if my subject were a bride posed before Niagara Falls,’ he writes.

Ernest K. Gann was a sailor, a professional airline pilot and a writer. His books include Fate is the Hunter, Island in the Sky, and In the Company of Eagles.”

Excerpted from Good Old Boat, July/Aug. 2000:

“If I had to come up with an alternate title for this book, the only one that could do it justice would be Zen and the Art of Sailboat Maintenance. It has all the same elements: an epic journey, intellectual observations, and practical technical explanations. A romantic, yet thoughtful book, Song of the Sirens is rich in detail, colorful characters, and poignant insights. An unabashed naval romantic, I enjoyed it immensely.”