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Alone Together
- Sailing Solo to Hawaii and Beyond
- Narrated by: Christian Williams
- Length: 11 hrs
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Alone Together
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Summary
What happens when a man of today's overconnected world sets off alone across the Pacific at the age of 71? Christian Williams, a veteran sailor and writer, planned a 6,000-mile voyage as a test of his own seamanship and endurance, and to fulfill a lifelong goal. But he found his focus quickly turning from the surrounding sea to all of us. Is anyone the same person when no one else is there? Do we dare to find out? In a new world of soaring seabirds, violent storms, and majestic emptiness, Williams discovered answers to questions he had never asked about who we are, why we sail, and the universal fear of being alone.
Alone Together is a complete technical course in offshore sailing technique and yacht preparation, and a philosophical inquiry into what it takes to be truly alive in the 21st century.
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What listeners say about Alone Together
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Thomas Schaefer
- 11-01-18
Great
Dear Christian, thank you for taking me along on this trip, and for making it such an entertaining one. I was in good hands and I am glad you shared so much of your experience while underway - I hope you did not not mind that I said so little preferring to listen to that great voice. I would be thrilled to get another invitation should you set out again to distant shores.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ed Freshwater
- 17-10-20
Outstanding tale well told
The laconic and often truculent internal monologue of the author is translated as an hilarious, moving, informative tale of a solo adventure. An brilliant listen, highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Abe
- 26-07-20
You Are Not Alone
Relaxing, educational, thought provoking. Im not a sailor, yet, but Christian takes you with him across the Pacific ocean with his friendly and unusual story telling style.
I listened to his later book on his second crossing first after finding his YouTube channel.
highly recommended,
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- daniel hulme
- 06-03-24
How the man utilises all his strengths and past experiences in one solo adventure.
I liked it all , the story the adventure and the man . I’ve listened to this repeatedly all month and after five hearings I could listen again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- The Chap
- 14-10-20
Excellent
Having first listened to A Philosophy of Sailing, also by Christian Williams - and which is a marvellous listen - I gave this a try. It's an excellent book; combining interesting reflections and philosophical musings with moments of genuine laugh out loud humour. And a good adventure to boot. He also has a great reading voice. You'll enjoy it!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert
- 10-12-21
I love this book
Love the way the author speaks direct to you.
And the way he narrat it.
Can't read to many times.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mike Elmer
- 09-03-18
excellent....
After watching u-tube videos I felt drawn to purchase the book, excellent work, will recommend.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Nibbler
- 11-09-17
If you like the sea, sailing or adventures...
This book is about Christian's solo sail to Hawaii, it's planning and execution. If you like the sea, sailing books or adventures you'll probably enjoy this.
There's no plot, there's not really any tension but in the end I found it quite compelling.
I expected more descriptions of the sea, instead we are given expansive and detailed descriptions of the mechanics of the yacht and it's preparation. I quite enjoyed these, although occasionally his voice (and I mean narrative voice) seemed a bit whiney - many of us would give our eye-teeth to have the chance to do a trip like this, so when he's moaning about an inconsequential leak he can't find or some other small problematic detail with the boat it does get a bit tiresome. There are few passages where Christian seems to be really content, perhaps this is a reflection on the inner 'us' we take with us wherever we travel and whoever we are with.
I expected more philosophy. 'Alone together' is the paradox at the heart of the Northumbria Community and I was expecting some deep reflections on the state of aloneness which he experienced. There is a bit of this, but actually the 'alone together' is a device in which the author keeps talking to you as though you were on the boat with him. Truly I found this immensely annoying and distracting and his assumptions about what I may or may not want to do patronising. This is the principle reason for dropping two stars. However, having paid my money I pressed on and like the leaks it seemed to disappear as the book went on and although the philosophy was not explicit, there is a wonderful connection with the sea and his life on it which does have impact.
Do I recommend it? Yes, of course: four stars is a hearty recommendation.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nick
- 05-07-20
Fabulous captivating study of both sailing and life
Too many things to praise. Funny, poignant and thought provoking. Just lovely, can’t wait to find more that Christian has written.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Audun
- 25-08-20
Perfect balance
A perfect balance between down to earth sailing action & boat preperation and more free flying philosophic observations.
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