Sea stories are, plainly and simply, wonderful springboards for vicarious adventure. There is nothing like a sea story to entertain, thrill, move, shock, or inspire a reader, and this collection will do just that.

What is it about the sea that lends itself to so many indelibly classic stories? The sea is a wonderful stage on which to unroll a dramatic narrative or introduce a heroic character. It’s no wonder so many masterpieces are set on the seas of the world.

From sublime moments gunkholing with Erskine Childers in “An Introduction to Informality,” to sheer terror with the ill-fated men among sharks in Raymond B. Lech's “The Loss of the Indianapolis,” to astounding respect for the endurance of Ernest Shackleton and his storm-tossed men in “Escape from the Ice,” there is simply nothing that can compare to what awaits in this collection of twenty-eight thrilling stories. Many, having withstood the test of time and the vagaries of popular culture, are classics.

Classic or not, the stories in this collection are good reading—breathtaking, entertaining, and offering myriad unexpected pleasures.

Tom McCarthy is an award-winning editor and writer who lives in Guilford, Connecticut.