"Rough Passage to London: a Sea Captain's Tale" historical novel by Robin Lloyd
Lloyd, a former NBC news foreign and White House correspondent meticulously researched his ancestor, Captain Elisha Ely Morgan, who was a well known ship captain in the north Atlantic from 1820-1850. Captaining a packet ship (mail/cargo and passengers) from New York to London/Liverpool, Morgan was acquainted with many of the major historical figures of the day including Charles Dickens, William Thackery, Joseph Bonaparte, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and English artists like Constable, Landseer and Leslie. The burgeoning anti-slavery movement in Britain and the US also plays a role.
From his beginnings as a 16 year old untrained seaman until his retirement the story evokes a period and a lifestyle aboard ship that I found very interesting. Admittedly, this is a novelization but IMHO its a good one and worth your consideration if you have any interest in the subject or that period in America history.
http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Passage-London-Captains-Novel-ebook/dp/B00FZFHSSC
"Rough Passage to London" is a riveting tale of intrigue, danger, and adventure told in the tradition of Patrick O’Brien and C.S. Forester. In this fascinating novel, Robin Lloyd brings his ancestor Ely Morgan and the seafaring world of the 19th century vividly to life. Lloyd’s meticulous research and masterful storytelling ability transport the reader back to the days before steamships, when a boy who ran off to sea faced a harrowing life of relentless toil and frequent peril in the unpredictable seas of the North Atlantic.
The book details the life of Ely Morgan, who left home to escape an abusive father and made it his lifelong goal to find the brother who was lost at sea. The book recounts Morgan’s determined climb from cabin boy to shipmaster and owner. Along the way, it deals with many of the vital issues of the day, from slavery and abolition to the opium trade. It also offers fascinating glimpses into the lives of many of the era’s great personages, as Morgan was acquainted with such notables as Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, Joseph Bonaparte, and the artists Leslie, Constable, and Landseer. He entertained Queen Victoria on one of his ships, and made more than 100 crossings as captain of the packet ships that sailed back and forth across the Atlantic, ferrying passengers, cargo, and mail from the Americas to England.
Morgan’s search for his brother is difficult and dangerous, and it takes decades to come to its conclusion, bringing him into contention with some of the leading criminals of the day --- and also with their aristocratic patrons.
"Rough Passage to London" is a worthwhile addition to the library of any lover of seafaring adventure or mystery and intrigue.
