More than just a book, this is a chance to experience, to some degree, second hand, what the first single handed around-the-world sailors experienced. Peter Nichols writes brilliantly about a sailing race, one of the greatest ever really. I knew parts of the story, but this book puts it together and in prospective. Nichols is a gifted writer and is writing about something that he obviously feels passionate about, a perfect combination. There is a bio of each of the racers, good descriptions of the boats and notes from their logs. The story unfolds as the race progresses and has many shocking surprises in the end. Most importantly, you learn about the psychology and philosophy of the very different characters as they wrestle with the turbulent sea and the huge mental challenge they face. You don't have to be a sailor to understand or love this book.