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Go to My LibraryTwo Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea (Modern Library Classics)
- Language
- English
- Published in
- Publisher
- Modern Library
- Pages
- 350
- ISBN
- 9780307424877
Subjects
Original edition details
Other editions (170)
Two Years Before the Mast (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
2009 • Barnes & Noble Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana : Illustrated and Unabridged
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2017 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast : a Personal Narrative Richard Henry Dana, Illustrated By: E. Boyd Smith(1860-1943) Two Years Before the Mast Is a Memoir by the American Author Richard Henry Dana Jr. (Diary, Novel)
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : a Personal Narrative. By: Richard Henry Dana Jr. Illustrated By: E. Boyd Smith. (Smith, E. Boyd (Elmer Boyd), 1860-1943) Diary, Novel
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Other editions
Two Years Before the Mast (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
2009 • Barnes & Noble Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana : Illustrated and Unabridged
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2017 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast : a Personal Narrative Richard Henry Dana, Illustrated By: E. Boyd Smith(1860-1943) Two Years Before the Mast Is a Memoir by the American Author Richard Henry Dana Jr. (Diary, Novel)
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : a Personal Narrative. By: Richard Henry Dana Jr. Illustrated By: E. Boyd Smith. (Smith, E. Boyd (Elmer Boyd), 1860-1943) Diary, Novel
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Dos años al pie del mástil
2017 • Alba Editorial
Spanish
Two Years Before the Mast (Unabridged Start Publishing LLC)
2012 • Start Publishing LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative (Dover Maritime)
2007 • Dover Publications
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Two-Year Sea Voyage from Boston to California on a Merchant Ship
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2009 • Signet Classic 2009-04-07
English
Two Years Before the Mast: a Personal Narrative
2021 • HardPress Limited
English
Two Years Before the Mast - A Sailing Life
2006 • Read Books
English
Two Years Before the Mast And Twenty-Four Years After
2001 • Narrative Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2008 • Boomer Books
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • Open Road Media
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • Innovative Eggz LLC
English
The Complete Two Years Before the Mast Illustrated Classic
2021 • MiraVista Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2008 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • Wilder Publications, Incorporated
English
Two Years Before The Mast
2016 • Innovative Eggz LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2020 • Digireads.com Publishing
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2000 • New American Library
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2014 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2009 • The Floating Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast Golden Illustrated Classics
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2007 • BiblioBazaar
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative
1981 • New American Library
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2007 • Classic Books Library
English
Two Years Before the Mast
1977 • The Franklin Library
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2007 • BiblioBazaar
English
Two years before the mast a personal narrative of life at sea.
2012 • Gale, Sabin Americana
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea (Modern Library Classics)
2001 • Modern Library
English
Deux années sur le gaillard d'avant
2002 • Payot & Rivages
French
Two Years Before the Mast
2012 • Andrews UK
English
Two Years Before the Mast (Wordsworth American Classics)
1996 • Wordsworth Editions Ltd
English
Two Years Before the Mast
1995 • Claremont Books London
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2017 • Pinnacle Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2013 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
1980 • Macmillan
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea (Forgotten Books)
2008 • Forgotten Books
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2013 • Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast - A Sailor's Life at Sea
2018 • Independently published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2007 • Digireads.com
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2011 • TREDITION CLASSICS
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2012 • TREDITION CLASSICS
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2007 • Echo Library
English
Two Years Before the Mast: Illustrated
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2001 • Digital Scanning Inc.
English
Two Years before the Mast
2007 • Brownstone Books
English
DEUX ANNEES SUR LE GAILLARD D'AVANT
1997 • Robert Laffont
French
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2010 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2006 • Waking Lion Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2001 • North Books
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2011 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2013 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2013 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea (Signet Classics)
1964 • Signet Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast Twenty-four Years After
1971 • Dent
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2000 • San Val
English
Two Years before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
1981 • Signet Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2007 • Brownstone Books
English
Two Years Before The Mast - A Personal Narrative Of Life At Sea
2009 • NuVision Publications, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast, Large-Print Edition
2008 • Editorium
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2000 • Routledge
English
Two Years Before the Mast (Isis Large Print Nonfiction)
1987 • Isis Large Print Books
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2013 • Createspace
English
Two Tears Before the Mast
2005 • Dodo Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast: Large Print
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2009 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2012 • Bod Third Party Titles
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
1999 • Adegi Graphics LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
1965 • Airmont Pub Co
English
Two Years Before the Mast
1973 • Arrow
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2012 • ReadHowYouWant
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2017 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2022 • Naxos and Blackstone Publishing
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Freemason's Monthly Magazine
2019 • HardPress
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2006 • Hard Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast. A Personal Narrative: 1
2022 • Legare Street Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2021 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2025 • Cor Jesu Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2009 • ReadHowYouWant.com, Limited
English
Two Years Before the Mast: Large Print
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2014 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2005 • eBooksLib
English
Bill the Conqueror
2025 • Rare Treasure Editions
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast : (Annotated Edition)
2021 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana, Jr. / NOVEL /
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2014 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : (6*9)
2020 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2012 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast.
2019 • Independently published
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast : Large Print
2020 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast; A Personal Narrative
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before The Mast (Richard Henry Dana Classics Collection)
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2007 • Barnes & Noble, Incorporated
English
Two Years Before the Mast
1999 • Adegi Graphics LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast Twenty-four Years After
1969 • Dent
English
Two Years Before the Mast A Personal Narrative
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before The Mast (Richard Henry Dana Classics Collection)
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: a Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2021 • HardPress Limited
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana : Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana : Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2021 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2014 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2020 • Independently published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2015 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2018 • Franklin Classics Trade Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast and Twenty-Four Years After
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast: A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2018 • Franklin Classics
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2021 • Independently Published
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2017 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast (Annotated)
2011 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : A Personal Narrative
2018 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast By Richard Henry Dana - Illustrated
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2022 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast. A Personal Narrative of Life at Sea
2021 • Creative Media Partners, LLC
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2016 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast : Large Print
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast Large Print
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2022 • Independently Published
English
![Two Years Before the Mast [Christmas Summary Classics]](https://images.isbndb.com/covers/6326643482720.jpg)
Two Years Before the Mast [Christmas Summary Classics]
2014 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast. A Personal Narrative: 1
2022 • Legare Street Press
English
Two Years Before the Mast a Personal Narrative
2012 • Dover Publications, Incorporated
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
Two Years Before the Mast
2018 • CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
English
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Rating Sources
Richard Henry Dana Jr.'s "Two Years Before The Mast" is widely praised for its significant historical and anthropological value, offering a rare and detailed firsthand account of life aboard an American merchant ship in the 1830s. Reviewers consistently highlight its unique perspective from the common seaman's point of view, a departure from traditional captain's logs. The book is lauded for its vivid and often poetic descriptions of the sea, skies, and landscapes, particularly the harrowing passages around Cape Horn and the beauty of icebergs. Many found the sections on pre-Gold Rush California, its inhabitants, and the hide trade to be particularly fascinating and historically invaluable, broadening their understanding of early America. Dana himself is often admired as an empathetic, observant, and hard-working individual whose transformative journey led him to become a lifelong advocate for sailors' rights, cementing the book's legacy as a powerful call for social justice and a milestone in American literature that influenced later authors like Herman Melville.
Despite its merits, "Two Years Before The Mast" is not without its criticisms. A common complaint among readers is the book's slow pace, repetitiveness, and occasional monotony, especially in its early chapters, leading some to find it boring or even abandon it. Many reviewers struggled with the extensive and highly technical nautical terminology and jargon, which they found baffling and overwhelming without a specialized glossary or prior knowledge of sailing. This detailed focus on ship mechanics often detracted from the narrative for those seeking a more adventurous or action-packed read. Furthermore, some readers pointed out Dana's inherent biases, describing his tone as at times snobbish or reflecting the prejudices common to his era, particularly concerning various ethnicities and nationalities. There are also observations that Dana, as the narrator, occasionally presents himself in an overly favorable light, potentially making him an "unreliable narrator" in a postmodern reading.
Ultimately, "Two Years Before The Mast" is considered an enduring American classic, essential for its historical insights and its role in shaping maritime law and literature. While it may not deliver a fast-paced adventure, its strength lies in its authentic depiction of a sailor's arduous life and its invaluable historical record. This book is highly recommended for readers with a strong interest in maritime history, the Age of Sail, or the specific historical context of 1830s America and California. It will particularly appeal to those who appreciate detailed, factual accounts and sociological studies over purely thrilling narratives, and to anyone interested in the personal journey of a privileged individual confronting the harsh realities of the working class and becoming an advocate for change.
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