I Thought the book was both very entertaining and educational.  As I aspire to do some
"blue  water sailing" the ins and outs of the every day life aboard were of tantamount importance.

As a result of this read I don't think that a circumnavigation is in my future. Too dangerous !  But extensive cruising through Mexico,the south pacific and around the Caribbean seem much more within my capabilities.

The invaluable information for supplies, repairs, and safety were a godsend.

The challenges of maintaining a healthy relationship on board, and inter-relations with the rest of the sailing community were superlative.

And finally the entertaining style and the related adventure kept me glued to the book for
hours on end, much to my distraction from work and friends for an entire week !

The Adventure, from paradise to pirates should keep anyone enthralled. Thanks for the fun !

STEVE  SMITH, 11/13

 

 

I love this book.  Ruth and Buddy's adventure is very inspiring and a very honest account of their journey.  It brings back so many memories of some of the good times and the bad when Doug and I did our two year cruise of Mexico.  You guys are tough cookies, I have to say.  It was hard for me to put this book down.  A page turner.

JOANN LEAVITT, 12/13

 

 

As a boater myself, I read all the cruising chronicles out there. This easily is the best. Just the right combination of sailing detail and marvelous travelogue. Ruth writes in an easily understandable language that will appeal to any age reader. If you are a boater, so much the better!  Buddy's supplemental notes throughout the book add an interesting take on things.

This life of course, is not all roses. In a few hundred miles you go from a cruiser's paradise to facing the threat of pirates near the Red Sea. While not a "how to do it" type book, it is an excellent primer for anyone contemplating the cruising lifestyle themselves. I will recommend it to my friends.

DICK HEIN. 12/13

 

 

Full Circle is an outstanding book for anyone.  Even if you know nothing about sailing you will enjoy this book.  Throughout the book, two mantra's were repeated that really stood out to me.  The first was "We don't have a plan and we're sticking to it" and the second was "luck is 90% preparation and 10% luck".  Both of these were frequently mentioned but more important, they were on display in practice throughout the book.  Because of these mantra's, I found the book to be inspirational, full of information about the world outside of the United States, and a story of an amazing accomplishment by two incredible people.

 

The inspirational part of the book is throughout and what came across to me was that Buddy clearly lived his dream for close to 14 years (including two years of preparation). Not many people can really get to do that to the extreme that they did.  Ruth, who I feel was not really living her dream, jumped into this tremendous ordeal with an open mind, enthusiasm, and the intelligence that showed her to be a quick study on making a major contribution to this incredible journey. They faced adversity almost every day but never let it stop them (I'm sure they considered it periodically!).  Their mantras were a huge part of their success and the fact that they stuck to them is inspirational to all whether you sail or not (I am not a sailor and after reading this book know that I could not be one).

 

Reading this book was like a travel log on their trip around the world.  They explored many little countries that I have never heard of and met incredible people, experienced unique customs, and came away with a lifetime of memories.  The information provided in this book makes me appreciate the United States but also allows me to cultivate a tremendous respect for third world country people who endure challenges that we would never imagine.  The book does a terrific job of spelling that out.

 

Lastly, for Buddy and Ruth to spend 14 years of their life doing something that very few people have accomplished is beyond belief.  As I progressed through the book, I kept thinking how many times I would have turned around, probably sold the boat, and said that is enough.  They never did.  They stuck with it and overcame many obstacles but reaped enormous dividends in doing so. To add to their accomplishments, they took this whole trip and put it into an outstanding book that is a treasure for them and anyone who reads it.  Both are better people today for what they accomplished.

 

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the human spirit, adventure, and amazing achievement.   This book is a great read for everyone.

 

STEVE. 1/14