Fantastic book. Captain Slocum is a famous "man of the sea" who sailed around the world alone around the turn of the 20th century. Not at all hard to read, especially if you like reading stories about the sea. BTW, there is an international Slocum society now, founded to support those who travel long distances in small boats: http://www.joshuaslocumsocietyintl.org/

This is a must-read for anyone interested in history or the history of technology, or just great biography. Nasmyth was raised very well and in this book he explains the beautiful attributes and skills he was taught from a young age, how they brought his career to fruition, and even spends time on items of interest for modern technologists, such as releasing patents to the public. I found this book surprising, humorous (especially the bit about where his last name comes from), and poignant, and felt like I was learning at the feet of a great man. Highly recommended.