Customer Reviews
Row ,row, row your boat - By: shentog, 01 Feb 2008 
Read the book & then watch the DVD & seems like two diferent accounts of a journey accross the atlantic, though I suspect the book is a far meor honest account of the voyage.Ben & James were like chalk & cheese but some how it worked. Not a taxing read at all but welll worth the time & effort. Will definately read the book again!
Two naked men in a boat.... - By: Read Me, 01 Jul 2007 If you missed this when it was shown on tv (brieflyin a one off show) then this is the story of Ben (TV host, bit posh) & James (Olympic rower, v competitive) & their race to row across the Atlantic. Its all fairly self explanatory - find a rowing partner, buy a boat, rowin straight line, meet friends & family on other side of ocean. But things are never that easy.
This book gives you both sides of the story, & makes it very clear that Ben & James didn't always get on. The arguments, tantrums, bickering & resentments all make this a more honest account of their journey. I like the format of this book,in the sense that you get one account first, then followed on by the others, leading you to draw your own conclusions when sometimes they don't add up.
The actual race itself sounds amazing. The team were very underprepared & no-one thought they stood a chance of even starting, but somehow they made it. Then its all about the hard slog across the Atlantic including highlights of rowing with dolphins & the low points of capsizingin the night.
This is a great book, thoroughly recommended for anyone who is an armchair adventurer.
A journey you will read over and over again - By: R. Barber, 20 Mar 2007 
Gripping, terrifying, heartbreaking, amazing, emotional, courageous. Just a few of the words describing the race whilst reading this book. They start as ill-equipped outsiders & finish as the first pair to cross the Atlanticin one of the greatest races since records began.
I was never popular of Ben Fogle from Castaway 2000, however since reading this bookin just a few days my assumptions of him were changed dramatically. A must read for anyone who doubts the book will not be as good as this review makes out!
Truly inspiring, couldn't put it down - By: Simon Stonehouse, 03 Feb 2007 This is the first book for a while that's kept me completely gripped..finished itin a couple of evenings & was kind of disappointed when it was over! A must read for anyone with a curiosity of the human nature under extreme pressure (in some very adverse circumstances)
It is written honestly & candidly by both men & makes you feel like you are living the ups & downs with them!
amateur review from part time reader! - By: Peter D. Craske, 21 Jan 2007 I only read this book because James sent it to me & a lot of people gave it to me for christmas. I paddled across the English Channel with James on a surf board last year so I wouldn't say I know James well but I have seen the competitive firein him at first hand! The other thing I should point out is that I very rarely read books!
This is the story of an awesome adventure - inspiring, honest, insanely tough & fraught with difficulties. I simply couldn't put it down. I liked the double narrative & the contrasts of thought between them. The differencesin their personalities holding the key to their ultimate success.
The most enlightening part of the book is when Ben tells us he sat on the laptop screenin the first week & that put an end to any e-mails of encouragement or otherwise reaching them onboard. I sent loads of e-mails to them over the 50 days as I tracked their progress - & not one reply!! And only now I find out.
If you did track their progress on-line then this will bring it to life. If you didn't, you'll enjoy the ride. It is a must read book & that's coming from someone who doesn't read that much.
One final thought - the DVD doesn't do the crossing justice.
