The premise of this book is good though I wish his daughter had been a bit older and could have participated in the building. Overall, this book does drag a bit, especially if you aren't REALLY into boats. I enjoy books like this because it gives me a look at something I'd never do myself. I can't say this book leaves me with any more interest in boats than I had previously. If you're into boats, this will give you lots of details and some history as well. If you aren't into boats, this likely won't be a big hit for you.

Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is not the book that I thought it would be. I don't know what I was thinking when I picked it out. I do not like the ocean or water or anything aquatic and the building of the boat quite frankly bored me. I felt obligated to read on but honestly I did not enjoy this book. It was too much of a chore and not a pleasure to read. Not that his writing wasn't good, cause it was. I learned a few things but it succeeded in exhausting me! Sorry.

Freelance journalist Jonathan Gornall became a father again at the spry age of 59, which, face it, is pretty darned close to 60. Then for some unknown reason—even to himself—he decided to build this new child of his, Phoebe, a boat. Not just any boat but a clinker-built boat, the oldest form of boat building known to man. Well, oldest other than the primitive dugout canoe.

What follows is a charming and intimate memoir on the process of boat building, Gornall’s discussions of his admitted lack of handicraft skills, his obvious delight at his new role as a present-and-participating father, and many asides about all things boat building; how I came to know that clinker-built boats are so ancient.

The memoir reads like a good friend sitting on the deck of his boat telling you the story of how it got made. Gornall has a curious mind and the reader is rewarded with his research and charming storytelling ability.

Becoming a father at 59 could overwhelm a man. Gornall, who had, well, lived large, decided to build a boat for his daughter Phoebe. What a thing to do! I found this fascinating, mostly for the details of the construction. Those who have watched Gibbs build a boat in his basement on NCIS over the last many years might, like me, think it would be easy. Hah! To say that it is the focus of the book would be to diminish the thought Gornall has put into describing his life and the challenges of later fatherhood. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is well written and engaging. A good read.

The story of how a man built a boat for his daughter. The author, who found himself becoming a father again at age 59, set about to leave his new born daughter a remembrance of himself. His troubled past family life obviously affected him, and he wanted to make sure that his child did not have to ever have the doubts about family that raced through his veins. His solution was to build this boat. Never mind that he had no idea of how to build it, nor any skills to accomplish it. He pressed on, to his eventual success.
It's a good story.
Spoiler: after reading the advance copy I received from NetGalley (which was an electronic copy, with no photos), I went online and found the author. There I found him and his daughter, in the boat, looking extremely happy. A happy ending!

A late in life new father a chance to be a real parent to his new daughter to atone for missing his grown sons childhood, An ode to working with your hands a guide to building a boat a gift for his daughter.A thoughtful wonderful how to ,how to build a boat how to be a real parent.Lovely moving an engrossing read.#netgalley #scribnet.