On shipboard

Born aboard an American sailing ship in Singapore Harbor, a young girl begins life at sea under the protection of the stars and stripes. Her childhood unfolds across the world’s great oceans, where her father commands a square-rigged clipper and her family makes a snug cabin their home.

Through her eyes, shipboard life is both adventurous and wonderfully ordinary. Polished wood, secured furniture, flowering plants, a cheerful canary, and familiar toys bring domestic comfort to a world governed by wind and waves. Her father must serve as navigator, physician, dentist, and caretaker, while the family meets changing weather with practical courage and humor. Rich in affection and vivid maritime detail, this memoir offers a child’s-eye view of a vanished era, when sailing families traveled the globe and ships were at once workplaces, classrooms, and homes.