author
Robert C. (Robert Chamblet) Adams
1839–1892
A sea captain turned writer and public speaker, he drew on a life of travel and debate to produce vivid nonfiction and freethought works. His best-known writing brings firsthand shipboard experience to the page with energy and conviction.
1 Audiobook
On Board the "Rocket"
by Robert C. (Robert Chamblet) Adams
About the author
Born in Boston in 1839, he was an American mariner who captained sailing ships and traveled around the world. Archival records also describe him as a public lecturer who served as president of Montreal's Pioneer Free Thought Club and of the Canadian Secular Union.
His writing seems closely tied to the life he lived. On Board the "Rocket" is presented as an account based on his own experience at sea, and it is often the work most associated with his name today. Other surviving books attributed to him include Travels in Faith from Tradition to Reason and The History of England in Rhyme.
He died in 1892. What stands out most about his career is the unusual blend of sailor, speaker, and author: someone who moved between the practical world of ships and the world of argument and ideas.