Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member By Joshua Kinser

[Hearty Guy]

This is another review that I wrote recently that I posted to Amazon with 4/5 stars. I really enjoyed the read, in part because we both shared a maritime background.

A BLAST of a book that will get you thinking seriously as well as philosophically about some issues, but only fleetingly, as most of your reading time will be spent snorting in laughter. Wow. "Who would have thought!" moments will alternate with "yup, ain't that the truth?" — especially if you've ever been at work on the sea, and I have. For me it really was a blast, as in, a blast from the past. Anyone new to seafaring will be steeped in ship lore right quick, and anyone that’s an old hand will feel back "on board" with this book in tow.

This book will show you how completely different ship life is when compared with normal life on land. Did I mention that I recommend standard Irish pub favorites such as "Drunken Sailor" by Patrick Day as the perfect backdrop/soundscape to accompany the reading of these briny chapters?

I thought it was hilarious that the only Kindle readers’ highlight that I found marked in the book was this little piece of advice: "You should sneak Everclear aboard the cruise ship in water bottles like everyone else. That will bring the fun ship (sic) to a whole new level." Three readers highlighted this as the most memorable part of the book! I guess they were planning their future cruise experience very carefully lol!

Portholes were a big deal to me when I worked on ships and I see it was no different for author Joshua. At least the crew on oil tankers had one in their room; no such luck for most Cruise Ship Crew members (I'm capitalizing here because I liked this particular example of alliteration).

We learn in intimate detail the many ways a cruise ship is divided – physical divisions, social and ethnic ones too. The descriptions of the some of the staff are hilarious. The different cultures found on various levels of shipboard hierarchy are pored over with the fine–tooth comb of the author's funny bone. We learn, with humor, how the Indian security guards talk and think. But, most of all, we come to understand the "neurotic, spastic and intense personality that the author and every other musician [around the world] has developed."

Finally, we learn that the author can write a good novel as well — when the pages of these Chronicles are ending the Capers are just beginning, thanks to the excerpt chapters included that introduce you to his next book, "Cruise Ship Capers." Overall, you get a very enjoyable reading experience, with some wordiness and repetition however, that left some of the main chapter questions unanswered.