LoveReading Says
What a fabulously readable book this is, author Hannah Pierce writes with the most engaging and comical of pens. She develops a relationship with her home, delightfully named Argie Bargie, and takes you with her through the ups and downs of her life between 2017 and 2021. While it is primarily about living onboard, it also details life as a single female, the difficulties of searching for a job during Covid lockdowns, and her relationships with friends, family, and potential romantic interests. Even if you’ve not used a boat, or find your eyebrows raising at the thought of living on one, this is a welcoming and enjoyable read. As a previous owner of a shared narrowboat which was based at a point on the author’s cross country journey, I can really appreciate this memoir. I have the upmost respect for anyone who lives full-time on a narrowboat, and also traverses locks on their own (eek!). The title for this book is inspired, it gives you an idea of the importance of maintenance, and sometimes dangers that are faced. The humorous lists and maps showing the stages slot into place and really highlight the journey taken. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Hannah and Argie Bargie, and loved the views from the canals. This sits as a LoveReading Star Book, because it was a joy to experience, not just the practical elements but also the personal ones. Hugely entertaining, moving, and uplifting, All Boats are Sinking sings of boldness and tenacity as it travels the waterways.
Liz Robinson
Find This Book In
| Primary Genre |
Travel
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All Boats Are Sinking Synopsis
All Boats Are Sinking is a memoir of love, life and chaos on a narrowboat, perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton, Helen Fielding and Phoebe Waller-Bridge
"All boats are sinking, Hannah, just at different rates."
After a break-up, some hit the gym; some cut their hair; others have a one-night stand. In the aftermath of her break-up, Hannah bought a narrowboat.
Newly single and plunged into life on the water, Hannah had to learn quickly how to grapple with exploding toilets, disappearing hulls, and the curious glances and questions from pedestrians on the towpath. But when career burn-out, a global pandemic and an ill-advised rebound relationship threatened to sink her, Hannah felt the need to escape. In a bid to let go of the past and restore her sense of self-worth, she embarked on a narrowboat odyssey which took her from the bustling streets of London to the tranquil yet dramatic waterways of West Yorkshire.
Suffering from an apparent magnetism to drama but buoyed by her brilliant friends, Hannah tells of the challenges of off-grid life as a single 30-something on the water. All this as she tries to balance the tension between owning her singledom and giving in to a deep desire to find love.
Peppered with lists, recipes, maps, footnotes and diagrams, and spanning hundreds of miles of the British waterways, it's an uplifting and often hilarious story of adventure and personal growth, and of a woman trying to keep her boat and life afloat. And to answer that perennial question: yes, it's cold on the boat in winter.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781837994014 |
| Publication date: |
20th June 2024 |
| Author: |
Hannah Pierce |
| Publisher: |
Summersdale Publishers an imprint of Octopus Publishing Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
368 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Travel
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Hannah Pierce Press Reviews
A vibrant, often hilarious emotional and physical journey. And let's be honest, who hasn't wanted to drift away on a narrowboat? - Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants
