How to Build a Tin Canoe

Robb White tells of a lifetime spent building and sailing boats; the topics of his stories range from his wild and idyllic childhood to being a grandfather. His weathered voice and Southern accent are pleasant, occasional stumbles notwithstanding, though some sections in which the quality of his voice sounds noticeably different are jarring. The stories that are thick with details of tools, engines, and boats will lose the non-technical listener. But White's character comes through in his voice as he describes a way of life unknown to most of us. Though he's cantankerous, White's real subject is joy; it would be a shame to miss him telling of it. W.M. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine

July 15, 2005
White delivers an excellent reading of his autobiography in a Southern accent that listeners may find difficult to understand at first. Within a few minutes, the charm and humor of his recollections of growing up on the coastal flats of Georgia in the 1950s, developing into a lifelong sailor and boat-builder, his weighing and establishing of life's priorities, begin to come through. Though not needed for following White's pursuit of the joy in life, a passing acquaintance with marine engines, outboard motors, and Atlantic coastal flora and fauna and the terminologies of boat-building, woodworking, fishing, or sailing will aid the listener's appreciation of parts of his narrative. Charming, yes, but also full of adult situations with a smattering of adult language. Recommended for general nonfiction or biography collections. -Cliff Glaviano, Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

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