Salt, Sweat, Tears

An ode to eating jelly beans isn't the opening you'd expect from Adam Rackley's account of his 76-day Atlantic row. Still, it shines a light on the simple pleasures of everyday life in a rowboat, especially as delivered by narrator Ralph Lister. The opening is intriguing enough to involve listeners immediately as he tells how Rackley formed a team for the 2009 Woodvale Atlantic Rowing Race. Switching between accounts of past crossings dating back to a famous 1896 trip and Rackley's own preparations, the stories are fascinating. With Lister's emotional narration, listeners will feel everything from the gradual adjustment to the sea to the astonishment of accomplishment. Even listeners who would never try an ocean crossing could find themselves feeling more energetic. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine