Captains Courageous

by Rudyard Kipling and I Taber

Book Overview

At the start of Captains Courageous, one of literature's most beloved stories of the sea, a spoiled rich boy is literally swept away -- dashed overboard from an ocean liner. Luckily, young Harvey Cheyne is rescued by a passing fishing vessel. As it turns out, Harvey's apparent misfortune in tumbling from a life of pampered luxury into the humble company of a fishing schooner becomes a blessing in disguise. Compelled by the captain to earn his keep,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486407861
• ISBN13: 9780486407869
• Release Date: June 1999
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 8 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 9

Customer Reviews

Captains Courageous is one of my favorite books.

I enjoyed Captains Courageous. It was a really interesting and fast-paced book. It tells of a boy who starts out as a spoiled child, but then he gets thrown overboard from a luxurious ocean liner. He gets picked up by a dirty fishing boat and learns the responsibilities of running a fishing boat. There are many other men, and a boy his age who help him grow into a young man. I first thought I wouldn't like it, but after the first chapter I really enjoyed it. The author brings you on an adventure to a place far away, while not actually being there. I would recommend this book to everyone that enjoys adventures.

Great history based on fact.

Captains Couragous is both grabbing and acurate. Kipling who spend no more than six weeks at sea captures the life of the Grand Bank Schooner fishing culture spot on. Although the account traces the transformation of a spoiled rotten rich 15 year old to a respectable member of a fishing crew, Kiplings discritions of life at sea are so acurate that I can varify every aspect of his discriptions. I am a marine biologist who has spent considerable time opn schooners and other tall ships. Kipling nails the life dead on. I could not put the book down. J. Philip McLaren, Ph.D.

grand tale of adventure and human nature

Captains Courageous is a wonderful story of a pampered and indulged boy, the son of a millionaire, named Harvey Cheyne. He has no responsibilities and is given anything he wants. He lacks respect for anyone and that includes himself. He is washed overboard from a luxury liner while on a trip with his mother and is picked up by a fisherman. The fishing boat can not return him immediately because they have a crew that needs to earn a living. Harvey's family presumes that he is dead, drowned at sea. The story of Harvey's growing up involves responsibilty, hard work, trust and honor. Rudyard Kipling tells the story marvelously. The story is brilliantly crafted and a pure delight to read. The language of the story gives it the feel of the times and helps illustrate the rough lifestyles involved. This is a grand morality tale of adventure, human nature and the value of real love. I read this as a young teenager, but now (many years later!!) I see what an awesome author Kipling truly was!!!! This is a book to be read again!

An exciting, sea-faring adventure for all ages.

An exciting, sea-faring adventure, Captains Courageous was first published in 1896. It takes place in the North Atlantic in the late 1800s. The main characters are: Harvey Cheyne, a 15-year-old boy raised in high society who has been indulged with the best of everything; Disko Troop, captain of a small fishing boat, the We're Here, who teaches Harvey some important lessons; Dan Troop, Disko's son and Harvey's comrade while stranded on the ship.Summary: The rich and spoiled Harvey Cheyne was on a large ship with his adoring mother in the middle of the sea when he tumbled overboard. His own ship couldn't find him in the thick fog. Luckily, a Portuguese fisherman hauled him into his dory and brought him safely back to a fishing boat, the We're Here. Harvey told the captain of the boat, Disko Troop, how he had fallen overboard and that he would be generously rewarded by his father, the rich Mr. Cheyne, when he took him home. Disko thought Harvey had "swallowed too much seawater." Instead, he put the boy to work. At first, Harvey did not accept this as he had never done a days work in his life, but Disko Troop made it clear that unless he wanted to swim home, he would work for his stay. So Harvey worked. At first, he got the most undesirable jobs like cleaning and salting the cod they caught, as well as mopping the deck. Gradually, as Harvey began to prove himself a hard worker, Disko Troop gave him jobs that required more responsibility. As Harvey learned the ropes of the fishermen, he grew to like it and began to be accepted as one of them. But, when will he get home? Will he want to go home? What will the fishermen say when they find out who he really is? On a scale of 1 to 10, Captains Courageous deserves a solid 9 because it's a great adventure and the characters become real people in one's mind.

Wonderfully brought to life

With such a classic novel like this, its important that the image you get from a casseste is the same you get in your head from reading it. The cast of this cassete does an extraordinary job of bringing the crew of the 'We're Here' to life. The voices are great and the sounds and stories of daily ship life make you feel like you're there pulling up fish with Dan and Harvey! Great listening!!

Absolutely Wonderful

Like many other teenagers, I was quite reluctant to begin the task of reading Captains Courageous. Since it was required reading, it couldn't possibly be exciting reading, right? Wrong! I found Captains Courageous extremely entertaining, exciting, and thought-provoking. I feel like many people, young and old alike, can learn a lesson from Harvey Cheyne. Though Harvey saw himself as a big-shot, he was just another laborer in the eyes of the We're Here crew. In the overall scheme of things, we are all equal. When it came to sea-life, Harvey's privileged upbringing availed little. I would certainly reccomend this book to anyone who likes adventure stories, or who just likes a good book!