Two Years Before the Mast

By Richard H. Dana

At nineteen, Richard Henry Dana left his studies at Harvard and signed on as a common sailor aboard a merchant vessel bound for the Pacific. What he discovered-grueling labour, perilous storms, breathtaking coastlines, and the unvarnished lives of working seamen-changed him forever.

In Two Years Before the Mast, Dana offers one of the most vivid, compassionate accounts of life at sea ever written. Through storms off Cape Horn, long months of toil on the California coast, and moments of rare beauty and camaraderie, he writes with honesty, humility, and deep respect for the men who shaped his journey.

More than a travel narrative, this memoir explores duty, endurance, courage, and the awakening of moral sympathy in a young man learning to see the world beyond himself. A true classic of American literature, rich in insight and human experience.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1761532804
• ISBN13: 9781761532801
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Living Book Press
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.5"