The Outlaw Sea

Kliatt, Sept, 2004 by Edna Boardman

THE OUTLAW SEA. William Langewiesche. 2004. Read by the author. 6 cds. 7.5 hrs. Audio Renaissance. 1-59397-436-1. $29.95. Cardboard; content, author notes. SA

Calling the world's oceans and the traffic upon them "an inherently disorderly affair," Langewiesche offers proof with facts and stories that will engage lovers of true adventure. He recounts the loss of the Crystal, an ailing ship carrying molasses, because the captain refused to slow it in a rising gale. The Alondro Rainbow, pirated and camouflaged, was recovered by India. When the Estonia, a ferry with problems indifferently addressed, sank in the Baltic Sea in 1994, 852 died.

Langewiesche tells of convoluted patterns of registry and ownership, ships flying "flags of convenience," and routine flouting of the 1994 International Law of the Sea, to which the US is not a signatory. He deals with the threat of terrorism related to sea cargo and the dangerous work of recycling worn-out ships, called shipbreaking, relegated to poor Asian countries. He gives a balanced account of the efforts of Greenpeace and describes genuine US efforts that suggest that doing it responsibly costs more than the reclaimed metal is worth.

Langewiesche reads with a deep voice in a smooth, introspective tone. Excellent for listeners who may have suspected that there is much that goes unreported at sea.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.

A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries.

Edna Boardman, Bismarck, ND