The voyage in question was one that by 1968 had not been achieved: a single-handed, non-stop circumnavigation of the world. Sir Francis Chichester had made the voyage a year earlier but had stopped once in Australia. Nevertheless, his effort had captured the imagination. Three sailors had been tempted and were well into their preparations before the Sunday Times offered up substantial prize money to the first one home and to the person with the fastest time. We are immediately ensnared by the character and backgrounds of the nine competitors who emerge over a matter of months. Reactions of their loved ones, reasons for entering, sailing experience, choices of boat and even their dietary preferences provide the details that hook us in. Once underway, these men faced incredible danger as the sea threatened to rip their little boats apart. They also faced discomfort and loneliness and, on another level, A Voyage for Madmen is like a whodunit thriller. Nichols cleverly lets us know at the outset that one man will cheat, one will go mad and one will lose his life. Finding out who adds to the appeal of a superb book which deserves to be a huge seller.
