audiobooks

Follow the exploits of John Pollack as he faces uncountable obstacles while building his childhood dream - a boat made of wine corks - and then sails it down the Douro River in Portugal.

At turns funny and touching, this is a great read.

The only fault I could find in this book is there are no photos of the downriver journey, or even of the boat - even though several times the narrative mentions pictures being taken! (The curious can find a few pictures of it by typing "Cork Boat" in the google "image search", though...)

John Pollack quit his high status political career and pursued a dream he'd harbored since he was a child. It's an inspiring story about doing what you dream rather than just working a job. He became famous in Portugal and if you're interested in seeing the boat, pictures of which are sadly missing from the book, then check out his website as you read about his adventures - www.corkboat.com. Also, the timing of the Cork Boat's launch, Fall 2001, is one of the factors that makes this book more than just about a boat.

So what? Who cares? That was the basic impression I was left with after reading about two thirds of this sophomoric, self-congratulatory ego fest. I could not finish the book. The combination of his cliche-ridden style, his bursts of self-promotion, and his unchecked rants against his "friend" Garth was more than I could stomach. Any emotional capital he may have earned (his sister's death, the all-nighters to finish the boat) was just squandered. This would have made a great magazine article, but it makes a terrible book.