In 1895, at the age of 51, Captain Joshua Slocum left Boston on his sloop Spray. Three years later, after sailing single-handed 46, 000 miles around the world, Slocum returned to Newport, Rhode Island. Through this, he was revered by sailors and adventurers around the world. The story of this journey is a classic tale of achievement in the face of overwhelming odds. "'Walden' without the training wheels." -Nathaniel Philbrick