Read on a hot summer day for a refreshing mental immersion!
Of the books by Gooley that I have read, I felt the least connection with this one, because I don’t spend enough time by large bodies of water. Despite this, he provided some cool insights about local water (like puddles) and big-picture ideas connected to wind. I would highly recommend to those living on coasts or rivers.
I really like the way Gooley writes. Very conversational and accessible, even though the content is rich and detailed. The biggest idea that I can take away is that water is “sticky,” which made a lot of sense in terms of contributing to interaction with wind, creation of currents and tides, etc. Because water is so present and can reveal so much, this book had a sense, for me, of the information being like a “fire-hose”—just a lot all at once. I simply lack the experience and connection to absorb it all. I would reread this in a heartbeat if my setting became closer to the water.
His personal experiences and anecdotes are highly engaging; I like the one where he was blindfolded, taken on a boat, asked to provide his current location and find his way to a new location, just using the stars. That’s the kind of thing I think would be cool to be able to do. Tales from Pacific Islanders and their knowledge of waters and winds was truly astounding.
That Lady Who Reads A Lot 
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