Last of the Boom Ships

Here are some books written about the American merchant marine. All are non fiction, first hand accounts of life at sea in the merchant service, available new or slightly used from Amazon. I've enjoyed reading all of these.

Last of the Boom Ships: Oral Histories of the U.S. Merchant Marine 1927-2000
by Jim Whalen
Publisher: International Online Library (2000)

A collection of maritime memories of fifteen deck officers aboard US flag cargo ships, tramp steamers, tankers and passenger ships. Contributors include the last captain of the greatest of all American liners, the SS United States.

Looking for a Ship
by John McPhee
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (1990)

This is a tale of life on the high seas aboard the S.S. Stella Lykes, on a forty-two-day journey from Charleston down the Pacific coast of South America. As the crew makes their ocean voyage, they tell stories of other runs and other ships, tales of disaster, stupidity, greed, generosity, and courage. As with all of McPhee's books, this originally appeared in The New Yorker magazine.

The Bucko Mate: Twenty Years in the Merchant Marine
by Kevin Zahn
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2013)

The Bucko Mate describes the author's seafaring experiences over two decades sailing as an officer in the American merchant marine. This nonfiction, nautical adventure is full of the profane, the dangerous, the drunken, the crazy, the humorous, the romantic and the brave shipmates the author knew. 

The Last American Sailors: A Wild Ride in the Modern Merchant Marine
by Michael R. Rawlins
Publisher: iUniverse (2003)

First hand, authentic stories about the author's ten years in the merchant marine. Rawlins' career took him to over three dozen countries on almost twenty different ships starting as an ordinary seaman, later becoming a licensed mate.

Two Voyages I Remember: A Merchant Mariner's Memoir
By Cornelius "Buzz" Sawyer
Publisher: iUniverse (2005)

Recollections of voyages to Australia, New Zealand and far east ports by an African American who spent 38 years at sea as a messman aboard merchant vessels. He has a somewhat different perspective from that of books written by deck officers. Sawyer recalls visits to Ziggy's tavern, once located just outside the former navy supply center in Bayonne, New Jersey.