Book Review- Life on the Water, by Gary Cookson
by Des Ryan on 8 Oct 2008

A Home Afloat SW
Have you ever fantasized about living on the water? A yacht, houseboat, maybe even a barge? Then you'll just love the content in Gary Cookson's 'A Home Afloat'.
It's not a technical book, delightful to read, and it not only describes over 30 vessels which people have rearranged for permanent living, it also gives insights into the lives of the owners.
If you've ever been curious about living on the water, why people move aboard, what they like, what they don't like, you'll want to take a look.
It's a coffee-table compilation of photographs of boats that people live aboard, with a short narrative on each person, their lifestyle and the type of boat.
Most of the boats are located in Europe, with a couple in the USA. There's a great variety in boat type, though there is more than a normal quota of steel Dutch barges - perfect if you're thinking of life in a canal.
However the real shock was seeing real furniture, a brick wall or two, iron Aga cookers and washing machines, not what I had ever associated with life on the water.
Even if you'll never make it to live on the water, the pictures are worth drooling over, and its quality makes it a great gift. If your local bookstore doesn't have it, it's available from Amazon at a variety of prices.
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