"Bah! Only a weakling gives up when he's becalmed! A strong man sails by ash breeze!"
Ages: 12+
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Pages: 256
Time Period: 1700s - 1800s
Sailing is nothing new to bright Nathaniel Bowditch. After all, the young boy comes from a long line of sea captains and he lives in Salem, Massachusetts, one of the thirteen colonies' sailing cities. Yet all is not well with the Bowditch family. Hard times have fallen upon them and they struggle to make ends meet while the Revolution rages on. It isn't long before Nat is told the devastating news that he can no longer attend school. Despite this, he still hopes to achieve his dreams of becoming a Harvard man one day. But those dreams seem unreachable after a life - altering event takes the wind out of Bowditch's sails, leaving him questioning if he will become what others expect him be - "becalmed." Carry On, Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham is an inspiring biography following a boy to his adulthood as he determines not to give up on his dreams.
The book does a wonderful job depicting what life was like, especially for a sailor, during the 1700s and 1800s. There are even some black and white illustrations depicting items or scenes. Certain sea terms and phrases in the book may require a Google search (although much can be deduced from the context).
This is one of my favorite historical fictions of all time. His love of learning, determination in the face of obstacles, and later life's work makes Nathaniel Bowditch a little - known figure in American history worth learning about.
Resources:
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Content Warnings
Content that some individuals may find controversial or objectionable. Attention was given to include content which may offend people of a particular culture, race or religion and details which the sensitive child may find unsettling or troublesome.
"No Spoilers" offers a summary of content issues while avoiding spoilers. "With Spoilers" lists the potential content issues in detail.
No Spoilers:
Use of archaic references to people groups; God's name used as an expletive; insults; sexism; teen marriage; deaths; grief; reference to drinking and smoking; brief mention of slavery, suicide, and kidnapping; references to violence.
With Spoilers:
Language
Insults or antiquated terms that are no longer acceptable are used throughout the text. See the examples below:
Words such as lubbers, sissies, runt, devils, fool... etc.
Dialogue such as "Between ports, a clerk isn't worth the hardtack to keep him alive."(pg. 100)
Negro used (pg. 110)
Indian used to refer to Native Americans (pg. 27)
God used as an expletive (pg. 197-198)
Past Philosophies or Ideologies
Implied that women are not good teachers.
"Boys don't blubber. If something hurts, you say it doesn't." (pg. 26). Takes advice to heart and reminds himself throughout book.
Bowditch marries twice. One woman was much younger than him -- in her teens.
Sensitive Content
Multiple deaths (parents, family members, friends) resulting from disease or other causes. The affected family and friends are shown to be grieving.
References to drinking and smoking
Mention of men sold as slaves (pg. 169)
Brief consideration of suicide (pg. 183)
Kidnapping mentioned (pg. 192)
Violence
There are multiple references to violence within the text, such as: "Shot down in cold blood they were!" (pg. 93) and "going down with the ship" (pg. 97) and "back running blood" (pg. 180).
A bad-tempered teacher shakes and threatens Nat (ch. 3)
A basic description of seal-hunting (not gruesome) (pg. 213)
Man explains how a native spat out something he was chewing and looked like blood. He mentions that he thought his throat was cut... (pg. 225)
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