Tristan Jones' Incredible Voyage: T or F

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoyed many of his books. But he made himself the central character in them (properly so), and invited us to accept his stories as true. I think we are allowed to talk about the real person behind the self-made myth. Think of it as yet another layer to the entertaining story.

Nicely put, Paul... and his work is more believable and more entertaining that, oh, say, Clive Cussler! I simply viewed his stories as a form of fiction and was entertained. Belief wasn't a parameter for the joy of reading.

Jim

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

And stirred a few other things with his pedophic alcoholic meanderings too. I refuse to romanticize his dribble. And yes I did read everything he wrote.

If he was a pedophile, an alcoholic, and his writing was "dribble", why did you read "everything he wrote"?
Must have appealed to you in some fashion.

[steamgoat]

Hey Atoll, I lived alongside Conrad and Wendy and their 3yr old Nicola in English Harbour Antigua maybe '78 .Their boat,a double ender, CAROUSA.
I think they ended up in NZ. Prob could contact Nicola via Facebook [I don't do that stuff] and contact Conrad for first hand info. Bruce

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by FSMike

If he was a pedophile, an alcoholic, and his writing was "dribble", why did you read "everything he wrote"?
Must have appealed to you in some fashion.

You're second guessing the order of things.

For one, I forsaw they were tall fishermen tails but enjoyed reading the fireside lies. There are some folksy facts and embellished imaginative rants.

For another, most of the "personal" facts that came to light over a longer period through meeting people who met him or knew him personally in his travels and from his living or visiting in NYC.

You have to make up your own mind where you draw the line between evaluating the author as person vs. evaluating their fiction. For typical fiction it's easy to draw the line firmly. For embellished fireside tales in the autobiographical first person, the line is blurred and you need to make your own opinion and choice.

Though at the time I enjoyed his "sea" stories, I've become a more experienced reader and do not consider him all that great a writer. And who knows how much editing and ghost writing went into this work.

He was a persona, intriguing but there are more important things to read me thinks.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by FSMike

If he was a pedophile, an alcoholic, and his writing was "dribble", why did you read "everything he wrote"?
Must have appealed to you in some fashion.

I don't think that preferring male crew is an indication of one's sexual orientation. If the head is extremely primitive and there is no shower aboard you are more apt to choose whoever can adapt the easiest. It's hard to find a female who would put up with his living conditions and the crew he found was not always young boys.

I liked his stories. I only had one encounter with someone who had met him. I'd like to here from those who actually knew him.

[SaltyMonkey]

I should care either way. I don't like him or his stories anymore.

I think you should draw your opinions and joy off his stories, and don't bring his personal **** into it. If he wrote those stories under Anonymous and you have no idea who he was, or could ever know, or had no way of knowing if it was totally true or not, would it make a difference? Or are you being selfish, digging, digging?

Read his stories and cast your opinions, judgements and taste off of that. Leave the bugger out of it.

[rognvald]

In the Seventies, I once interviewed the great Chicago tenor saxophonist Von Freeman at a jam session he held weekly at the Enterprise Show Lounge on the South Side of Chicago. Based upon my expectations of an artist of his caliber, I was not impressed with his answers to my questions. However, later in life, I realized it was my preconceptions of an artist that were flawed since musicians, writers and artists should be judged by the body of their work and not by their lives. I have never made that mistake again. Here's a taste of Von with his big Chicago tenor sound. Enjoy. https://youtu.be/mf0Ct5TDPLU

[atoll]

Originally Posted by steamgoat

Hey Atoll, I lived alongside Conrad and Wendy and their 3yr old Nicola in English Harbour Antigua maybe '78 .Their boat,a double ender, CAROUSA.
I think they ended up in NZ. Prob could contact Nicola via Facebook [I don't do that stuff] and contact Conrad for first hand info. Bruce

pm me if you want to contact Conrad, he's currently in aus.

[CSY Man]

Reading the Dalton biography now.
Very well written and it does expose TJ's lies, one after another.
Yet the book does not slam him on every page, instead acknowledging that TJ was a talented sailor, an adventurer and a great storyteller.
Just pointing out that 50% of his tales and books are lies and B.S.
(The entire ICE book is fantasy)
Now on page 182 of the Dalton book and there is mention of homo sexuality.

[Rygor]

Recently I picked up "Wayward Sailor" by Anthony Dalton. While I respect the work he has done in assembling the book, I wish that I had never heard of it. He has effectively demolished my mental picture of Tristan Jones, adventurer, free spirit and seaman. While nothing can take away Jones' real voyages and adventures, it's sad to find that much of what I have read never happened.

[Sailorman Ed]

Recently I picked up "Wayward Sailor" by Anthony Dalton. While I respect the work he has done in assembling the book, I wish that I had never heard of it. He has effectively demolished my mental picture of Tristan Jones, adventurer, free spirit and seaman. While nothing can take away Jones' real voyages and adventures, it's sad to find that much of what I have read never happened.

I am about 3/4 of way thru my copy and had exactly the same thoughts. You have to think of TJ as a talented story teller

[CaitB]

My dad friended Mr. Jones late in his life. Jones had a huge tri in San Diego and described the journey he was about to embark on. My dad, a retired USMC Captain and former English teacher, was invited to go with Jones on his trip but declined the offer.

When I asked him why he said "great guy and a great sailor, but I think he's hauling enough ******** to sink the boat!"