Barnes and Noble made all of their classic books only $5.00. I went a little crazy and picked up anything that looked remotely interesting. This was remotely interesting, but not great. The author had nothing truly remarkable to say about the world, sailing, or his trip. Had he not been the first to sail alone around the world, no one would have cared about this book. A healthy interest in sailing in the first place would be helpful as well if you are considering this book. If you are like me and have never been on a boat with a sail, long portions of the book will bore you. A classic in the sense that it is old, but not in the sense that it has much value 120 years after it was first published.