Pete Goss became a national and international hero when he rescued French yachtsman Raphael Dinelli as his boat sank beneath him in the round-the-world single-handed sailing race, the Vendee Globe, on Christmas Day 1996. In doing so Pete scuppered his own chances in the race but was awarded the Legion d’Honneur by France’s president and made a friend for life in Dinelli. Close to the Wind is his own story of the race and its dramas, his revolutionary boat, Aqua Quorum, his thoughts and emotions during four months of solitude at sea, the extraordinary surgery that he had to perform on his own elbow and the aftermath of the rescue in the Southern Ocean.
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
'Nothing Ian Fleming wrote has you wondering so anxiously how the hero is going to get out of this pickle' Independent
'Parents, wives and sisters who buy this book for the family daredevil must read it first. It celebrates an ancient, beautiful way of being human.'
Libby Purves in The Times
'This is a wonderful book, a book to make the reader realise that he or she could never be a hero. I recommend it.' Michael Beaumont, Spectator
'More impressive than fiction could ever be . . . compelling' Independent on Sunday
'Goss takes you so vividly on board with him . . . he has a genuine talent for writing tense narrative.' Independent
'The story of a brave man; a man who turned into the teeth of a hurricane to save the life of a fellow competitor in a single-handed round-the-world yacht race. A wonderful book. I recommend it.' Spectator
'Just buy it, you'll love it, a real life adventure story' Royal Yachting Association
'It is far from just a book about the Vendée events, but a soul-bearing autobiography' Western Morning News
'His down-to-earth storytelling is gripping. His modesty is endearing. His dedication to a cause and the manner of achieving it are humbling and inspiring' Cambridge Evening News
'A lot of people will be sending out for a copy of Close to the Wind to see if they can find out a little more about [Goss]. They will be richly rewarded.' Independent
'A truly inspirational, incredible story. . . ' South Wales Argus
'The story is a compelling one. Goss's prose is honest and unexaggerated.' Independent on Sunday
'In my book, he will always be Pete Goss, BFBH: bona fide British hero' Tim Jeffrey in Daily Telegraph
'Prose as trim as his vessel . . . incredible' Kirkus Reviews
'Tense, fast-moving and illustrated with colour photographs that put you in the middle of the action' New York Times
'His heroism and modesty redeem the gun-ho bits of this mesmerising memoir. Buy it' The Times
'Goss writes about his experiences in a conversational and direct style that brings alive the terrors of the open sea' The Sunday Times
CLOSE TO THE WIND - Quotes