James Charles Roy, author and historian, began his writing career at Time Inc. in New York, often working overseas in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. In the 1970s he became an independent scholar, writing innumerable articles and ten distinguished books, many on Irish subject matter and including 'The Fields of Athenry' and 'Islands of Storm', a Book-of-the-Month Club and History Book Club selection. The novelist Brian Moore called him ""a writer who is both erudite and insightful""; and William Butler Yeats's most recent biographer, the historian Roy Foster, described his style as ""richly textured, impressively researched and powerfully involving."" Paul Lazarus, veteran editor of Professional BoatBuilder Magazine, wrote, ""Even before he began his solo writing career, James Charles Roy was a savvy traveller and serious historian. The wonder of his writing career is that he chose to combine those two skills in a single literary genre-a difficult assignment indeed, which is why so few living writers in the English language do what Roy does, and does so well."" Roy lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts with his wife, the artist Jan V. Roy. Author's website: www.jamescharlesroy.com
Even before he began his writing career, in 1973, James Charles Roy was a savvy traveler and serious historian. The wonder is that he chose to combine those two skills in a single literary genre-a difficult assignment indeed. In One Man and His Boat the author takes us through time and space on journeys encompassing Boston's Beacon Hill, Marblehead's harbour, Newburyport's shoreline, and the coast of rural Nova Scotia. His maritime history lessons in those locations, especially the last, emphasize traditional small craft. Regarding the dual domains of travel and history, Roy gives us personal experience aplenty and meticulous research, all of it presented in a narrative form that blends oral storytelling with journalistic reporting. -Paul Lazarus, editor, Professional BoatBuilder Magazine