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From: <VajraT_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Books: Tristan Jones
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 22:09:05 EST
In a message dated 21-11-1998 2:21:33 PM EST, bkossy_at_igc.apc.org writes:

"Ice," by Tristan Jones, he describes his attempt to sail
>  further north than anyone ever had before.  He spent several winters locked
>  up in the ice and describes encounters with Polar Bears, Shifting Ice and
>  other expected hazards of such a trip.  Pretty impressive-

Tristan Jones wrote many books, 10 or 12, I think.  I have enjoyed several.  I
believe he died a few years ago...
Does anyone know if Tristan Jones' stories are "true?"  Somewhere I read that
he wove  occasional fiction into his remarkable tales.  
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From: Michael Neverdosky <MichaelN_at_cycat.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Books: Tristan Jones
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1998 06:52:36 +0000
Probably the only thing to rival Tristan's sailing ability is (was) his
storytelling. Most storytellers will say, when asked that a story is
a 'true story' meaning the story is correct, not that everything in it
is historically accurate. For that matter is everything in a history
book accurate? 
To say it like Tristan might, "Not bloody likely!"

I have no doubt that Tristan went to all the places he claimed, and did
all of the major things he said. I am also certain that there was some 
amount of embelishment as is true of every adventure tale I have ever 
heard or read. At the same time he probably downplayed somethings as
the truth sometimes gets so strange that it would never be believed in
a book.

There is a short tribute to Tristan in the November "Cruising World"
magazine, for those who are more interested.

Having been to 70 deg South on a small ship, (125' more of a big boat)
I can tell you lots of stories (if I were half the storyteller Tris was
you might even enjoy them), but none of them would be exactly 'accurate'.
They might be be best I can do to recall and report "my experience" but
they would have been through my filters, both during the experience and
in the recalling. Does that make them 'fiction'? NO, they are still 
true stories, but if you get the stories from other people there at
the same time, they would not be the same. Those were different people
and they had different experiences even though the events were the same.

I hope to be able to do a few more BIG trips before I end up in 
"Fiddlers Green". In Fiddlers Green, they don't doubt a sea story,
they enjoy it, either in the telling or the hearing, Sailors understand.

michael (a sailor who sometimes plays in kayaks)

vajrat_at_aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 21-11-1998 2:21:33 PM EST, bkossy_at_igc.apc.org writes:
> 
> "Ice," by Tristan Jones, he describes his attempt to sail
> >  further north than anyone ever had before.  He spent several winters locked
> >  up in the ice and describes encounters with Polar Bears, Shifting Ice and
> >  other expected hazards of such a trip.  Pretty impressive-
> 
> Tristan Jones wrote many books, 10 or 12, I think.  I have enjoyed several.  I
> believe he died a few years ago...
> Does anyone know if Tristan Jones' stories are "true?"  Somewhere I read that
> he wove  occasional fiction into his remarkable tales.
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