Robert D. Ferre describes in exquisite detail his daily life on a huge cruise ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean. This memoir wrapped around a travelogue keeps the reader glued to every page as the ship relentlessly plows across three thousand miles of ocean at twenty knots. Between accounts of crisp morning walks on the promenade deck, splendid gourmet meals and a variety of evening entertainment, the author ruminates about a wide range of fascinating subjects: the history of ocean liners, the construction of Gothic cathedrals, his newfound love with Linda, prison time as a conscientious...