The incredibly thoughtful and generous Robyn Wilson (of Poor Porker fame) recently sent me a 1929 Corey Ford book called Salt Water Taffy. I was struck by the sentiment, she pointed out how great the photos were and I flipped through and smiled. I thought it would end up being a little design accent I'd place on my shelf, but I started reading it and couldn't put it down. It's turned out to be my favorite read of the summer. It's a lampoon of a motherless baby that grows up on a boat full of sailor men and writes an autobiography. If you're looking for something, umm, different when it comes to beach reads, this is it.
"Why you wouldn't believe it, ma'am, before that there dainty sea-robin come aboard, there wasn't one of us sailors that really knew how to cuss. We was just about as innocent a bunch of old shell-backs as ever reefed a gaff tops'l. She learned us how to swear ma'am. She learned us all the bad words we ever knew, bless 'er heart. She taught us how to drink, too, an' play poker, an' spit...I daresay there ain't a more hard-boiled crew afloat today...an' its all due to Skipper June."