Captains Courageous: Level 4

Written by Rudyard Kipling

Narrated by Iman

Harvey Cheyne falls overboard from a steamship and is rescued by a fisherman in the Newfoundland area. Harvey is the son of a wealthy railroad magnate and offers money to the captain whom rescued him, but the captain does not believe he is who he says. Harvey learns about fishing from the captain's son and begins to appreciate his new lifestyle while getting along with the crew he becomes part of.

After the fishing schooner returns to port, Harvey contacts his parents, who fly to Massachusetts and reward the captain for caring for their son. The captain is given a position in the father's new tea clipper fleet and Harvey begins working for his dad's shipping business.

This audio classic novel has been carefully abridged and adapted into 10 short easy to understand chapters. This format enables listeners of all ages and English language abilities to understand and enjoy the story. Composition includes original custom back ground music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: EDCON Publishing
• Release date: Jul 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780848113308

Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) was an English author and poet who began writing in India and shortly found his work celebrated in England. An extravagantly popular, but critically polarizing, figure even in his own lifetime, the author wrote several books for adults and children that have become classics, Kim, The Jungle Book, Just So Stories, Captains Courageous and others. Although taken to task by some critics for his frequently imperialistic stance, the author’s best work rises above his era’s politics. Kipling refused offers of both knighthood and the position of Poet Laureate, but was the first English author to receive the Nobel prize.

Reviews for Captains Courageous

[carolfoasia_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not my favorite. The vernacular made it quite hard to follow. The plot is great, just a bit too many fishing dialogues.

[rebarelishesreading · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

the story of a spoiled 15-year-old who falls off of a passenger liner during a North Atlantic storm and is rescued by a cod schooner. The crew who rescue him don't believe that he is the son of a wealthy and powerful man and they refuse to interrupt their fishing season to return him to land. This coming of age story follows young Harvey Cheyne, Jr. through his weeks (months?) aboard the "We're Here" as he works as a junior crew member and matures. I chose the book only to work toward my Nobel challenge but ended up really liking it.

[kdsarge_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book. I can't review it objectively because I love it so. When I think of a book that took me away, swept me off to places I have never seen--this was the first. Possibly the best. Can't recommend it highly enough.

[jvioland_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful read too frequently relegated to Young Adult Fiction. It is just a very good read by a master storyteller.

[dorenemlorenz · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interesting timeless tale. Really enjoyed as Kipling and I have the same difficulty with perfect grammar.

[muddyboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The classic Kipling tale about a wealthy young boy who falls off a boat on the high seas to be rescued by a nearby fishing boat where this boy learns to be a man. Some people may be put off by all the nautical language and the slang commonly used by the sailors. However, these sailors are a fascinating bunch filled full of the legends, superstitions and lore of the sea. You will also learn a lot about fishing and sailing during the time period when the book takes place. Since the main two characters are teenage boys I think that this is the target audience that would most enjoy this book.

[themythicalcodfish · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books by the author, and a good adventure story. More than that, it's an insightful look into the fishing culture of New England in the latter part of the 19th century, the technological conflict between the fishermen and the steam liners, and the importance of education alongside hard work. Highly recommended.

[sandydog1_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A 20th century version of The Prince and the Pauper meets Moby Dick. Enjoyable, heart-warmer about coming of age, growing up, and getting callouses.

[jbarringer-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If you like books where conversations are rendered in barely readable dialect misspellings and slang, and where there really is not much of a plot, just a situation and some vague character development, this book may be great for you. I personally found this to be a dull read, and there are some much better ocean adventure classics I'd recommend ahead of this novel (Two Years Before the Mast was great, as are the Horatio Hornblower novels). I can see how a younger child who is stuck going to school and doing chores someplace boring and ordinary might enjoy this novel as a way to imagine being someplace more exciting, since without a plot this novel does fairly well immersing the reader in everyday life on a fishing vessel, so long as the reader doesn't mind the slang and dialects.

[bensdad00 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Read aloud to my family in the car.

[judithproctor · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book showing the Newfoundland cod fishery in its heyday. The dangerous lives of the fishermen and the sheer abundance of the cod in those times. I also found fascinating the rail journey made by the boy's parents when they come to meet him - it's a wonderful sense of speed and organisation, of messages sent ahead, trains rerouted, all in a time before modern computers and emails.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Captains Courageous the detail of fishing life are authentic, indeed anthropological. Kipling spent time in Gloucester and even went out on a ship for a while (though he spent most of the time sea-sick). He had an associate and the two collaborated, with Kipling writing the story and the associate writing the finer details and terminology. Unfortunately Harvey switches from being an irritating brat to a changed working man in a single scene at the beginning of the story, what? This was the heart of the book and it would have been better to do what the 1937 film did and play it out. Also at the end Harvey gets everything he wants and he looks like a spoiled rich kid again undermining the lessons of the book. Nevertheless this is a boys fairy-tale and is sort of like 12-year old crack, but still retains appeal to adults.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A nice, short, sea story that carries a valuable message.

[hemlokgang · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful coming of age story which takes place on a fishing schooner off the Grand Banks. Harvey matures from a spoiled, indolent rich boy to a hardworking young man. Great story!

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great coming of age book. Wonderful and exciting story of the sea and the men who make their living on it.