Oceanfront Condos Myrtle Beach - Gilje draws on personal writings, such as journals and letters
Gilje draws on personal writings, such as journals and letters of sailors to uncover their meaning of liberty. Gilje demonstrates that liberty to many sailors in early America had little to do with grand notions of political independence from an Empire, but rather couched itself in an unrestrained personal liberty ashore. The ability to blow an entire journey’s earnings on booze, women and gambling constituted freedom to many sailors. After months bound up on ships in which martial law reigned, many sailors compared their lot to slaves and rejoiced when they reached port and the liberty the soil offered. He also contrasts the forecastle with the quarterdeck and draws on the imagery of authority and deference to show the subtle shades of liberty and slavery experienced by sailors.
While the various journals and letters of the sailors are informative and very interesting, Liberty on the Waterfront is redundant in some areas. It also covers a large portion of history from 1750 1850. This large span of time tends to muddle Gilje’s arguments and contributes to broad generalizations about the life of Jack Tar. The first portion of his book assumes sailor’s lives, motivations for sailing and sense of liberty remained constant over a hundred year period. Despite these drawbacks, “Liberty on the Waterfront” gives a much needed and entertaining glimpse into the culture of early American sailors, as it recognizes their role in key periods of American history.
