Row for Freedom: Crossing an Ocean in Search of Hope

by Julia Immonen, Craig Borlase (With), Bear Grylls (Foreword by)

Overview

"When you're in the middle of the adventure, you just have to live it. When you're on an expedition, you put your head down and battle through. Storytelling happens after the finish line. . . . now that time has come [and] Julia can tell her story. The full story."

--from the foreword by Bear Grylls

***

An incredible account of one woman's record-breaking row across the Atlantic

Thirty-two-year-old Julia Immonen and four other women take on a challenge completed by fewer people than have climbed Mount Everest or gone into space: row three thousand miles, unaided, from the Canary Islands to Barbados.

Row for Freedom chronicles that dramatic journey, detailing the grueling, peril-filled crossing, which broke two world records, as it weaves together Julia's search for hope and purpose against a background of relationships scarred by violence.

As Julia's physical and emotional treks unfold, you also learn about the plight of the thirty million victims of the modern-day slave trade that serves as the motivation for her row. Be inspired by Julia's self-discovery and her team's triumph in one of the most formidable physical quests ever undertaken.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780529101471
Publisher:	Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date:	09/09/2014
Pages:	218
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.38(h) x 0.63(d)

About the Author

Craig Borlase is a New York Times bestselling writer, specializing in crafting dramatic, engaging memoirs. Recent work includes the international and New York Times bestseller Finding Gobi and My Name is Tani. Films of both books are currently in development.

Bear Grylls is the author of several books that have sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, including the bestselling Mud, Sweat, and Tears. He starred in National Geographic's television series Man vs. Wild for seven seasons and currently works on his NBC series, Running Wild with Bear Grylls, where he takes celebrities such as Julianne Hough, Marshawn Lynch, Shaquille O'Neal, and Don Cheadle out into the wilderness. Bear is an adventurer known for many exploits, including crossing the North Atlantic Arctic Ocean in a rubber boat, climbing Mount Everest, and running through a forest fire. He is also a dedicated family man to his wife and three sons.

Table of Contents

Foreword Bear Grylls xi

Author's Note Why Write this Book? xv

Prologue Fear and Fire xix

Part 1 Beginning 1

Chapter 1 Childhood 3

Chapter2 WAG 13

Chapter3 Broken 23

Part 2 Waking 29

Chapter4 Deciding to Row an Ocean 31

Chapter5 The Stories We Tell 41

Chapter 6 Are you Serious? 49

Chapter 7 Which Way is Up? 55

Chapter 8 Unexpected 63

Chapter 9 Preparation 67

Part 3 Rowing 75

Chapter 10 How Are You Going to Cope? 77

Chapter 11 Forty-eight Hours to Learn It All 83

Chapter 12 The Acceleration Zone 89

Chapter 13 Stories in the Waters 97

Chapter 14 Things Fall Apart 103

Chapter 15 These Waves Are 109

Chapter 16 Rope and Glue 115

Chapter 17 Prayers to Michael 121

Chapter 18 It Gets Personal 129

Chapter 19 Something to Row For 135

Chapter 20 The Gamble 141

Chapter 21 Golden 149

Chapter 22 Not Quite Christmas Day 153

Chapter 23 New Year, Old Problems 157

Chapter 24 Change 163

Chapter 25 The First Person to See Barbados 169

Chapter 26 The Final Day 177

Chapter 27 The End and the Beginning 185

Chapter 28 The Missed Bottle 191

Epilogue 199

Five Things You Can Do to Fight Human Trafficking 203

Acknowledgments 207

Notes 213

About the Authors 217

Editorial Reviews

2014-06-05
One woman's story of indomitable courage while rowing across the Atlantic Ocean.Sickened by the knowledge that there are nearly 30 million men, women and children worldwide being used as sex slaves, Immonen was determined to do something to raise awareness of this modern-day slave trade. So she and four other women entered the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, a rowing race from the Canary Islands to Barbados. Intent on becoming the fastest all-female team, the author and her fellow rowers worked in two-hour shifts around the clock, battling wind, waves, seasickness and ugly sores brought on by prolonged exposure to the salt water. They learned to combat weariness, boredom, claustrophobia and anger as they rowed their way through 3,000 nautical miles and developed deep bonds as only such endurance can create. Blending detailed elements of life on board with that of her childhood, Immonen reflects on the inner struggles she faced throughout her life, starting with her abusive father and submissive mother, who suffered several traumatic emotional breakdowns and was placed on suicide watch just as Immonen began training for the race. What she learned about herself and her parents as she continued to push her body beyond normal limits is a testament to the human desires to love and forgive. "I often describe the row as the hardest but best thing I've ever done,” writes the author, who co-wrote the book with Borlase. "All of us can't row an ocean, but all of us can do something. And doing something starts by opening our eyes to the world around us and looking out for something that needs to change”—a philosophy to which many readers should relate.An inspiring story of enduring physical and mental challenges to raise awareness of an important issue.

Kirkus Reviews