Daniel James Brown's true story is loaded with wooden boatbuilding descriptions, technique, and philosophy recalling George Yeoman Peacock and his builds of those eighteen foot cedar and spruce rowing sculls.  It's a must read for wooden boat lovers.  Furthermore the story is a great reminder for us all to never allow the events of the late 1930's to occur again.  As I varnish my Peapod seats I'm recalling how the story states that Pocock used gallons of varnish on each shell he built!