Sea Day 105

Exuding romance and mystery, the Indian Ocean has inspired some of the world's most beloved literature.
Here, we offer a brief timeline of notable titles and authors whose lyricism has been influenced by these historic waters.
• 1572: Os Lusíadas, Luís Vaz de Camões (1524-1580). A true epic of the Indian Ocean, this long-form, Homeric-style poem is often cited as the most important work of Portuguese literature, a lyrical celebration of Vasco da Gama's discovery of a sea passage to India.
17th-18th centuries: The Seven Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, Author unknown. Based on the seafaring experiences of merchants sailing to the East Indies and China, these beloved stories infuse the miraculous and fantastical as the hero sails waters east of Africa and south of Asia.
• 1897: Following the Equator, Mark Twain (1835-1910). In this little-known travelogue, the American writer exalts the "vast solitudes of the Indian Ocean." Twain made the crossing during a world tour and called it "17 days of heaven" amid the
"peace of the great deep."
• 1940: Sons of Sinbad, Alan Villiers (1903-1982). In the 1930s, convinced that the Age of Sail was coming to an end, Villiers joined the crew of an Arab dhow for a voyage along the monsoon winds east of Africa. This great maritime classic chronicles his experience.
• 2008-2015: The Ibis Trilogy, Amitav Ghosh (1956). This acclaimed work of historical fiction-Sea of Poppies, R and Flood of Fire-unfolds during the early 19th century as India and China trade opium. The trilogy is named for the ship on which the main characters meet.Read more