Larsson's Legend

Book excerpt: Larsson's Legend is the story of one man's journey from boyhood to manhood. Lars Larsson is a fourteen-year-old terrorized by his tyrant of a father. His father wants him to carry on the family tradition and apprentice as a tailor.When Lars is sent by ship to Stockholm from his small hometown in Sweden to begin his apprenticeship, instead of checking in as a passenger, he signs on as a cabin boy. The ship's master befriends Lars and helps him escape the wrath of his father by arranging a berth on another ship that takes him to England and a life at sea.In his adventures as a sailor, which begin in 1877, Lars finds friendship as he journeys around the world. Fighting off storms and pirates, the sailors commiserate on lost loves and lost opportunities. Larsson's Legend is the stunning portrayal of a man in conflict. How can Lars hate his own father? "Why did his heart feel as though it was bleeding; as though it was filled with broken glass?" "The author is an artist with paint and brush, and it seems that her God-given talents apply also to words that paint pictures with such skill and clarity that I was totally absorbed in the story. What an adventure! Everyone has heard the clich comments: Amazing book! Begs to be read! Couldn't put it down! Well, this book certainly deserves such descriptions. I really enjoyed it." - Janette Bannerman B.A.V.A. Dip. Ed.