The Proving Ground - Reviews

"A page-turner." – Washington Post "Harrowing" – The New York Times "Pulse-pounding." – People "What a fantastic adventure story this is." – Esquire "The most marvelous sailing documentary I have ever read—brilliantly executed, poignant, comprehensive, enticing." – William F. Buckley, Jr. "Knecht has turned out a sailing masterpiece. His incredibly detailed research, even down to the actual or reconstructed dialogue of the crews of the boats and of the desperate rescuers, makes for a tale more thrilling than fiction. The book is in the ‘can’t put it down’ category. It is the Perfect Storm of blue-water sailboat racing." ­ – Walter Cronkite "Reconstructs a tragedy at sea…vividly re-creates a series of frightening events…a compelling, insightful look at sailors’ dedication to their sport, no matter what the risks." – San Francisco Chronicle "A fascinating ‘you are there’ sequence of events…in vivid detail and high drama…delves into the mystifying mind-set of those willing risk their lives for danger’s sake…has a powerful impact." – Denver Rocky Mountain News "Insightful, engaging…powerful drama….This is adventure writing at its best." – ­Detroit Free Press "A gripping account…vividly captures not only the ocean’s fury but also the sheer terror of the competitors." – San Jose Mercury News "The detail is impressive and the narrative is compelling." – The Times (London) "Conveys the passionate love sailors have for the sea." – USA Today "An excellent narrative…joins the best books in the genre with its equal parts adventure and disaster story, plus insights into the why-they-do-it." – Toronto Star "The story is every bit as powerful as its literary antecedents. It is combat without bullets." – United States Naval Institute "Knecht recounts the race at a breathless edge-of-the-sea pace." – Outside "A guaranteed adrenaline rush." – Orange County Register "FIVE STARS….Knecht captures acts of heroism and frailty, but in a display of astonishing writerly discipline, he never judges." – Jeff Bezos "Vivid….powerful…..Knecht is at his best when detailing the volatile world of competitive sailing." – Men’s Journal "Engrossing…..a different Perfect Storm, writ large and with an expanded cast." – Richmond Times-Dispatch "A gripping, horrific page-turner…one of the most exciting sea stories of the last few years." – Publisher’s Weekly "Commanding…spellbinding." – Kirkus Reviews