The Maintenance Race
About this book
In 1968, nine competitors set out in a race that had never before been attempted: to sail around the world, alone, without stopping.The route took them through the most dangerous waters on Earth. Seeking help was forbidden, and psychologists speculated that the 10 months alone at sea could drive the sailors mad. The winner was promised money and attention, but everyone knew that the real prize was to become a legend. What no one predicted was how. Three of the racers did indeed become legendary: the one who won, the one who didn’t bother to win, and the one who cheated. In this Audible Original, Stewart Brand (the Whole Earth Catalog, How Buildings Learn, The Clock of the Long Now) tells these men’s story, and lays out a new understanding of how and why each of them met their fate. His claim is that the core of the race came down to how each sailor approached the question of maintenance. And he explains how shifting our own understanding of maintenance may help us address the problems we face, from daily chores to issues that threaten our very existence.