A smuggler's bible vs The Cruise of the Snark: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Ocean travel, London, Biography & Memoir
A smuggler's bible
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A Smugglers Bible is Joseph McElroys first novel. David Brooke—who talks of himself in a split-personality manner—narrates a framing tale that consists of him "smuggling" his essence into eight autobiographical…
The Cruise of the Snark
“IT began in the swimming pool at Glen Ellen.”
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In April 1907 Jack London set out to sail around the world in the 45-foot ship The Snark, accompanied by his wife and a small crew. Although suffering from seasickness and tropical disease, London wrote prolifically,…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate A smuggler's bible highest: A smuggler's bible 4.0 · The Cruise of the Snark 3.7.
- The Cruise of the Snark is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 8 for A smuggler's bible.
- The Cruise of the Snark has the widest readership — 1151 ratings behind its score.
- A smuggler's bible runs the darker storyline; The Cruise of the Snark stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A smuggler's bible | The Cruise of the Snark | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (287) | 3.7 (1151) |
| Hardcover | — | 4.0 (1) |
| Apple Books | — | 4.0 (27) |
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Reception
| A smuggler's bible | The Cruise of the Snark | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 287 | 1151 |
| Editions | 7 | 50 |
| Citations | 1 | — |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | 1838 | 1156 |
| Reading it now | 8 | 118 |
| Written reviews | 49 | 108 |
| Wikipedia attention | 167 | 436 |
| Pages | 435 | 180 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A smuggler's bible or The Cruise of the Snark?
A smuggler's bible has the higher combined reader rating across sources (A smuggler's bible 4.0/5, The Cruise of the Snark 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: A smuggler's bible or The Cruise of the Snark?
The Cruise of the Snark is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Cruise of the Snark (180 pages, ≈ 3 h 20 m); A smuggler's bible (435 pages, ≈ 8 h 03 m).
Which is harder to read: A smuggler's bible or The Cruise of the Snark?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A smuggler's bible: Moderate; The Cruise of the Snark: Challenging.