‘The Apprentice Who Stuttered’ is a fascinating autobiographical account of the life of Captain John Newbury from ‘being a brass bound apprentice on little ships’ to ‘being in command of a highly complex and sophisticated cable ship. Having developed a speech impediment as a result of childhood trauma, John Newbury was subject to abuse and bullying from the outset of his chosen career as a sailor. Determined to prove his detractors wrong, Newbury set out to forge an accomplished career at sea.

Throughout over forty years at sea, Newbury travelled the width of the globe and has seen sights that the average reader could only ever dream of. Urged by his son to put his many awe-inspiring tales in print, this book traces his extraordinary life from his humble and afflicted beginnings to his future successes.

Newbury displays a magnificent memory in recalling the most minute and sensitive details within his stories. Tales of the locals in Borneo, flying fish in the South Atlantic, hapless accidents at sea, the inescapable appeal of the sights and sounds of Bombay, and plenty of close shaves continue to delight the reader throughout. Whilst Newbury’s descriptive powers are exceptional, he also provides us with a real sense of history. His first hand accounts of the Pisces 2 submarine disaster, Chinese hostility to visiting ships and the situation during the Falklands war all build up a forcefully vivid picture of life at sea during the twentieth century.

Newbury is also adept at social commentary, responding to his circumstances with well measured and assured points. Strikingly, the book is so jammed full of different tales to the extent that his near-loss of his sight only covers one paragraph. It is evident that Newbury has lived a full and rewarding life and it is our fortune to have the opportunity to share, through print, in these experiences with him.

Allied with the impressive selection of pictures, ‘The Apprentice Who Stuttered’ gives us a true insight into the captivating life of Captain John Newbury. In overcoming such early difficult circumstances and a severe speech impediment to become a first class sailor, John Newbury is an inspiration. His story-telling ability, it seems, matches his skills as a seaman and it is impossible not to be captured by this book.