Greenpeace Captain by Peter Willcox will feature on the Radio 2 Fact not Fiction Book Club on Thursday 16 February.
The book was selected with the help of a panel made up of Reading Agency and library staff from across the UK. Find out more about the non-fiction strand of the Radio 2 Book Club.
You can win 10 copies of Greenpeace Captain for your reading group – just visit our Noticeboard.
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We also have an exclusive extract for your reading group.
Greenpeace Captain
Leading crews into battle against whale killers, nuclear testing sites and deep sea drillers, confronting naval ships, being bombed by the French secret service and serving time in a Russian jail for peacefully protesting Russian oil drilling in Antarctica…it’s all in a day’s work for Peter Willcox, one of Greenpeace’s most seasoned campaigners.
His new book, Greenpeace Captain, is an adventure yarn like no other, covering 40 years of activism and making headlines worldwide.
Selection panel review
Our library reading panel really enjoyed Greenpeace Captain – here are some of their comments:
“This was written in an easy style and I know much more about the politics of environmental campaigning than I did. Peter is obviously passionate about his job and that came across.”
“I was pleasantly surprised by this book – having expected a rant on the state of the planet and a diatribe against those who pollute it, I was presented with an intelligent, factual account of one man’s courageousness in the face of governments and companies determined to put profit over our well-being.”
“Really well written, upbeat, and reads like an exciting thriller. Each chapter describes one of the Greenpeace missions the author was involved in – some not well organized, but dangerous and exhilarating. Overall, it is a book with a genuinely inspiring message coming from someone with a wealth of experience.”
About the author
Peter Willcox has been a Captain with Greenpeace for over 30 years, making him the most experienced captain in the organisation. An activist for nearly his entire life, beginning by marching in Selma behind Martin Luther King Jr. with his family at age twelve.
Captain Willcox estimates he’s sailed over 300,000 miles in virtually every corner of the globe.
A word from Peter
“Thank you Radio 2 for choosing my book, Greenpeace Captain for your book club! When I heard the news I was delighted to hear that my four decades of often rather crazy experiences as an eco-warrior might have caught your imagination.
I’m an avid BBC radio listener, having spent months at a time out at sea on the Rainbow Warrior and remote places where the BBC World Service radio can feel like a lifeline – I’m also a big fan of libraries, so again it’s a huge honour to me that library users will be discussing my book. Thank you all!"
Get involved
Tune in to the Radio 2 Arts Show on Thursday 16 February to hear an interview with Peter.
Do you want to read Greenpeace Captain? You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter. You can also connect with the author using #GreenpeaceCaptain @greenpeaceuk @sandstonepress.
You can also see what other readers thought, or add the book to your group’s reading list.
Want to find out more? Take a look at the Radio 2 Book Club Twitter feed or find out more on the Radio 2 Book Club website.
