---
product_id: 64514658
title: "The Last Grain Race"
price: "A$24"
currency: AUD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/64514658-the-last-grain-race
store_origin: AU
region: Australia
---

# Historic sailing saga Epic Cape Horn voyage 618+ rave reviews The Last Grain Race

**Price:** A$24
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> ⛵ Sail into history with the ultimate grain race adventure!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Last Grain Race
- **How much does it cost?** A$24 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.au](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/64514658-the-last-grain-race)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Top-Ranked & Loved:** Join 600+ readers rating this classic 4.5 stars in sailing and maritime history.
- • **Epic Historical Context:** Relive the 1939-40 voyage before WWII changed the fate of great sailing ships.
- • **Authentic Nautical Detail:** Experience vivid descriptions of rigging, watchkeeping, and life at sea.
- • **Award-Winning Storytelling:** Eric Newby's witty, self-deprecating prose keeps you hooked from start to finish.
- • **Timeless Maritime Adventure:** Dive into the gripping last grain race aboard the legendary Moshulu.

## Overview

The Last Grain Race by Eric Newby is a highly acclaimed, well-written memoir chronicling the 1939-40 voyage of the Moshulu, the largest working barque of its time. Combining rich nautical detail with humor and bravery, it offers an immersive look at life aboard a historic sailing ship during its final grain race before WWII. With over 600 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, this book is a must-read for sailing enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

## Description

Buy The Last Grain Race UK ed. by Newby, Eric (ISBN: 9780007597833) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: A really fabulous book, well written, infomative, and important - This is a splendid book. I've read numerous books about sailing and sailing ships, of all sizes, and especially about the great sailing ships on the tea, nitrate and grain trades, etc etc, and I reckon this is the most enjoyable, well written and informative books of any of them. Newby writes very well, and with great humour and self-deprecation, about all aspects of life aboard Moshulu, the biggest working barque of the time. After an initial chapter describing Newby's pre-Moshulu life ashore, the remainder of the book concerns the voyage out to Australia (from Belfast) in ballast; then the few months in Australia,loading; then the voyage home again, to Queenstown (Cobh) for orders, and then to Glasgow. Along the way, we get a really detailed description of things like the deck layout, the watchkeeping system, daily life on board, the rigging and sail-handling, etc etc. Poor Moshulu, after this glorious part of her working life, she was seized by the Germans. Her rigging was removed and put into storage, and was subsequently destroyed by bombing raids. Moshulu spent a long time then as a floating grain store/warehouse, before eventually crossing the Atlantic and being put to use as a museum ship and (I think) as a restaurant, from 1970, in New York and then Philadelphia. But this was all long after her great last grain race glory-days of 1939/1940. If you're interested in sailing ships, or if you just like a well-written book, this is for you. Very highly recommended.
Review: How to grow up very quickly. - The late Eric Newby established a fine reputation as a travel writer, but he was much more than that. Born into a comfortably wealthy family, he could not tolerate life "in the city" and as an 18 year old signed up as a junior crew member on a 4 masted, square rigged sailing ship which took grain between the UK and Australia just before the second world war. The last grain race describes his experiences in raw, and sometimes terrifying detail. Quite apart from the fact that most of the crew did not speak English and initially treated him with disdain, he was frequently given the most horrible of duties and had to learn to climb to the top of 120 foot masts to either store or release the massive sails. By the end of the return voyage he has proved himself more than capable of handling everything that was thrown at him - including climbing the mast in a force 10 gale as the ship rounded Cape Horn in order to get a good photograph! The book is full of vivid descriptions though may include a little too much technical detail in places. Newby's subsequent adventures, including an attempt to climb K2 proved what a tough and brave man he was. Toughness and bravery shine through the pages of the excellent book.

## Features

- Warning:Not suitable for children over 36 months
- New Store Stock

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 105,092 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 20 in Historical Oceania Biographies 64 in Sailing (Books) 156 in Maritime History & Piracy (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 618 Reviews |

## Images

![The Last Grain Race - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71A4UGsGkNL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A really fabulous book, well written, infomative, and important
*by H***R on 1 March 2024*

This is a splendid book. I've read numerous books about sailing and sailing ships, of all sizes, and especially about the great sailing ships on the tea, nitrate and grain trades, etc etc, and I reckon this is the most enjoyable, well written and informative books of any of them. Newby writes very well, and with great humour and self-deprecation, about all aspects of life aboard Moshulu, the biggest working barque of the time. After an initial chapter describing Newby's pre-Moshulu life ashore, the remainder of the book concerns the voyage out to Australia (from Belfast) in ballast; then the few months in Australia,loading; then the voyage home again, to Queenstown (Cobh) for orders, and then to Glasgow. Along the way, we get a really detailed description of things like the deck layout, the watchkeeping system, daily life on board, the rigging and sail-handling, etc etc. Poor Moshulu, after this glorious part of her working life, she was seized by the Germans. Her rigging was removed and put into storage, and was subsequently destroyed by bombing raids. Moshulu spent a long time then as a floating grain store/warehouse, before eventually crossing the Atlantic and being put to use as a museum ship and (I think) as a restaurant, from 1970, in New York and then Philadelphia. But this was all long after her great last grain race glory-days of 1939/1940. If you're interested in sailing ships, or if you just like a well-written book, this is for you. Very highly recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ How to grow up very quickly.
*by M***L on 29 April 2021*

The late Eric Newby established a fine reputation as a travel writer, but he was much more than that. Born into a comfortably wealthy family, he could not tolerate life "in the city" and as an 18 year old signed up as a junior crew member on a 4 masted, square rigged sailing ship which took grain between the UK and Australia just before the second world war. The last grain race describes his experiences in raw, and sometimes terrifying detail. Quite apart from the fact that most of the crew did not speak English and initially treated him with disdain, he was frequently given the most horrible of duties and had to learn to climb to the top of 120 foot masts to either store or release the massive sails. By the end of the return voyage he has proved himself more than capable of handling everything that was thrown at him - including climbing the mast in a force 10 gale as the ship rounded Cape Horn in order to get a good photograph! The book is full of vivid descriptions though may include a little too much technical detail in places. Newby's subsequent adventures, including an attempt to climb K2 proved what a tough and brave man he was. Toughness and bravery shine through the pages of the excellent book.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An experience of the past
*by J***N on 29 March 2025*

This book, that I read many years ago, is such a classic that I bought this one for my son. Although this was a used issue it came in its cardboard holder and was in excellent condition. As the book's title is "The Last Grain Race" it is self evident what it is about. Eric Newby joined the vessel as an inexperienced deck hand in 1949 and it's the story of his journey from Australia to Scotland on one of the great sailing ships. It is a lucid picture of times long past and the good number of photographs are a window into an experience never to be repeated.

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*Product available on Desertcart Australia*
*Store origin: AU*
*Last updated: 2026-02-28*