Stuart’s paper, which ultimately leads her to the lofty resolution to “adopt a more balanced approach to life,” covers A LOT of literary ground (and sea).

In reverse chronological order, spanning continents and regions, there’s discussion of work by Yann Martel, Ernest Hemingway, Herman Melville, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Ecclesiastes. She tackles the topics of anguish, fear, and resentment which protagonists in these classics live out, and like a smart, resilient old salt, she merges all their life lessons to best chart her own course.