Kindle
$15.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Paperback
$15.80
Audio CD
$24.83
Buy new:
-12% $15.80
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon
Sold by: Book Deals Plus
$15.80 with 12 percent savings
List Price: $18.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 21 hrs 55 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$15.80 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.80
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon
Ships from
Amazon
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.31
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
Acceptable condition book. Cover book have scuffs from sticker. No writing or highlights. No ripped or torn pages. Ex-library with usual stamps and stickers. Overall no physical issues with the book. Ships direct from Amazon! Acceptable condition book. Cover book have scuffs from sticker. No writing or highlights. No ripped or torn pages. Ex-library with usual stamps and stickers. Overall no physical issues with the book. Ships direct from Amazon! See less
FREE delivery Tuesday, May 14 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$15.80 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$15.80
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Daniel Gumbiner
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Boatbuilder Paperback – July 10, 2018

by Daniel Gumbiner (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 128 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.80","priceAmount":15.80,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"80","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"lIBL7H%2B7wGb%2FIT7baKqxwrAEoL9uBtTP8upgCxU74JbVTnS6nQtwGPWVBX98D8xw8NQZRQOOLJl2t5HCQQGqoKVWQa8QVLIHzUBN5RMx%2Fm19bqxUNGNiTQqOSb3Lw0ZV4d7E6WFYMSTTVItvev0uSumxDp%2BEfi1cj0Hz8phTXcVxjQlB8RuGCq5oMedZVVZl","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.31","priceAmount":9.31,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"31","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"lIBL7H%2B7wGb%2FIT7baKqxwrAEoL9uBtTPy29zFXsAadVkXrTfvhDhLPuXJrwDCnctlGa5ZczFKNTiLgykpSeRPYoxoIT70%2FujY9Iqu6Zz7PA0bx56ITCNK3%2F9DRtoP8DuGcZkLqmE1xSsWHHhW0HM1UxIzMg0umAq%2Bzv%2FW2B2Lkt5WQMrf6xiL56ttQm7%2Fb%2Fo","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Long-listed for the 2018 National Book Award in Fiction.

At 28 years old, Eli "Berg" Koenigsberg has never encountered a challenge he couldn't push through, until a head injury leaves him with lingering headaches and a weakness for opiates. Berg moves to a remote Northern California town, seeking space and time to recover, but soon finds himself breaking into homes in search of pills. Addled by addiction and chronic pain, Berg meets Alejandro, a reclusive, master boatbuilder, and begins to see a path forward. Alejandro offers Berg honest labor, but more than this, he offers him a new approach to his suffering, a template for survival amid intense pain. Nurtured by his friendship with Alejandro and aided, too, by the comradeship of many in Talinas, Berg begins to return to himself. Written in gleaming prose, this is a story about resilience, community, and what it takes to win back your soul.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    McSweeney's
  4. Publication date
    July 10, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1944211551
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1944211554
  8. See all details
Next page
Amazon First Reads | Editors' picks at exclusive prices

Frequently bought together

The Boatbuilder
$15.80
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
Sold by Book Deals Plus and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.
+
Real Women Have Curves
$11.95
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A striking portrayal of addiction, self-determination, and community. It is lively, meditative, often hilarious, and refreshingly unsentimental."--The Brooklyn Rail

"The Boatbuilder offers a decidedly gentle, sometimes quietly rewarding window onto the attempted recovery of an American opioid addict. It's a fictional companion piece of sorts to nonfiction books about self-reliance like Matthew Crawford's Shop Class as Soulcraft or Alexander Langlands's Craeft, which argue for the emotional benefits of unplugging and working with your hands. Capturing those interior benefits in fiction is a delicate act."
--John Williams, The New York Times

"A testament to Gumbiner's fine writing, readers will easily slip into Berg's day-to-day existence; Gumbiner relays Berg's ambivalence, desperation, and anxiety without resorting to over-the-top scenarios or dialogue. He allows his characters and small-town setting to shine in this beautiful novel about finding one's place, no matter how small, in the world."
--Kathy Sexton, Booklist

"Gumbiner writes beautifully, and he creates a unique world here."
--Laura Spence-Ash, Ploughshares

"This is an utterly beautiful book. To read it is to understand that you have been waiting for it."
--Alejandro Zambra

From the Back Cover

At 28 years old, Eli "Berg" Koenigsberg has never encountered a challenge he couldn't push through, until a head injury leaves him with lingering headaches and a weakness for opiates. Berg moves to a remote Northern California town, seeking space and time to recover, but soon finds himself breaking into homes in search of pills. Addled by addiction and chronic pain, Berg meets Alejandro, a reclusive, master boatbuilder, and begins to see a path forward. Alejandro offers Berg honest labor, but more than this, he offers him a new approach to his suffering, a template for survival amid intense pain. Nurtured by his friendship with Alejandro and aided, too, by the comradeship of many in Talinas, Berg begins to return to himself. Written in gleaming prose, this is a story about resilience, community, and what it takes to win back your soul.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ McSweeney's (July 10, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1944211551
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1944211554
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.75 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 128 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Daniel Gumbiner

Daniel Gumbiner

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Daniel Gumbiner’s first book, The Boatbuilder, was nominated for the National Book Award and a finalist for the California Book Awards. His new novel, Fire in the Canyon, is out now from Astra House. He is the Editor of The Believer and a 2022-23 Hermitage Fellow. He lives in Oakland, CA.

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
128 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Plimoth Rock
4.0 out of 5 stars Navigation was tricky
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
But one never lost sight of the land, or story line. The characters were a joy to watch unfold, quirky, but not unrealistic development. The tension of the open sea and sailing and the close, intricate histories of failure and defeat of the protagonists kept the story line anchored yet drifting. A very good read.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
nl reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars The prose is wonderfully lyrical and I found myself laughing out loud
Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
The Boatbuilder captures the struggle between the passion to live and the darker forces that draw us towards self-destruction. Daniel Gumbiner poignantly portrays the healing that comes when the soul is connected to physical work. The main character, Berg, is initially plagued by self doubt and escape into opioids which dominate his life until he meets the boat builder. The prose is wonderfully lyrical and I found myself laughing out loud. An overall delightful and up-lifting read.
8 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Prince
3.0 out of 5 stars Meh.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2019
Verified Purchase
The Boatbuilder was not my favorite of the reads assigned to us, unfortunately. The book was well-written, overall. However, I found the story to be problematic and not in the good way. For example, there were times I felt like I was being taught at. I felt that this started at the beginning of the book when the narrator was talking about opioids, rehab, etc.

The story didn’t read or feel like it was in the 21st century. It refers to the past more often and gave off a late 20th century feel. The realistic 21st century parts were partially there but it’s something that can be looked at and revisited in the future.

There are WAY too many characters, including animals. Some are forgotten and/or insignificant and others I liked and wished they would show up more often.

If someone asked me, “What the book about?” I’d have to say that I’m not sure what the main plot was. The 1st third of the book I got a feeling that I knew where the book was going but that changed after Berg met Alejandro. Too much started to happen.

What is clearly defined are the “main characters”. I know who Berg, Alejandro, Nell, etc. Berg is just a troubled soul trying to figure everything out. Alejandro plays the sort of “wise old man” role. Nell is trying to be the friendly girlfriend who wants what’s best for her boyfriend.

I like his choice of character names. They are different and memorable.

The author might want to do more resource on accidents that require opioids. I’ve had concussions from hits to the head and my doctor has never prescribed me opioids. Typically it’s just the normal everyday pain killers. (I let this one slide for suspension of disbelief’s sake.)

They say that people think Alejandro is crazy but that some neighbors respect him...I think we keep on being told something instead of shown so I don’t believe people think Alejandro is crazy since more characters (dead and alive) think highly of him.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant read
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
A pleasant read, especially for me as I’m familiar with the locale. Some interesting insight into opioid issues. Engaging, real characters that I’d like to sit down with and chat over coffee.
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, gentle and slow
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
A lovely exploration of loss and gain of identity and finding a place amidst false notes. Gentle souls, combative souls, lost souls, wise souls all fitting in together, puzzle pieces who don't know the shape of the puzzle they're building. It's a gentle and hopeful novel.
Helpful
 Report
W. Gallagher
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but slightly disjointed narrative
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2018
Verified Purchase
The writing was better than average and an interesting main character, but when I got to the end, I felt that I had just had a snack rather than a meal. I read the work just a few chapters at a time over an extended period so perhaps I just never got into the flow of it, but I found myself re-reading whole large sections because I kept thinking I had missed something or forgotten something. It really seemed to be several stories in one that didn't quite fit together for me.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic debut
Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2019
Verified Purchase
Spot on storytelling would definitely read future work. Was quirky without .among that the entire emphasis of the whole book.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lois Smith
2.0 out of 5 stars Disconnected Themes Reign Supreme
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book had the opportunity to teach a little about sailboats, but the author missed the point even with this opportunity. He attempted to address several social issues, from drugs to alcoholism, but none of the characters were well developed, few were well related to each other, or necessarily added to the book. Snippets of background info were totally disconnected from the story and unnecessary space fillers.
I feel the author missed his own point right down to the final unimpressive line when the 28-year old lead character is talking to an 8-year old who asks him what he wants to be when he grows up and he doesn't know. In turn, he asks the child the same question and she responds that she doesn't know yet but she is only 8 years old!
This book could have addressed his personal fight with drug addiction, the efforts he makes to overcome the pull of drugs, the support he leans on with friends and co-workers...but all this was conveniently skipped over and the author chose to jump ahead in time without addressing the most critical steps on the road to recovery.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

bookworm
2.0 out of 5 stars May leave you all at sea...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2018
Verified Purchase
This debut novel seems to divide opinion over its merits.

I found some parts of this book interesting such as the various properties of wood for boatbuilding and the relationship between Berg and Alejandro is well drawn but otherwise I thought this was a rather dull and uninteresting story.

I felt I was threatening to bale out at times rather than being pulled in and on several occasions I was bemused. There is a strange cadillac incident, arguments over poetry and some dull characters which did very little for the tale.

It's reasonably well written but devoid of excitement.
One person found this helpful
 Report