From the America-defining shanty boat trip of Huckleberry Finn to the palatial yachts that serve as home-away-from-home for the rich, domiciles that float are a subject of fascination for even the most land-loving among us.
The latest release from Gestalten, Rock the Boat: Boats, Cabins and Homes on the Water carries on the renowned publishing house’s longstanding tradition for highly aesthetic and carefully planned examinations of people, art, and culture. Featuring ample full color photographs, this hardcover and stitch-bound book includes more than 270 pages that are dedicated to “the freedom of open water and the comforts of home.”
Rock the Boat journeys from the lakes of Kashmir to the Bay of Venice to examine houseboats as both architectural marvels and wonders of modern seafaring travel. The book also investigates the philosophical elements of living on the water and the promise of the houseboat to satisfy the curious natures and restless imaginations of those who design and inhabit them. Delving into the commercial realm as well as the residential, Rock the Boat takes in-depth looks at enterprises that range from a floating boutique hotel in downtown London to a river-bound sauna on Finland’s Pielisjoki. If you’re attracted to the idea of a houseboat as a temporary escape or a permanent change of address, this Gestalten volume deserves a read.