Crossing the Unknown Sea is about reuniting the imagination with our day to day lives. It shows how poetry and practicality, far from being mutually exclusive, reinforce each other to give every aspect of our lives meaning and direction. For anyone who wants to deepen their connection to their life’s work—or find out what their life’s work is—this book can help navigate the way. - from the publisher

I got perhaps one third of the way into this book and then took it back to the library -- because I knew I needed my own copy so I could write in the margins and underline Whyte's beautiful, insightful sentences.

I've been struggling with work for my entire adult life, and now, at age 45, I've been worried that I'll never find the place where vocation and income intersect. Whyte puts my personal fears in their larger context of the deep relationship of work to the rest of our lives, as well as the necessity and the sometimes fearful risk of pursuing your true work.

Also: Whyte inspires me to write poetry. I'm not a poet, but whenever I listen to one of his lectures or read his non-fiction I find myself thinking in poetry. This morning during my commute I put down this book in order to write a work-related poem on the bus. Whyte has that kind of inspirational power. ( )

I've been looking or meaning in my life for as long as I can remember, this was a good read, but it seemed to take a lot of words to say 'follow your dream' and 'don't be afraid to change your life'.

The second chapter, about a drug addict contemplating suicide is absolutely brilliant. If the rest of the book was of that quality I would give it 6 stars if I could. ( )

I love David Whyte, but love him more in person when he reads his remarkable poetry about life and love and life and death, and love and family, and meaning, etc etc. He does it from a quintessential subaltern Gallic sensibility, which somehow never ceases to capture the imaginations of English speakers all over the world. This is a great little book given to me by great friends at an amazing propitious and dangerous moment, just like great books should change great hands (and great minds)! I recommend it as an introduction to the Mundus Imaginalis of David Whyte and the beginning of your own journey to toward peace, fulfillment and new found prosperity. ( )

Beautifully written book that follows the direction of finding "work" as an answer to the question "Why are you here?" ( )