First Light - by Cole Brauer (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A thrilling memoir from the first American woman to race a sailboat solo, nonstop around the world.

In 2024, Cole Brauer became the first American woman to race solo around the world, in a forty-foot sailboat named First Light. For 130 days, she navigated mechanical breakdowns, debilitating food poisoning, and the Southern Ocean's extreme cold. Yet, amid the isolation, she found breathtaking sunrises, impromptu dance parties, and a life-changing sense of peace.

First Light recounts the intimate details of this historic circumnavigation, but it isn't the typical story of conquering the elements. Instead, it is a memoir of a woman who moved into the most remote environment on Earth and made herself a home. For years, Brauer navigated the rigid hierarchies of a traditionalist sport, facing a relentless tide of skepticism from a world that often tried to ground her before she even left the dock. Out at sea, she didn't just race 27,000 miles; she proved her critics wrong, reframing one of the world's most grueling solo races as an act of joyful resistance.

First Light is a reckoning with what it means to belong--in a male-dominated field, in a high-speed world, and within yourself. Unfiltered, exhilarating, and deeply personal, it is a testament to the resilience required to stay true to yourself when the world wants you to stay small. Brauer invites us all to find presence in a noisy world, believe in the impossible, and see the horizon not as a boundary but as a hearth.

Review Quotes

"Cole Brauer's story is a must-read for every young woman with a dream. It's an inspirational look at navigating challenges and life-changing adventures."--Billie Jean King, sports icon and equality champion

"I couldn't put this book down. Brauer's strength and resilience inspire us to challenge ourselves to venture out of our safe harbor and experience the high seas of life."--Christie Brinkley, supermodel, humanitarian, and New York Times bestselling author of Uptown Girl

"I truly hope that every little girl reads this and believes that, in Brauer's own words, 'maybe, just maybe, someone will see this crazy story and think they can do it too.'"--Tracy Edwards MBE, skipper of Maiden, the first all-female crew to sail/race around the world

"A powerful portrayal of life at sea that captures both the technical demands and the emotional resilience required to succeed. Brauer's story is gripping, offering a rare insight into the realities of solo sailing and the determination it takes to push beyond limits."--Captain Kate McCue, first American woman to serve as captain of a mega-ton cruise ship

"Being an avid ocean enthusiast, I found great inspiration in Brauer's fearlessness as she navigated her sailboat through the most treacherous oceans in the world. Her story shows young girls and boys that anything is possible with persistence and hard work."--Kai Lenny, world champion waterman

"Cole Brauer's journey is as fierce as the seas she crosses."--Kerry Docherty, author of Selfish

"First Light captures everything that makes offshore sailing compelling. This is about finding confidence in uncertainty, embracing challenge, and discovering what we are truly capable of when pushed beyond our comfort zone."--Dee Caffari MBE

About the Author

Cole Brauer is a record-breaking American professional sailor who finished second in the grueling 2023-2024 solo race around the world. Brauer and her work have been featured in The New York Times and on Today and CNN. A University of Hawai'i graduate, she is a sought-after speaker for companies and organizations ranging from PJT to Kaiser Permanente, known for her candid storytelling and a philosophy of unvarnished grit. When she isn't sharing her story on land, she is back on the water as a co-skipper for an IMOCA 60 team.