Books

Does the sun rise over Dagenham? (1998)

A short story which was one of the winners of the 1998 London Arts Board Short Story competition. The anthology of winning stories bore the same title. A story of a gang of East End teenage girls and a fateful trip to central London. Still on reading lists around the world, although out of print now.

Child of the Sea (2012)

My memoir of seven years sailing around the world from the ages of 7 to 14. Read more about my book here. Available as an e-book from Bloomsbury.

Our Ocean’s Broken Heart (2024)

Our Ocean’s Broken Heart tells the story of one woman’s journey across the ocean and into the heart of those places most threatened by climate change. Our Ocean’s Broken Heart is a personal pilgrimage to the frontline of climate change, based on my sailing voyages to the Arctic and the Pacific. Accompanied by my teenage children, Nera and Dan, and my father Jimmy, I explore what it means to be a sailor and our relationship with the ocean. Tracing the legacy of colonialism and the pain of climate injustice I confront head on how the world has changed since my 1970s childhood sailing the world. I bring to life the crucial threats our ocean faces, such as rising temperatures and sea levels, through the testimony of the people in the places I visit, and through citizen science projects carried out by sailing yachts in partnership with scientists. Challenging the powerful vested interests that impede progress towards halting climate breakdown, I ask how we can find the path back to hope.

Available from Amazon Books.

Reviews

Child of the Sea

Bursting with life, here is a rare memoir of tenderness and exquisite detail, about a young girl’s voyage with her family around the world.
Doina learns about politics and race, responsibility and love, all through a kaleidoscope of international friendships, a strong family, and the infinitely fascinating world she discovers from the deck of a boat named Aventura.
A must-read for parents thinking of taking the cruising leap, and a little worried about how their kids will react. And it’s an equally powerful book for their kids, who long for a glimpse into the wonders they have in store.

Bernadette Bernon, Boat U.S.

Our Ocean’s Broken Heart

I finished reading Doina Cornell’s book… in tears. She writes so well. I found this book fascinating.

Susie Morgenstern, Writer

© Doina Cornell 2025

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