Cole Brauer on Sailing Solo Around the World, Betting on Yourself, and "First Light"

Shelf Care Society by @Brian.Reads · Aug 31, 2026 · 54m

Cole Brauer made history as the first American woman to race solo, nonstop around the world, but getting to the starting line required almost as much determination as crossing the finish.

In this episode of Shelf Care Society, Brian sits down with the record-breaking sailor and author of First Light: Sailing Solo But Not Alone to talk about the extraordinary journey behind her memoir and what it means to build a life outside the routes other people expect you to follow.

Cole opens up about entering the notoriously male-dominated world of offshore sailing, learning to trust herself and the…