Talk of the Hill with Bill Press: Award-winning Journalist Duncan Spencer discusses his new book My Boats: A Life by Sail and Oar
Duncan Spencer fell in love with boats at the age of six. Eight decades later, that passion still carries him across open water—and through the remarkable stories of a life shaped by adventure, endurance, and reflection.
In My Boats: A Life by Sail and Oar, Spencer recounts sailing across the Atlantic five times, including a record-setting crossing in a twenty-footer, as well as ten journeys to Cuba and a lifelong competitive rowing career that continues to this day. With candor and insight, he writes not only of triumphs but also of the mistakes and hard-earned lessons that shaped his understanding of boat design and modern sailing.
Told in lyrical prose and rich detail, Spencer’s story reaches far beyond the water. He evokes a childhood marked by both privilege and trauma while reflecting on a life that intersected with many defining moments of modern history.
Duncan Spencer is a prize-winning journalist, author, and athlete. He is the author and co-author of four previous books, including the Pulitzer Prize-finalist Conversations with the Enemy. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the Washington Star, The Washington Post, and The New York Times. He has competed in regattas in Europe as well as the US and sailed across the Atlantic five times, including one record-setting crossing in a twenty-foot sloop with no motor. For over ten years he covered the Capitol Hill neighborhood in a weekly column for Roll Call and then The Hill. He has lived on the Hill since 1965.
Bill Press began his career as a political insider and media commentator on KABC-TV and KCOP-TV, both in Los Angeles. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for his work, including four Emmys and a Golden Mike Award. He also served as aide to California Governor Jerry Brown and was Chair of the California Democratic Party from 1993 to 1996.The former co-host of MSNBC’s Buchanan and Press, CNN’s Crossfire and The Spin Room, Press has built a national reputation on thought-provoking and humorous insights from the left side of the political aisle. Press is the author of ten books and is the host of the twice-weekly “The Bill Press Pod” – available on Google, Apple, Spotify, or Tune-In. He’s a member of the White House press corps. He also writes a weekly column for The Hill and a weekly syndicated newspaper column distributed by Tribune Media Services.
Books will be available for sale. A book signing will follow the discussion.
