Praise for Kihivas

“Istvan Kopar’s story of his 1990 solo circumnavigation is a mesmerizing tale. The overall plot line may be similar to other sailing adventures, but what makes this a remarkable read is the voice. This Hungarian-born sailor has a fresh perspective which results in fascinating, tangible details coming across the page. Part ship’s log, part personal reflection and part adventure story, Kihivas keeps readers’ interest. It should resonate with any sailor, and prove to be a page-turner for most literary types… Re-reading passages for the sheer beauty of the words and the momentary transport to the deck of Salammbo should be expected.”

His account of the epic voyage is a thrilling document which gives the reader a chance to really comprehend and appreciate the enormous achievement of successfully finishing a seemingly impossible project that required an incredible amount of physical and mental strength to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles…

Albrecht Seer, Kindle Edition Reader

It is the best book on sailing I’ve read (of more than 200 I did!). I would like to congratulate Capt. Kopar mainly for his patriotic behavior and the way he expresses his feelings about everything. God bless him and his family,
Luiz N. Galetto – Brazilian Fighter Pilot and a sailboat captain with some blue water experience.

Luiz Nogueira Galetto, Paperback Reader

A remarkable feat told in remarkable detail with remarkable modesty. As an ocean sailor myself, I have such admiration for the author.

Norm, Kindle Edition Reader

A truly extraordinary book – terrific nautical tale, superbly told.

James Dugan, Paperback Reader

Great sea voyage tale!

Thomas Brown, Paperback Reader

…this remarkable tale of heroic achievement didn’t disappoint. In fact, this is a very exciting book that takes the reader around the world in a one-person sailboat… By the time he reached the Trade Winds on his way home, he had pulled me into his story so deeply that I myself felt slightly exhausted. KIHIVAS-Alone at the Ends of the Earth is an incredible, true story of one man’s solitary triumph and an inspiration for all who set their sights on dreams that sound impossible.

Eve Gaal, Kindle Edition Reader

Fantastic book, extremely well written.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

KIHIVAS is a well-written epic of one man against nature. The details of the voyage make the reader feel that he or she is in the cockpit with Kopar feeling the spray, the freezing cold or the devastating heat. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in small boat voyages or just plain top notch adventure.

Little Fork Paddler, Kindle Edition Reader

This is an amazing story! The pictures are great, and the descriptions allow the reader to be on the boat! Thanks, Istvan, for sharing your great adventure! Good luck on any future challenges!

Amazon Customer, Paperback Reader

As a former sailor I found this book to be fascinating. I couldn’t put it down until the end! Great read for all ages!

George Ardo, Paperback Reader

A great book!!! Hated for it to end. Although I used to sail, one doesn’t have to sail to enjoy this book. An amazing story and feat of one man sailing around the world alone in a 31-foot boat.

nbs, Kindle Edition Reader

What a great book! Easy reading, but compelling and enjoyable. Finished it over a weekend. Not full of technical jargon. Some nice thoughts on life and living. I wish I had the skill, time and drive to do what he did, and he has done it TWICE now! Bought one for my dad for father’s day as well. Good for anyone who likes adventures, sailing and want-to-be sailors.

Adam, Paperback Reader

Mr. Kopar gives such a detailed account of his voyage you can truly imagine being there yourself. He describes details such as smells, emotions and tactile senses that are missing from most other mariner adventures that you feel you have a real sense of what the journey was like. One does not need to be a sailor to enjoy this book. If you are a sailor though you will instantly see that his accomplishment is amazing.

Quirky, Kindle Edition Reader

What an amazing story. The book is so well written and edited that I couldn’t put it down. And this is not usually the type of story I read. The photos were astonishing and complemented the book quite well. Besides being entertained, I learned so much — about sailing, about the human spirit. A definite great read for a stormy night.

Lou, Kindle Edition Reader

Loved this book! Istvan Kopar makes you feel as if you are on the boat with him. There are many struggles and challenges, but the joys, whether from an extra hour of sleep or his family’s embrace on his return home make you reevaluate what is truly important in life.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

A real pleasure reading this book. What I enjoyed the most is the author’s understatement, although the achievement was far from negligible. I did appreciate the way the author depicts the hardships he faced, and eventually overcame, without triumphalism. Indeed,he mostly emphasizes the intimate human feelings that one experiences while confronting harsh conditions. Not to mention the many episodes of human friendship both with other sailors as well as with followers by radio contact. –Giorgio Landonio, Italy

Giorgio Landonio, Kindle Edition Reader

This is a short, but extremely well written account of an inspiring journey. Full of heart and steely determination the reader is brought aboard for a perilous but rewarding adventure.

David E. Roach, Kindle Edition Reader

I was so impressed with the depth and breadth of this journey. It was awe inspiring… Enjoyed his love of his family, his friends and his country; also his choice of books and music to feel him going. He was incredibly resourceful. It made me appreciate the explorers of old in a new way. Reading about his trip was exciting and suspenseful… The ocean is so vast and this book gives you such an appreciation for it. Kopar is incredibly brave and determined! The book was very well written and the pictures added to the enjoyment of the story.

Mary L, Kindle Edition Reader

I loved the book because it was written not just for sailors. I enjoyed to read, actually I finished reading in four nights, because it was so interesting that I was not able to sleep. Also, I learned a lot from this great author: sailing and steadfastness of purpose. His solo circumnavigation was an extraordinary unprecedented performance. Wishing you luck to your next challenge of 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

A good adventure tale makes you feel like you’re experiencing it for yourself, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s an enjoyable account of Kopar’s trials, hardships, and triumphs while spending nearly a year alone on a risky journey across the world’s oceans. It’s always interesting to learn about people like Kopar, who are driven to veer away from the traditional paths of society and to earn the title “adventurer.” He includes enough details to give you a sense of what the voyage was actually like, as he faced the day-to-day mental and physical challenges of the journey. An excellent read!

John C Meikle, Kindle Edition Reader

His account of the epic voyage is a thrilling document which gives the reader a chance to really comprehend and appreciate the enormous achievement of successfully finishing a seemingly impossible project that required an incredible amount of physical and mental strength to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles…

Albrecht Seer, Kindle Edition Reader

A real pleasure reading this book. What I enjoyed the most is the author’s understatement, although the achievement was far from negligible. I did appreciate the way the author depicts the hardships he faced, and eventually overcame, without triumphalism. Indeed,he mostly emphasizes the intimate human feelings that one experiences while confronting harsh conditions. Not to mention the many episodes of human friendship both with other sailors as well as with followers by radio contact. –Giorgio Landonio, Italy

Giorgio Landonio, Kindle Edition Reader

It is the best book on sailing I’ve read (of more than 200 I did!). I would like to congratulate Capt. Kopar mainly for his patriotic behavior and the way he expresses his feelings about everything. God bless him and his family,
Luiz N. Galetto – Brazilian Fighter Pilot and a sailboat captain with some blue water experience.

Luiz Nogueira Galetto, Paperback Reader

A remarkable feat told in remarkable detail with remarkable modesty. As an ocean sailor myself, I have such admiration for the author.

Norm, Kindle Edition Reader

A great book!!! Hated for it to end. Although I used to sail, one doesn’t have to sail to enjoy this book. An amazing story and feat of one man sailing around the world alone in a 31-foot boat.

nbs, Kindle Edition Reader

What an amazing story. The book is so well written and edited that I couldn’t put it down. And this is not usually the type of story I read. The photos were astonishing and complemented the book quite well. Besides being entertained, I learned so much — about sailing, about the human spirit. A definite great read for a stormy night.

Lou, Kindle Edition Reader

This is an amazing story! The pictures are great, and the descriptions allow the reader to be on the boat! Thanks, Istvan, for sharing your great adventure! Good luck on any future challenges!

Amazon Customer, Paperback Reader

As a former sailor I found this book to be fascinating. I couldn’t put it down until the end! Great read for all ages!

George Ardo, Paperback Reader

…this remarkable tale of heroic achievement didn’t disappoint. In fact, this is a very exciting book that takes the reader around the world in a one-person sailboat… By the time he reached the Trade Winds on his way home, he had pulled me into his story so deeply that I myself felt slightly exhausted. KIHIVAS-Alone at the Ends of the Earth is an incredible, true story of one man’s solitary triumph and an inspiration for all who set their sights on dreams that sound impossible.

Eve Gaal, Kindle Edition Reader

I loved the book because it was written not just for sailors. I enjoyed to read, actually I finished reading in four nights, because it was so interesting that I was not able to sleep. Also, I learned a lot from this great author: sailing and steadfastness of purpose. His solo circumnavigation was an extraordinary unprecedented performance. Wishing you luck to your next challenge of 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

Mr. Kopar gives such a detailed account of his voyage you can truly imagine being there yourself. He describes details such as smells, emotions and tactile senses that are missing from most other mariner adventures that you feel you have a real sense of what the journey was like. One does not need to be a sailor to enjoy this book. If you are a sailor though you will instantly see that his accomplishment is amazing.

Quirky, Kindle Edition Reader

This is a short, but extremely well written account of an inspiring journey. Full of heart and steely determination the reader is brought aboard for a perilous but rewarding adventure.

David E. Roach, Kindle Edition Reader

A good adventure tale makes you feel like you’re experiencing it for yourself, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s an enjoyable account of Kopar’s trials, hardships, and triumphs while spending nearly a year alone on a risky journey across the world’s oceans. It’s always interesting to learn about people like Kopar, who are driven to veer away from the traditional paths of society and to earn the title “adventurer.” He includes enough details to give you a sense of what the voyage was actually like, as he faced the day-to-day mental and physical challenges of the journey. An excellent read!

John C Meikle, Kindle Edition Reader

A truly extraordinary book – terrific nautical tale, superbly told.

James Dugan, Paperback Reader

Great sea voyage tale!

Thomas Brown, Paperback Reader

What a great book! Easy reading, but compelling and enjoyable. Finished it over a weekend. Not full of technical jargon. Some nice thoughts on life and living. I wish I had the skill, time and drive to do what he did, and he has done it TWICE now! Bought one for my dad for father’s day as well. Good for anyone who likes adventures, sailing and want-to-be sailors.

Adam, Paperback Reader

KIHIVAS is a well-written epic of one man against nature. The details of the voyage make the reader feel that he or she is in the cockpit with Kopar feeling the spray, the freezing cold or the devastating heat. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in small boat voyages or just plain top notch adventure.

Little Fork Paddler, Kindle Edition Reader

Fantastic book, extremely well written.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

I was so impressed with the depth and breadth of this journey. It was awe inspiring… Enjoyed his love of his family, his friends and his country; also his choice of books and music to feel him going. He was incredibly resourceful. It made me appreciate the explorers of old in a new way. Reading about his trip was exciting and suspenseful… The ocean is so vast and this book gives you such an appreciation for it. Kopar is incredibly brave and determined! The book was very well written and the pictures added to the enjoyment of the story.

Mary L, Kindle Edition Reader

Loved this book! Istvan Kopar makes you feel as if you are on the boat with him. There are many struggles and challenges, but the joys, whether from an extra hour of sleep or his family’s embrace on his return home make you reevaluate what is truly important in life.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

What a great book! Easy reading, but compelling and enjoyable. Finished it over a weekend. Not full of technical jargon. Some nice thoughts on life and living. I wish I had the skill, time and drive to do what he did, and he has done it TWICE now! Bought one for my dad for father’s day as well. Good for anyone who likes adventures, sailing and want-to-be sailors.

Adam, Paperback Reader

A great book!!! Hated for it to end. Although I used to sail, one doesn’t have to sail to enjoy this book. An amazing story and feat of one man sailing around the world alone in a 31-foot boat.

nbs, Kindle Edition Reader

As a former sailor I found this book to be fascinating. I couldn’t put it down until the end! Great read for all ages!

George Ardo, Paperback Reader

What an amazing story. The book is so well written and edited that I couldn’t put it down. And this is not usually the type of story I read. The photos were astonishing and complemented the book quite well. Besides being entertained, I learned so much — about sailing, about the human spirit. A definite great read for a stormy night.

Lou, Kindle Edition Reader

It is the best book on sailing I’ve read (of more than 200 I did!). I would like to congratulate Capt. Kopar mainly for his patriotic behavior and the way he expresses his feelings about everything. God bless him and his family,
Luiz N. Galetto – Brazilian Fighter Pilot and a sailboat captain with some blue water experience.

Luiz Nogueira Galetto, Paperback Reader

His account of the epic voyage is a thrilling document which gives the reader a chance to really comprehend and appreciate the enormous achievement of successfully finishing a seemingly impossible project that required an incredible amount of physical and mental strength to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles…

Albrecht Seer, Kindle Edition Reader

This is an amazing story! The pictures are great, and the descriptions allow the reader to be on the boat! Thanks, Istvan, for sharing your great adventure! Good luck on any future challenges!

Amazon Customer, Paperback Reader

…this remarkable tale of heroic achievement didn’t disappoint. In fact, this is a very exciting book that takes the reader around the world in a one-person sailboat… By the time he reached the Trade Winds on his way home, he had pulled me into his story so deeply that I myself felt slightly exhausted. KIHIVAS-Alone at the Ends of the Earth is an incredible, true story of one man’s solitary triumph and an inspiration for all who set their sights on dreams that sound impossible.

Eve Gaal, Kindle Edition Reader

Great sea voyage tale!

Thomas Brown, Paperback Reader

KIHIVAS is a well-written epic of one man against nature. The details of the voyage make the reader feel that he or she is in the cockpit with Kopar feeling the spray, the freezing cold or the devastating heat. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in small boat voyages or just plain top notch adventure.

Little Fork Paddler, Kindle Edition Reader

A truly extraordinary book – terrific nautical tale, superbly told.

James Dugan, Paperback Reader

This is a short, but extremely well written account of an inspiring journey. Full of heart and steely determination the reader is brought aboard for a perilous but rewarding adventure.

David E. Roach, Kindle Edition Reader

I was so impressed with the depth and breadth of this journey. It was awe inspiring… Enjoyed his love of his family, his friends and his country; also his choice of books and music to feel him going. He was incredibly resourceful. It made me appreciate the explorers of old in a new way. Reading about his trip was exciting and suspenseful… The ocean is so vast and this book gives you such an appreciation for it. Kopar is incredibly brave and determined! The book was very well written and the pictures added to the enjoyment of the story.

Mary L, Kindle Edition Reader

Fantastic book, extremely well written.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

I loved the book because it was written not just for sailors. I enjoyed to read, actually I finished reading in four nights, because it was so interesting that I was not able to sleep. Also, I learned a lot from this great author: sailing and steadfastness of purpose. His solo circumnavigation was an extraordinary unprecedented performance. Wishing you luck to your next challenge of 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

Loved this book! Istvan Kopar makes you feel as if you are on the boat with him. There are many struggles and challenges, but the joys, whether from an extra hour of sleep or his family’s embrace on his return home make you reevaluate what is truly important in life.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

Mr. Kopar gives such a detailed account of his voyage you can truly imagine being there yourself. He describes details such as smells, emotions and tactile senses that are missing from most other mariner adventures that you feel you have a real sense of what the journey was like. One does not need to be a sailor to enjoy this book. If you are a sailor though you will instantly see that his accomplishment is amazing.

Quirky, Kindle Edition Reader

A good adventure tale makes you feel like you’re experiencing it for yourself, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s an enjoyable account of Kopar’s trials, hardships, and triumphs while spending nearly a year alone on a risky journey across the world’s oceans. It’s always interesting to learn about people like Kopar, who are driven to veer away from the traditional paths of society and to earn the title “adventurer.” He includes enough details to give you a sense of what the voyage was actually like, as he faced the day-to-day mental and physical challenges of the journey. An excellent read!

John C Meikle, Kindle Edition Reader

A remarkable feat told in remarkable detail with remarkable modesty. As an ocean sailor myself, I have such admiration for the author.

Norm, Kindle Edition Reader

A real pleasure reading this book. What I enjoyed the most is the author’s understatement, although the achievement was far from negligible. I did appreciate the way the author depicts the hardships he faced, and eventually overcame, without triumphalism. Indeed,he mostly emphasizes the intimate human feelings that one experiences while confronting harsh conditions. Not to mention the many episodes of human friendship both with other sailors as well as with followers by radio contact. –Giorgio Landonio, Italy

Giorgio Landonio, Kindle Edition Reader

This is an amazing story! The pictures are great, and the descriptions allow the reader to be on the boat! Thanks, Istvan, for sharing your great adventure! Good luck on any future challenges!

Amazon Customer, Paperback Reader

What an amazing story. The book is so well written and edited that I couldn’t put it down. And this is not usually the type of story I read. The photos were astonishing and complemented the book quite well. Besides being entertained, I learned so much — about sailing, about the human spirit. A definite great read for a stormy night.

Lou, Kindle Edition Reader

A great book!!! Hated for it to end. Although I used to sail, one doesn’t have to sail to enjoy this book. An amazing story and feat of one man sailing around the world alone in a 31-foot boat.

nbs, Kindle Edition Reader

Fantastic book, extremely well written.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

It is the best book on sailing I’ve read (of more than 200 I did!). I would like to congratulate Capt. Kopar mainly for his patriotic behavior and the way he expresses his feelings about everything. God bless him and his family,
Luiz N. Galetto – Brazilian Fighter Pilot and a sailboat captain with some blue water experience.

Luiz Nogueira Galetto, Paperback Reader

KIHIVAS is a well-written epic of one man against nature. The details of the voyage make the reader feel that he or she is in the cockpit with Kopar feeling the spray, the freezing cold or the devastating heat. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in small boat voyages or just plain top notch adventure.

Little Fork Paddler, Kindle Edition Reader

Loved this book! Istvan Kopar makes you feel as if you are on the boat with him. There are many struggles and challenges, but the joys, whether from an extra hour of sleep or his family’s embrace on his return home make you reevaluate what is truly important in life.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

What a great book! Easy reading, but compelling and enjoyable. Finished it over a weekend. Not full of technical jargon. Some nice thoughts on life and living. I wish I had the skill, time and drive to do what he did, and he has done it TWICE now! Bought one for my dad for father’s day as well. Good for anyone who likes adventures, sailing and want-to-be sailors.

Adam, Paperback Reader

Mr. Kopar gives such a detailed account of his voyage you can truly imagine being there yourself. He describes details such as smells, emotions and tactile senses that are missing from most other mariner adventures that you feel you have a real sense of what the journey was like. One does not need to be a sailor to enjoy this book. If you are a sailor though you will instantly see that his accomplishment is amazing.

Quirky, Kindle Edition Reader

A truly extraordinary book – terrific nautical tale, superbly told.

James Dugan, Paperback Reader

A good adventure tale makes you feel like you’re experiencing it for yourself, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s an enjoyable account of Kopar’s trials, hardships, and triumphs while spending nearly a year alone on a risky journey across the world’s oceans. It’s always interesting to learn about people like Kopar, who are driven to veer away from the traditional paths of society and to earn the title “adventurer.” He includes enough details to give you a sense of what the voyage was actually like, as he faced the day-to-day mental and physical challenges of the journey. An excellent read!

John C Meikle, Kindle Edition Reader

Great sea voyage tale!

Thomas Brown, Paperback Reader

…this remarkable tale of heroic achievement didn’t disappoint. In fact, this is a very exciting book that takes the reader around the world in a one-person sailboat… By the time he reached the Trade Winds on his way home, he had pulled me into his story so deeply that I myself felt slightly exhausted. KIHIVAS-Alone at the Ends of the Earth is an incredible, true story of one man’s solitary triumph and an inspiration for all who set their sights on dreams that sound impossible.

Eve Gaal, Kindle Edition Reader

A remarkable feat told in remarkable detail with remarkable modesty. As an ocean sailor myself, I have such admiration for the author.

Norm, Kindle Edition Reader

This is a short, but extremely well written account of an inspiring journey. Full of heart and steely determination the reader is brought aboard for a perilous but rewarding adventure.

David E. Roach, Kindle Edition Reader

I was so impressed with the depth and breadth of this journey. It was awe inspiring… Enjoyed his love of his family, his friends and his country; also his choice of books and music to feel him going. He was incredibly resourceful. It made me appreciate the explorers of old in a new way. Reading about his trip was exciting and suspenseful… The ocean is so vast and this book gives you such an appreciation for it. Kopar is incredibly brave and determined! The book was very well written and the pictures added to the enjoyment of the story.

Mary L, Kindle Edition Reader

As a former sailor I found this book to be fascinating. I couldn’t put it down until the end! Great read for all ages!

George Ardo, Paperback Reader

His account of the epic voyage is a thrilling document which gives the reader a chance to really comprehend and appreciate the enormous achievement of successfully finishing a seemingly impossible project that required an incredible amount of physical and mental strength to overcome all the difficulties and obstacles…

Albrecht Seer, Kindle Edition Reader

I loved the book because it was written not just for sailors. I enjoyed to read, actually I finished reading in four nights, because it was so interesting that I was not able to sleep. Also, I learned a lot from this great author: sailing and steadfastness of purpose. His solo circumnavigation was an extraordinary unprecedented performance. Wishing you luck to your next challenge of 2018 Golden Globe Race.

Amazon Customer, Kindle Edition Reader

A real pleasure reading this book. What I enjoyed the most is the author’s understatement, although the achievement was far from negligible. I did appreciate the way the author depicts the hardships he faced, and eventually overcame, without triumphalism. Indeed,he mostly emphasizes the intimate human feelings that one experiences while confronting harsh conditions. Not to mention the many episodes of human friendship both with other sailors as well as with followers by radio contact. –Giorgio Landonio, Italy

Giorgio Landonio, Kindle Edition Reader

Book Description

Solo circumnavigation of the globe. Fewer than 300 sailors in history have accomplished it, less than the number of people who have climbed Mt. Everest, or even those who have gone to space. In 1990, Istvan Kopar set out to earn his place among this elite fraternity—and to do so with only one stop. If he were successful, he would realize a lifelong dream, and bring pride to his home country of Hungary in the process. Yet the risk of failure carried with it the possibility of dying alone in the middle of the vast sea.

Over twenty years ago, Kopar first published the inspiring chronicle of his journey in his native Hungarian. All of his hopes, dreams, and fears coalesced into one word: Kihivas—The Challenge. Now, Kihivas: Alone at the Ends of the Earth brings this thrilling story to an English-speaking readership for the first time.

Kopar recounts every element of his adventure, from custom-building his own 31-foot yacht, Salammbo, to battling the legendary waves of the Roaring Forties. His narrative is interspersed with proud descriptions of Hungary’s impressive maritime heritage, even as a landlocked country, and heartfelt portrayals of the memories that kept him going as he faced thousands of miles of lonely ocean. Experience a glimpse into the struggles, thrills, and insights known only to those who dare to pursue the greatest of challenges—alone at the ends of the earth.

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