The first book that springs to mind is Two Years Before The Mast, by Richard Henry Dana. Dana was born into a wealthy New England family in 1815 and attended private schools. As a young man he became ill, and as part of his recuperation, a sea voyage was recommended.

Rather than taking ship as a well-to-do passenger and traveling to Europe, Dana did the unthinkable: in 1834 he signed on in Boston as a merchant seaman aboard the brig Pilgrim, bound for California. A year later, he was transferred to the Alert and made passage home via Cape Horn.

Dana's account of life at sea for the common 19th century sailor is vivid and engrossing. He asked for (and received) no special treatment, and the life he described is grueling. Indeed, Dana was so moved by the plight of the ordinary seaman that upon completion of his voyage, he enrolled in law school and became a specialist in maritime law.

Of note, the title of the book refers to the expression, "before the mast", because ship's officers were quartered astern, while the ordinary seamen were berthed in the forward part of the ship, usually the fo'c'sle, hence "before (in front of) the mast".

Herman Melville said Dana's description of rounding cape Horn "...may have been written with an icicle."

First post so please delete if not up to par.

Edited for spelling/grammar/dates