The Cruise of the Breadwinner is a tale of the sea. Snowy, a young crew member on a coastal patrol boat, rescues two downed pilots, one English and one German. The dynamic between the two pilots lend universal pity and dignity, while the rotund, clumsily tender Captain gives it humour and humanity.Bates described Snowy as "starry-eyed in his notions of war's glamour and glory, [only] to find himself involved in naked and bloody battle.? We witness the impact of war's heroics and futility on the boat and the boy during a short, violent voyage off the coast of England, making this a tale of action as well as beauty.The New York Times said that Bates «painted it all with a loose, sure brush that does not waste a stroke.?
