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A review by bibliomania_express
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
5.0
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann is a gripping and thought-provoking account of the voyage and shipwreck of HMS Wager in the 1740s. Drawing on primary sources and thorough archival research, Grann reconstructs the hardships of the voyage from before the ships set sail, through its perilous journey, shipwreck, mutiny, and court-martial. If you are squeamish about descriptions of disease and death, take care, but I do think Grann tow the lines of factual without going into excessive details.
The story of the Wager is heartbreaking and amazing, with falliable human ingenuity and the unrelenting power of hope coming up against the forces of nature, disease, delerium, and himan depravity.
I really enjoyed Grann's writing. He made the story feel engaging as a living narrative rather than a historical account. I also appreciated how he took the time to call out the intrisic racism and imperialist motives of the venture. He made space for the indigenous peoples of South America, the African slave trade, and even class divides amongst the British.
I was mainly surprised by how the court martial ended, and I appreciated Grann's discussion of why it went the way it did.
Overall, a fantastic book.
The story of the Wager is heartbreaking and amazing, with falliable human ingenuity and the unrelenting power of hope coming up against the forces of nature, disease, delerium, and himan depravity.
I really enjoyed Grann's writing. He made the story feel engaging as a living narrative rather than a historical account. I also appreciated how he took the time to call out the intrisic racism and imperialist motives of the venture. He made space for the indigenous peoples of South America, the African slave trade, and even class divides amongst the British.
I was mainly surprised by how the court martial ended, and I appreciated Grann's discussion of why it went the way it did.
Overall, a fantastic book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, Animal cruelty, Animal death, War, Medical content, Violence, Chronic illness, Xenophobia, Gun violence, Blood, and Alcohol
Moderate: Murder, Terminal illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Racism, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Slavery, Child death, and Cannibalism