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A review by sambora
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
4.5
A fantastic piece of non-fiction, superbly written.
Grann's The Wager captures extraordinarily well not only the tone and atmosphere of life at sea, but also the clearest and seemingly most honest interpretations of the complex (and somewhat muddied) events that transpired on board the warship known as the Wager and the island that later inherited its name.
The real people through which this story is told are as engaging as any purpose built character. From the struggling Captain Cheap to the young and loyal midshipmen Bryon; from Admiral Anson to, almost most importantly; the Wager's gunner, Bulkeley, who chronicled so much of what happened and played such a key role in the turn of events... All of them and more were given such voice, through both their own writings and what was known of them afterward, that wherever we were in the history, I was thoroughly engaged.
One particular thing I couldn't shake whilst reading this was the resolution and strength of men, of which there are many examples throughout history, but here - to suffer and prevail through the most dire sicknesses, the depths of starvation, to wilt and fight and lose and watch those they consider brothers around them crumble, to see men they admire turn against them... To pull it back, to stumble onward through it all - it really is inspiring just how far these people made it. That any survived at all is incredible, and wilder than almost any fiction.
This is a story that, told this way, I believe I will remember for a very long time.
That this is an albeit small piece of history that I was completely unaware of prior to this book's release is quite remarkable, but that might speak more to the shame of our British history, which is very possible.
All of that said; if you are looking for a face-paced, enthralling and oftentimes brutal slice of history, with great voice and interesting "characters", then I would highly recommend giving The Wager a try. I learned a lot.
4.5 stars
Grann's The Wager captures extraordinarily well not only the tone and atmosphere of life at sea, but also the clearest and seemingly most honest interpretations of the complex (and somewhat muddied) events that transpired on board the warship known as the Wager and the island that later inherited its name.
The real people through which this story is told are as engaging as any purpose built character. From the struggling Captain Cheap to the young and loyal midshipmen Bryon; from Admiral Anson to, almost most importantly; the Wager's gunner, Bulkeley, who chronicled so much of what happened and played such a key role in the turn of events... All of them and more were given such voice, through both their own writings and what was known of them afterward, that wherever we were in the history, I was thoroughly engaged.
One particular thing I couldn't shake whilst reading this was the resolution and strength of men, of which there are many examples throughout history, but here - to suffer and prevail through the most dire sicknesses, the depths of starvation, to wilt and fight and lose and watch those they consider brothers around them crumble, to see men they admire turn against them... To pull it back, to stumble onward through it all - it really is inspiring just how far these people made it. That any survived at all is incredible, and wilder than almost any fiction.
This is a story that, told this way, I believe I will remember for a very long time.
That this is an albeit small piece of history that I was completely unaware of prior to this book's release is quite remarkable, but that might speak more to the shame of our British history, which is very possible.
All of that said; if you are looking for a face-paced, enthralling and oftentimes brutal slice of history, with great voice and interesting "characters", then I would highly recommend giving The Wager a try. I learned a lot.
4.5 stars