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March 20, 2023
Bestseller Grann (Killers of the Flower Moon) delivers a concise and riveting account of the HMS Wager, a British man-of-war that ran aground on a barren island off the Chilean coast of Patagonia in 1741. Part of a squadron sent to capture a treasure-laden Spanish galleon during the War of Jenkins’ Ear, the Wager became separated from the other ships while rounding Cape Horn and wrecked several weeks later. The starving crew soon disintegrated into rival factions, including one led by gunner John Bulkeley, who became increasingly critical of Capt. David Cheap. Five months after they’d been marooned, Bulkeley and 80 other crew members commandeered the Wager’s longboat and two other small vessels and set sail for Brazil, abandoning Cheap and his few remaining loyalists to their fate. Fewer than half of Bulkeley’s group survived their nearly 3,000-mile journey through the Strait of Magellan and up the coast of Argentina, but he was treated as a hero, until Cheap miraculously appeared back in England and accused him of mutiny. Though the showdown between Cheap and Bulkeley is somewhat anticlimactic, Grann packs the narrative with fascinating details about life at sea—from scurvy-induced delirium to the mechanics of loading and firing a cannon—and makes excellent use of primary sources, including a firsthand account by 16-year-old midshipman John Byron, grandfather of the poet Lord Byron. Armchair adventurers will be enthralled.
Starred review from June 10, 2024
In 1741, en route to attack a Spanish galleon during the War of Jenkins' Ear, the Royal Navy warship HMS Wager encountered treacherous weather with tumultuous seas. The Wager drifted from the squadron and ran aground off the southwest Chilean coast, leaving the sailors castaway on what is now known as Wager Island. With the ship in tatters, some crewmen rebelled and formed alliances, leading to contentious confrontations. Enduring all manner of improbable survival conditions, some sailors lived and returned to England years later to cheers (or accusations), depending on whose story one believed. New Yorker staff writer Grann (Killers of the Flower Moon) crafted this well-researched project into an engaging listen for all audiences. The timeline is expertly delineated and easy to follow, with dates frequently provided. Robustly and huskily narrated by Dion Graham, who masterfully captures the intensity of this swashbuckling adventure. VERDICT All the trimmings of an admirable shipwreck story are present, including scurvy, mutiny, controversy, and foul weather. Combined with Graham's hardy narration, Grann's latest is a riveting must-listen. Expect broad listener appeal and high demand for this enthralling seafaring tale.--Kym Goering
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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