The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder explained

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
Author:David Grann
Country:United States
Language:English
Subject:Wager Mutiny
Genre:Nonfiction
Publisher:Doubleday
Pub Date:April 18, 2023
Media Type:Print, e-book
Pages:352 pp. (hardcover)
Isbn:978-0385534260
Isbn Note:(Hardcover)
Dewey:910.9164/1
Congress:G530.W25 G73 2023
Preceded By:The White Darkness

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder is the fifth nonfiction book by American journalist David Grann.[1] The book focuses on the Wager Mutiny. It was published on April 18, 2023 by Doubleday.[2] [3] [4] The book became a bestseller, topping The New York Times best-seller list in the nonfiction category for its first week of publication.[5] Twenty-four weeks later, it was still at #10 on their list of best selling hardcover non-fiction books.[6]

Theme

The book concentrates on the story of HMS Wager, a square-rigged sixth-rate Royal Navy ship, and the mutiny that took place after the ship's wreckage in 1741.[7]

Reception

In their starred review, Kirkus Reviews wrote, "Recounting the tumultuous events in tense detail, Grann sets the Wager episode in the context of European imperialism as much as the wrath of the sea. A brisk, absorbing history and a no-brainer for fans of the author's suspenseful historical thrillers."[8] Publishers Weekly wrote that Grann "packs the narrative with fascinating details about life at sea [...] and makes excellent use of primary sources".[9] Matthew Teague of The Guardian commented, "There's an expectation, in reviewing a book like The Wager, to balance its strengths with some discussion of its flaws. But The Wager is one of the finest nonfiction books I've ever read. I can only offer the highest praise a writer can give: endless envy, as deep and salty as the sea."[10] Chris Vognar of The Boston Globe wrote, "Grann guides us through this process, step by step, storm by storm, man by man, in prose that the writers he references, including Herman Melville and Joseph Conrad, would appreciate."[11] Carl Hoffman of The Washington Post described the book as "almost pure, horror-filled plot, without the usual Grannian first-person moments, a tightly written, relentless, blow-by-blow account that is hard to put down, even as there are sometimes frustrating narrative gaps, a result of the limits of nonfiction grappling with 280-year-old events."[12]

Adaptation

In July 2022, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio acquired the screen rights to the book. The project is supposed to reteam the key actors and companies standing behind the recent adaptation of Grann's previous book, Killers of the Flower Moon.[13] [14] [15]

In January 2024, an abridged version of the book was broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Briger . Sam . 'The Wager' chronicles shipwreck, mutiny and murder at the tip of South America . . 19 May 2023 . 18 April 2023.
  2. Grann . David . A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder . . 19 May 2023 . 28 February 2023.
  3. Web site: Szalai . Jennifer . With His Tale of Shipwreck, David Grann Is Steady as He Goes . . 19 May 2023 . 14 April 2023.
  4. Web site: Hewer . Mariko . The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder Washington Independent Review of Books . . 19 May 2023 . 11 May 2023.
  5. Web site: Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers - Books - May 7, 2023 - The New York Times . . 22 May 2023.
  6. News: Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-11-24 . 0362-4331.
  7. Web site: Sawyer . Michael . The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder . . 19 May 2023 . 19 May 2023.
  8. February 10, 2023. THE WAGER. Kirkus Reviews. May 21, 2023.
  9. February 28, 2023. The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. Publishers Weekly. May 21, 2023.
  10. Web site: Teague . Matthew . The Wager review: David Grann's magnificent shipwreck epic . . 19 May 2023 . 30 April 2023.
  11. Web site: Vognar . Chris . April 12, 2023 . David Grann's 'The Wager' looks beneath the veneer of civilization in a tale of mutiny and empire . May 22, 2023 . The Boston Globe.
  12. News: Hoffman . Carl . April 18, 2023 . Anything can go wrong at sea. On this voyage, everything did. . May 22, 2023 . The Washington Post.
  13. Web site: Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese Tackling Naval Survival Tale 'The Wager' for Apple, Imperative (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. July 29, 2022. Borys Kit. July 29, 2022.
  14. Web site: Grobar . Matt . July 29, 2022 . Leonardo DiCaprio & Martin Scorsese Reteam For Apple Film 'The Wager' Based On David Grann Book . May 22, 2023 . . en-US.
  15. Web site: Bergeson . Samantha . Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese to Adapt Shipwreck Survival Story 'The Wager' for Apple . . 22 May 2023 . 29 July 2022.
  16. Web site: The Wager by David Grann. 12 January 2024. .