The Wager
A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder
A “TOUR DE FORCE OF NARRATIVE NONFICTION” (WSJ) WITH OVER ONE YEAR ON THE NYT BEST SELLER LIST
From the author of Killers of the Flower Moon, a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on The Wager, showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire.
A Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, TIME, Smithsonian, NPR, Vulture
“Riveting...Reads like a thriller, tackling a multilayered history—and imperialism—with gusto.” —Time
On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up…