This true story keeps you captivated as it recounts His Majesty's Ship the Wager, a British vessel that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain.

Whilst in pursuit of a Spanish galleon treasure -laden with silver - they are wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia, at the tip of South America near Cape Horn.

With little food and shelter and facing starvation , divisions arise in the ranks , the Captain loses authority as a breakaway faction of mutineers abandon the crew on the island -and embark on a 3,000 mile journey on a small craft -salvaged from the wreck.

In true Captain Bligh and Mutiny on the Bounty spirit - the Captain leaves the island as well -on an even more smaller craft.

There are more twists and turns in the story that keep you captivated - and at times feels like Lord of the Flies as humanity breaks down.

It’s a snapshot of the internal workings of the eighteenth century British Navy - whose high ideals and warped perception of structure ,superiority and bringing “civilization” to the wider world , slowly unravels.

Eventually all parties make it to England and face court-martial and hanging - as they argue their respective cases.

Its extremely well written with good pace and clarity- and is up there with the best of historical narrative non-fiction.

More info here:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-wager-david-grann/1141813906