A Story Of Shipwreck, Mutiny And Murder

The Wager by David Grann tells the gripping story of the HMS Wager, a British warship that met its tragic end during the War of Jenkins' Ear. The book delves into the harrowing experiences of the survivors who endured months of isolation on a desolate island, facing hunger, illness, and interactions with indigenous inhabitants. After constructing a makeshift vessel, the survivors embarked on a perilous journey to Brazil and Chile, only to return to England with conflicting stories of mutiny, treachery, and murder. Grann's narrative explores the nature of truth and the power of stories, using firsthand accounts to recreate the events and their historical significance. The book also examines the broader context of British imperialism and the moral compromises made by the crew and the empire[1][3][5].

The book recounts the story of Percy Fawcett, a British explorer who vanished in the Amazon jungle in 1925 while searching for a fabled city he called 'Z'. David Grann delves into Fawcett's expeditions, using previously unseen diaries and correspondence to reconstruct the events leading up to Fawcett's disappearance. The narrative is a mix of biography, detective story, and adventure tale, highlighting the dangers and mysteries of the Amazon jungle and the obsessive nature of Fawcett's quest. Grann's own journey into the jungle to uncover the truth adds an additional layer of suspense and personal risk to the story.

A non-fiction book by David Grann, adapted into a film.