Wager

How hard it is to stay alive and keep your conscience clear...

The year is 1741 and His Majesty's Ship Wager is wrecked in a ferocious storm off the coast of Patagonia. The surviving sailors are left at the mercy of cruel nature on a desolate island, facing frost, hunger, despair... And finally, themselves, when their camp becomes the scene of mutiny, murder, and cannibalism.

But the men of the Wager fight for their lives not only on the island, but also in a court martial upon their dramatic return to England. The court must determine which of the survivors is telling the truth. And whoever is found guilty will hang.

Based on meticulous research of historical sources, David Grann masterfully portrays the fates of sailors who had to face the forces of nature as much as the strict power hierarchy and the fear of punishment if they returned home alive. He shows not only a sequence of dramatic events culminating in a murderous frenzy, but also how people and nations interpret – and manipulate – history to keep their legacy untarnished.

A film adaptation of this extraordinary book is being prepared by director Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.