THE WAGER: A TALE OF SHIPWRECK, MUTINY, AND MURDER

THE WAGER: A TALE OF SHIPWRECK, MUTINY, AND MURDER by David Grann

I am really surprising myself that The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder by David Grann (author of Killers of the Flower Moon) is my first TOP PICK of 2024. This nonfiction book is a true adventure with bits of Treasure Island and Robinson Crusoe thrown in.

In 1740 six warships and two supply ships set sail on a secret mission from England to try and find a famed Spanish vessel loaded with treasure. The story centers on the ship, The Wager that experienced lots of tragedy finalized by wrecking into the island of Patagonia. The small amount of men that survived became at odds with each other and some of the men mutinied and attempted to head home. What happens after that is really quite unbelievable, but you'll have to read the book to find out! This story is a nonstop tale of adventure, blame, and ultimately responsibility for the tragedies that occurred.

HEADS UP- There are only a couple of profanities that are used in direct quotes from the sailors. Overall this is a very clean story and highly recommended if you are a nonfiction lover!