Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Left for Dead:
Well, maybe they should have left the poor sea otters alone.
Quick synopsis:
The story of castaways left for dead in the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812.
Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:
Sea otters have the densest fur of any animal with as many as a million hairs per square inch.
Fun Fact for History Nerds:
Between 1718 and 1775, Britain sent over 50,000 convicts to the American colonies.
My Take on Left for Dead:
A shipwreck book? By Eric Jay Dolin? Run, don’t walk people. The author that has covered whaling, pirates, lighthouses, privateers, and hurricanes is here to tell us one of the most bonkers shipwreck stories of all time. Was I totally prepped to love this book? Did I love this book? The answer to both is yes.
The setup is simple enough. The War of 1812 is about to go down. An American ship decides to go kill some seals. Now you and I both are revolted by the thought of hurting adorable seals, but this was the way of the world back then, and we just have to push past it. They head for the Falkland Islands which is great for seals but pretty terrible for everything else. There are too many captains on the ship, but for the most part, things are going well. That is, until a British ship out of Australia gets shipwrecked right near them.
And then, in no particular order, there is fighting, mutiny, planned murder, starvation, killer hogs, grand theft boat, and a pregnant woman. Did I mention the hero dog? Because there is a hero dog. He was such a good boy.
All of that is to say that no matter who you are, this book has something for you.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and W. W. Norton and Company.)
Verdict:
A great book for anyone. Buy it here!
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