Florence Williams
Constructing a reliable story out of memoirs is a challenge. Many of the survivors wrote their accounts years afterward. But Druett is an able and thorough guide to the minutiae of castaway life. If you ever wanted to know how to kill an 800-pound seal with a cudgel, read this book. Even better, the men have a flair for narrative. Sometimes they must eat tough old seals, which Captain Musgrave describes as almost inedible. Yet, "hunger is certainly a good sauce," he writes in his journal, along with "This is picnicking in reality."
—The New York Times
Publishers Weekly
In early 1864, heading back to Australia after a failed mining expedition, the crew of the Graftonencountered a violent storm and found themselves shipwrecked in the Auckland Islands, off the coast of New Zealand. Druett, a maritime historian (In the Wake of Madness), draws upon the journals of the ship's captain, Thomas Musgrave, and prospector François Raynal to reveal how the crew pulled together and made the best of their circumstances for nearly two years. By contrast, when the Invercauldran aground on the other side of the island months later—beyond an impassable mountain range, and hence unaware they were not alone—the surviving sailors quickly began eating their dead crewmates out of desperation. Soon, only three remained, the ineffectual captain and another officer being kept alive by a resourceful seaman. Druett tells the two stories in strict chronological order, allowing readers to become familiar with the Graftonparty before weaving the Invercauldsurvivors into the narrative. She zeroes in on the salient details of their ordeals, identifying the plants that kept the castaways from contracting scurvy or sketching out an improvised recipe for soap with equal aplomb. This is a fine addition to the genre of survival tales like Enduranceor In the Heart of the Sea. (Jul. 20)
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Kirkus Reviews
Swashbuckling maritime history reanimated by a noted naval enthusiast. Mystery writer and nautical historian Druett (Run Afoul, 2006, etc.) does great justice to the saga of two large ships, the Grafton and the Invercauld, both shipwrecked on the same remote South Pacific island in 1864. The first vessel, navigated by French gold miner Francois Raynal and skilled captain Thomas Musgrave, embarked on an adventurous, intrepid voyage southeast of Australia toward Campbell Island to collect a cache of silver-laden tin. Through hurricanes and sea squalls, the Grafton reached the island, but a sudden illness and inclement weather forced the ship to attempt a return to Sydney. In his journal, Musgrave wrote that on the journey home, the sea looked "as if it were boiling." Swallowed by an immense storm, the schooner was pounded into the jagged reefs of uninhabited Auckland Island. Its crew scrounged for shelter and food (sea lion and bird flesh, pungently described) ashore, with a plumb view of the Grafton's rain-soaked wreckage looming as a grim reminder. Through months of navigating rugged terrain, fighting raw conditions and swarms of stinging sand flies, the castaways worked together utilizing wood from the ship's hull to erect a cabin. Meanwhile, Scottish square-rigger Invercauld, bound for South America with a crew of 25, was being ripped apart by the perilous reefs on the other side of Auckland Island. After a year and a half, the resourceful Grafton crew built a small vessel and sailed to New Zealand; the Invercauld crew, whittled down to three survivors, had to be rescued by a passing Spanish vessel. Druett excels at recreating the men's struggles and desperation (tempered by boundlesshope) with extensive quotations from their journals. She also offers engaging biographical information on the castaways, descriptions of the island's animal population and general historical detail. Depicted with consistent brio, stormy seas become epic events. Agent: Laura Langlie/Laura Langlie
From the Publisher
"The amount of detail Druett has amassed is truly impressive, resulting in an invaluable account of survival." ---Booklist
From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY
"The amount of detail Druett has amassed is truly impressive, resulting in an invaluable account of survival." —Booklist
News & Observer
"A compelling fact-upon-fact style that lets the men's incremental accomplishments and unlikely survival supply the drama."—News & Observer
Rocky Mountain News
"Fascinating . . . a surprisingly gripping tale that will leave readers amazed. Grade: A."—Rocky Mountain News
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
An "amazing saga . . . Rarely are the two opposing sides of human nature captured in such stark and illuminating relief."—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Times
"One of the finest survival stories I've read. . . . [Druett's] tale is backed up by a solid knowledge of sailing ships and of the flora, fauna and weather of Auckland Island, an inhospitable terrain that has defied attempts at human settlement and is now a wildlife preserve."—Seattle Times
Los Angeles Times
"This story goes reality TV a few steps better. . . . A clear morality tale about the pitfalls of rigidity and the benefits of adaptability and cooperation. . . . Druett, who has written other works of nautical history and a maritime mystery series, wisely lets the details make the point, resisting the temptation to oversell. Her writing style is clear and detached, her touch just right. . . . The power of the crews' divergent stories... propels the narrative like a trade wind."—L.A. Times
New York Times Book Review
"A riveting study of the extremes of human nature and the effects of good (and bad) leadership. . . . If the southern part of Auckland Island is all Robinson Crusoe, the northern part is more Lord of the Flies. . . . Druett is an able and thorough guide to the minutiae of castaway life . . . [She] shows that real leadership is rare and powerful." —The New York Times Book Review
Booklist - George Cohen
"The amount of detail the author has amassed is truly impressive, resulting in an invaluable account of survival."
Wall Street Journal
"Joan Druett makes a name for herself as a sort of distaff Patrick (The Yellow Admiral) O'Brian."
Booklist
"The amount of detail the author has amassed is truly impressive, resulting in an invaluable account of survival."
— George Cohen
Library Journal - Audio
★ 07/01/2016
Druett (In the Wake of Madness) uses the captain's and first mate's journals (published years after the incident in question) to tell the true tale of the 1864 shipwreck of the Grafton on a remote island group off of New Zealand and the ordeals of the five-man crew. Captain Musgrave led his men through hard work as they constructed a shelter, fashioned a working forge to build needed tools, and made an incredible escape attempt to New Zealand after 18 months of being marooned. Amazingly, another ship, the Invercauld, with 19 men aboard, crashed during this same time 20 miles to the north on a different island. That captain provided no leadership and soon only three men remained alive. Narrator David Colacci has a very empathetic tone throughout the book, and his voice varies as he reads from the two journals to let the listener know which character is speaking. VERDICT An unbelievable true tale told with excellent pacing, great sympathy, and wonderful research. Those drawn to stories of shipwrecks and human ingenuity in the harshest conditions and with an appreciation for hard work in the face of near-certain death will find this a perfect addition to their listening collection.—Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI
