"The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder", by David Gran, is a historical non-fiction book published in 2023.
The book tells the true story of the HMS Wager, a British ship that was part of a squadron sent to attack Spanish ships and settlements in the Pacific Ocean. In 1741, the Wager was shipwrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The crew was stranded for months, facing starvation, disease, and conflict with each other and with the indigenous people of the region. The book explores the multiple and conflicting accounts of the shipwreck and its aftermath, including allegations of mutiny and murder. It also examines the broader historical context of the British Empire and its imperial ambitions, as well as the nature of storytelling and how narratives are shaped by power and self-interest.