Thursday, July 5, 2007

THE MUTINY ON BOARD H.M.S. BOUNTY by William Bligh

This is William Bligh's personal account of the mutiny on board the H.M.S. Bounty in 1789. The first half of the account concerns the Bounty's travels among the islands, interactions with the indigenous peoples, and the transportation of breadfruit plants.

These portions are quite often boring, as they get bogged down in mundane detail and nautical jargon. The account of the mutiny itself is extremely short. But the second half of the novel, Bligh's 3600 mile journey in an open boat, is gripping and astounding.

Bligh's account, while more or less fair, is nevertheless one-sided. And the dispute over what kind of man he was persists. If you are looking for a complete and accurate account of the mutiny in one volume, this is not it, although it is a valuable part of any such research.

TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT