Left for Dead by Eric Jay Dolin is a riveting factual survival story which occurred in the Falkland Islands in 1812. It is chock full of adventure, perseverance, resourcefulness, arguments and despair. Five men were abandoned to their own devices and initial sparks of hope were replaced by disbelief and shock as they realized their predicament.

Little did Americans and British sailors who set off from their respective countries by ship know they would meet, changing the course of their lives. What they encountered reads like fiction. Bad weather caused shipwrecks. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

So many fascinating stories gripped me such as the role of salt, characteristics of tussac grass, Falklands animals and birds, ship wrecking weather, meals, dangerous fires, abysmal sleeping quarters, rats, punishment/reprimands and the chocolate mishap. A lot of drunkenness and mayhem ensued.

Not only is the story itself gripping but the photographs, illustrations and maps add context and elevate a solidly good book to a great one. Reading what happened after is fascinating as well. Survival stories pull me in and I enjoyed the writing. Be aware that sealing is detailed. Pelts fetched a great deal of money, a driving force of sea expeditions

My sincere thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this engrossing book.

A truly inspirational book about the trials and hardships faced by individuals who were abandoned in the Falkland's. The author does a great job of telling the story and using accounts from the events to make you feel as if you were there. A great book that is sure to inspire us all.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

'They had been cruelly abandoned at the beginning of a Falkland's winter, with little to sustain them, and no explanation why they had been left in such a horrendous predicament'.

Reading this book was like watching a chess match slowly making its way to 'check mate'. The first half of the book carefully, and methodically, lays out the political situation, opportunities, and cast of characters, leaving crumbs of intrigue as a prelude into the next. With the board then set, the ships cast off and the game begins. Drunkenness, confrontation, and close confinement, followed by a shipwreck result in the first key piece taken. This lot of castaways consisted of ex convicts, prostitutes, rebels, and military....Across the table, the Americans pull up a seat and are about to join in the game. But just as they start, the game is upended and some pieces roll away - lost - or so it would seem.

Eric Dolan has constructed a detailed, yet very readable, narrative non fiction, replete with maps and photos. This is not simply a story of survival on some desolate islands, there are layers of stories: feats of heroism, dastardly deeds, good luck and bad luck - indeed, can a castaway yet again be cast away? You'll need to read the book and judge for yourself.

Any reader non fiction, especially maritime, would love this book. However, I believe any reader of adventure, hijinks and history would enjoy it too.

First, I must thank W.W. Norton & Company, along with NetGalley for the ARC of this particularly interesting book.

“Left for Dead” is a meticulously researched nautical story of adventure, desertion, deceit and perseverance. Dolin uncovers a story seemingly forgotten, in a location often overlooked, about sailors left unrecognized.

Concisely written, Eric Jay Dolin takes the reader on board the ships bound for the Falklands and through his descriptions one can almost feel the constantly cutting winds and cold wet rains of the islands climates. This is no tropical paradise these seal hunters found themselves living; rather a bland, rocky, harsh bog by which they were forced to endure.

As with so many stories of adventures for seaman, the quest for profits in marine mammals proved to be the fateful motive that landed the hodgepodge group in the predicament. And as expected, acts of both heroism and treachery unfolded as conditions on the islands and between warring nations deteriorated.

I found the declarations and rules of war playing a major role in who had the upper hand and command on a set of essentially neutral islands thousands of miles away from the actual conflict quite interesting. I also enjoyed the honorable human element of forgiveness as a running theme throughout the difficult circumstances. The illustrations, maps and pictures are tactfully applied in the book, as well.

Great read. Will certainly be buying the hard copy as soon as it hits shelves.

This is a great adventure story. I always wanted to go to Patagonia and the Falklands. Now the reader can do it with this book. Being shipwrecked on the Falklands was a traumatic experience and being saved fits right into this narrative. This book was so good, I read it in three days. Eric Jay Dolin has written a descriptive and blatant story about survival in horrid conditions. These sailors on this sealing vessel endured such incredible hardships, and the fact that they survived is a testament to the crew and captain of the ship. The illustrations and photographs truly bring the story to light.

(Expected Publication Date: 05/07/2024)

If you’re expecting a Robinson Crusoe reboot or a <i>The Wager</i> cash grab, think again.

<i>Left For Dead</i> is a nautical masterpiece, a forgotten chunk of history that Eric Jay Dolin has resurrected from obscurity. Buckle up!

<b>Quick Plot Summary</b>

Let’s set the scene. The year 1812. America declared independence from Britain decades ago, yet British ships continue to interfere with American trade and they impress thousands of unsuspecting American sailors into involuntary service aboard Royal Navy ships. At the same time, Britain’s continued meddling in Canada draws the ire of a nation bursting with the passion for expansion.

As war seems imminent, US President James Madison declares an embargo on British trade and recalls all American vessels back to port. On the eve of the embargo, an American sealing ship called the <i>Nanina</i> sets sail from New York. She is bound for the Falkland Islands (recently abandoned by both the British and the Spanish) in hopes that a thriving seal population will produce a hefty prize of skins and oils. Described by Darwin as, “miserable”, the Falkland Islands were a cold, desolate place, hounded by strong gales and possessing a diverse animal ecosystem.

To avoid spoilers, hijinx ensues in the Falklands when a British ship arrives from New South Wales, Australia, and crashes because the captain is drunk. What follows from there is a story you have to read to believe.

<b>Recommendation</b>

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Age of Sail / Age of Exploration. Readers unfamiliar with the genre will be introduced to sailing through rough weather, mutinies, wrecks, and castaways; while experienced maritime readers will be delighted by this hidden gem of treachery in the Falklands. While I appreciate more than some the work of dry academics, most nonfiction should be fun and Dolin successfully delivers!

<i> — End of Main Review — See below for extra content…</i>



<b>Dolin’s Bold Move</b>

Dolin’s bold move comes in the first sentence of his Author’s Note, where he acknowledges that the individuals and events covered in this book had no effect on the course of history and were largely forgotten by even those of the time at which they occurred. I raised my eyebrow at this first paragraph saying to myself, “Did I make a mistake? If it’s not important to world history, is it even worth learning about?”

I was wrong to question Mr. Dolin. He was right, this story is fascinating. And I also learned about the War of 1812, the 19th Century sealing industry, and the history of the Falkland Islands, plus much more.

<b>Contemporary Comparison</b>

Let’s analyze the cover. <i>Left For Dead</i> (Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World). Cover image being a ship traveling rough waters. Is there shipwreck? Yes, multiple. Is there treachery? Yeah! This story is rife with scumbags and scoundrels. Is there survival? Big time, multiple instances, in circumstances alleged to be much more arduous than that of Alexander Selkirk (Real Life Crusoe).

If you’re expecting a money grab following in <i>The Wager</i>’s coattails, I can assure you it’s — well I can’t make any assurances because I have not yet read <i>The Wager</i>, although I’ve browsed the HMS Wager wikipedia site and can confirm that the source material of <Left For Dead</i> differs in many ways and will provide a fresh read for fans of maritime history. But yes, the cover image and tagline are noticeably similar to <i>The Wager</i>, although how else can you market an Age of Sail book? For advertising’s sake, we can call it the 19th Century Wager.

<b>Praise and Critiques</b>

Dolin is an effective writer. He paced the narrative well and wrote in a style that maintained fact while delivering levels of excitement normally reserved only for fiction. The historical tangents were relevant and provided needed context for the adventures of the main narrative.

The lack of relevance to world history is a minor limitation (in my opinion!) because there is no apparent thesis. The reader is meant to follow the story from beginning to completion and that is the extent of the impact. I don’t fault Dolin for choosing to write this book, it was amazing and deserves a spotlight in these modern times.

I also thought that Dolin could have commented more on the validity of his source documents, whether or not the memoirs and journals of some of the major players were completely truthful. For example, one character who previously was noted to have committed his ship’s cat “to the deep, alive” and shouted to a fellow captain that he would “have his heart’s blood”, later becomes the main hero of the narrative of which the source material is his own memoir. I would have asked for a little more scrutiny, that’s all.

The Kindle eARC unfortunately was still in rough draft status, so I had difficulty referencing maps and photos and notes. I mention this as a positive note, knowing that readers on publication will have the opportunity to become even more immersed in the intricacies of the story than I was. Sure I looked at a map of the Falklands a few times on the internet, but most of the island names have changed or been granted official titles.

<b>Fun Tidbits</b>

The King Neptune hazing tradition of crossing the equator. Multiple instances of people threatening to kill themselves if they don’t get what they want (people never change). A mishap involving celebratory chocolate fondue. A seal-skin fantasy-football-esque draft.

And best of all, a dog. A castaway dog. A good boy. A brave boy. A savior. Read for the dog. Live for the dog.

******************

Many thanks to W. W. Norton & Company for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

i love learning about ships on the sea, it always has that element that I enjoy. It uses the maritime history that I was looking for. It had that research element that I was looking for and glad it was so well done. Eric Jay Dolin writes a strong story with the historical feel that I was looking for.

This is a harrowing tale of survival in the remote South Atlantic. It all started in early 1812, with the "Nanina" and her captain, Charles Barnard left New York. The plan was to go sealing in the Falkland Islands and sell the skins for a worthy profit in Guangzhou, all while dodging a war between the United States and Great Britain! After the Americans settle in, unbeknownst to them, the brig "Isabella" has beached nearby. It was carrying former penal-colony prisoners back home to England. After a dramatic encounter, an agreement is reached and Charles offers to take the passengers home. To guarantee enough supplies, Charles goes out with a hunting party to replenish. Upon their return the Nanina is gone. War had successfully snuck into the Falklands and the Nanina and its defenseless passengers had been captured as a prize...

First of all, I devoured this book in two days. I had never heard of this tale of survival before, and I'm grateful for that. I could not put the book down! How Charles and his crew mates ever managed to survive at the bottom of the world is nothing short of a miracle. An author of lesser skill probably would've focused solely on Charles, relying too heavily on his published account, but Dolin understands that each person (and animal) had an important role to play in this saga. There's a perfect balance between the castaways' storyline and that of the captured escapees. Dolin also provides enough of the ongoing war for context, without ruining the pacing of the story. After all, being a prisoner of war in many ways is worse. Out of the pan and into the fire. Finally, Dolin shows Charles' growth from being a rash, immature man to a proper commander. It's a dire situation in a desolate place, but honestly I think it humbled Charles. There were so many chances for failure and yet hope remained and justice prevailed. I strongly recommend this one!

Thank you Liveright and W.W. Norton for approving "Left for Dead" for me on Netgalley !

My thanks to both NetGalley and publisher W. W. Norton & Company, Liveright for an advance copy of this tale about the sea, sealing, war, being stranded and the persistence in continuing on.

Setting off to sea must have been a harrowing experience for families. Even now the seas are still filled with danger from rogue waves, pirates, and just sometimes things going wrong. At least now one has phones at worse, the Internet at best to at least have an idea where a sailor might be. Back when this story takes place the early nineteenth century one might be saying goodbye for a couple of months, a couple of years or for all of eternity. For the sailors ships were work, home and transportation, basically everything. And in an instant for 4 souls and a dog, that ship was gone,with only the barren Falkland Islands offering shelter. For some this would break them, for this crew, it only got worse. Left for Dead:Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World by Eric Jay Dolin is a story of war, betrayal, being stranded, and finding the grit to go on and survive.

Charles H. Barnard had a dream to make money. Barnard planned to raise a crew of men, travel to the Falkland Islands, hunt seals, and take the skins to China for huge profit. The only problem was the time was 1812 and war with England was on the horizon. Barnard set sail before ship owners called back boats, to stop them from being seized by the British, with a crew including his father, and a few captains. Which made for a tense crossing, as these captains did not agrees, and violence was not uncommon. Things went well on the hunt, until the crew came across a British wreck with survivors on the shore. A plan was made to bring the survivors home, for their cargo, as the sealers would be losing money. Barnard, 4 others and his dog set out in a small boat to gather food, water and some last skins, and after some time returned to find his boat gone, and themselves stranded in the Falklands. And unknown to Barnard, among his small crew dissent was beginning.

A great story about the sea, the duplicitous nature of people, and how people react under stress. Dolin is a really good writer, with a fine way of unfurling the story, and describing the crew, who really were not the best of people, with a few exceptions. There is much about sailing and lots about seal hunting and slaughtering, so keep that in mind. And there is a lot of I can't believe anyone could do this. Barnard sounds like a prickly pear, but boy can he survive things. To see the boat he captained, with his own father on board just gone. That is something that few could recover from. Plus the further acts he had to put up with, well they made people strong back then. One can really get a sense of the research and time Dolin put into this story, and the photographs give a better idea about the desolation these men found themselves in.

Nautical fans and fans of previous books, which I am one, will really enjoy this. The scope alone, and the miles that Barnard had to travel are just hard to believe. A very good book, and one that would be perfect gift for Father's Day.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
What a great and well researched book. I really enjoyed learning about the sealing industry in the early 1800’s and also the challenges faced at sea.
Lots of documentation done by the author and lots of research to make this book as accurate as possible.
Great job.

If I could give this book 10 stars I would.

I loved this book. it had everything in it: History, Romance, Shipwrecks, double crosses, secrecy, survival, and redemption.

This book was so well written, researched and tons of pictures, it was an amazing read.

This book reads more like a true crime novel then a history book.

The author was eloquent and kept things simple. I loved learning all about the animals in the Falklands, the business of sealing, and the way in which war can get a bit hazy.

Further I really liked that the author did a where are they now section (I know that they are dead) but it was nice to learn what had happened to some of the key players.

One of the better history books I have read in a long time.

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.)