The Wager Book True Story
The Wager Book True Story -: The New York Times bestselling author David Grann was the subject of a 60 Minutes segment this week. His most recent book, “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny, and Murder,” will be released on Tuesday.
Before it was released, Grann spoke with 60 Minutes about the process of gathering research and writing these wildly successful and captivating works of narrative non-fiction. He keeps his ardent readers on the edge of their seats with a page-turning blend of history, journalism, and true crime, and has become a darling of Hollywood producers.
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” Martin Scorsese’s most recent book, will be made into a movie starring Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Brendan Fraser. The movie will debut in theatres in October after having its world premiere at Cannes, and it is anticipated to be a serious contender throughout the ensuing awards season. Grann was recently interviewed by 60 Minutes about the process of writing such captivating books.
Runaway felons, shipwreck mutinies, British explorers in the Amazon, and systematic Native American murders are just a few of the topics that Grann covers in his writing. The one constant is intensive research. Each of his writings, all of which are based on real events, is the result of years of study that was done both on the ground and in archives. He believes that recovering forgotten historical narratives calls for a level of devotion to his line of work that borders on obsession.
Grann showed 60 Minutes around his office, which is filled with thousands of papers, periodicals, and other things for him to use as he works, before putting them away.
There are so many buried, secret stories, puzzles, truths, and voices in archives, according to Grann. There are traces of American history everywhere.
Even though some individuals would find it tedious to spend years at an archive painstakingly digging through old papers, Grann told 60 Minutes that the effort is well worth it. He asserted that the pursuit of the unknown is both difficult and wonderful because of the “quality of serendipity” that has the power to alter everything. When he was in the National Archives in Fort Worth, Texas, on one such occasion, he found a ledger that exposed a historical secret and it had an impact on his novel, “Killers of the Flower Moon.” He talked about that particular incident. He discussed the encounter with 60 Minutes correspondent Jon Wertheim.
I’m currently pulling boxes. And I find something in one of these boxes that looks nearly like a ledger,” Grann said of his find. It was one of the most important texts I have found in the last five years, to be quite honest.
While thorough research is the bedrock of any excellent work of narrative non-fiction, Grann observed that in order to elevate his work and achieve something special, he must forge close relationships with his sources and go through real-life situations similar to those of his characters.
“You develop friendships, relationships, and things that change you,” Grann said. So, in my opinion, that represents the secret prize. Even if they aren’t frequently included in the books or stories you tell, these are the components of your life that make it richer.
What Is The Wager Book True Story?
The Wager by David Grann is a true story. It tells the tale of the HMS Wager, a British warship that was shipwrecked off the coast of Patagonia in 1741. The survivors of the shipwreck were stranded on a remote island for two years, during which time they faced starvation, disease, and mutiny.
The book is based on extensive research by Grann, who interviewed descendants of the survivors and combed through historical documents. He also visited the island where the shipwreck occurred. The result is a gripping and harrowing account of survival and human nature at its worst.
The Wager has been praised by critics for its meticulous research and its suspenseful storytelling. It has also been optioned for a film adaptation by Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Here are some of the real-life events that are depicted in the book:
- The HMS Wager was one of 12 ships that set sail from England in 1740 as part of a British expedition to capture Spanish treasure ships in the Pacific Ocean.
- The Wager was shipwrecked off the coast of Patagonia in 1741. About 140 survivors made it ashore.
- The survivors were stranded on a remote island for two years. They faced starvation, disease, and mutiny.
- Two groups of survivors eventually made it back to England. They told different stories about what had happened on the island.
- The survivors were eventually court-martialed for mutiny. However, they were acquitted.
The Wager is a fascinating and disturbing story of survival, betrayal, and murder. It is a reminder of the harsh realities of life at sea in the 18th century. It is also a story about the power of human resilience.
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