The Wager

I first heard of David Grann when he was a guest on Paul Giamatti’s and Stephen Asma’s podcast, Chinwag. At that time, Grann had just come out with a book of essays called The Devil and Sherlock Holmes, which I read and enjoyed in 2024. Grann is also the notable author of the book that Scorcese’s award-winning film Killers of the Flower Moon is based on. The Wager, which I’ve begun reading, and am in the grip of, is about a mutiny of a ship named The Wager during the England’s 18th-century tribulations and sea engagements with its rival, Spain. It is Captain Cheap’s responsibility to oversee a fleet of several man-of-war ships in pursuit of a Spanish ship carrying gold in the dangerous seas around South America’s horn.