Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Mutiny on the Bounty

This is my favorite genre, which I like to call "non-fiction that reads like fiction".
Tells of the famous mutiny on the British naval vessel Bounty in 1787. Commanded by William Bligh and, under him, Fletcher Christian, the ship sailed from England to Tahiti. After leaving the island, simmering tensions boiled over, and Christian took command of the ship, forcing Captain Bligh and sailors loyal to him onto a small boat. Miraculously, Bligh and his men survived and made their way back to England. Meanwhile, some of the mutineers returned to Tahiti, while others made their way to Pitcairn Island. O'Brien writes clearly, balances both sides of the story, and illustrates the book with dramatic watercolor-and-gouache paintings. The artwork sets the story's tone, defines the period, and brings the characters to life. Blocks of text almost give this the look of a graphic novel

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