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

All Stations Distress! by Don Brown

"THE "UNSINKABLE" MEETS THE UNTHINKABLE -- A gripping acount of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic. It took 4,000 men to build it, 23 tons of animal grease to slide it into the ocean, 100,000 people to wave bon voyage, but only one wrong move to tear the Titanic apart, sinking it into the pages of history. On a cold moonless night in April of 1912, 2,000 passengers--both the uber-rich enjoying a luxury cruise and the dirt-poor hoping to find a new life in America--struggled to survive. Only 700 suceeded. Lifeboats were launched half-full; women were forced to leave their husbands and sons behind; and even those who made it out alive were forever haunted, constantly wondering "why me?" Told through captivating prose and chilling first-hand accounts, Don Brown take the pieces of the broken Titanic and gives it such a vivid shape that you'd swear you've never heard the story before."--Mackin Educational Resources

Amazon.com Review.