Wreck of the Medusa: Mutiny, Murder, and Survival on the High Seas [Paperback]

Alexander McKee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2007

In 1816, a fleet of ships left France to accept the British hand-over of the port of Saint-Louis in Senegal. Among them was the frigate Medusa. A month after it set sail, she shank miles off of Africa’s west coast, leaving the passengers to flee on lifeboats and a raft cobbled together from parts of the sinking ship. After a failed attempt by those in the lifeboats to tow the raft, it—and the more than 150 people aboard—were abandoned. This is the horrific tale, filled with suicide, murder, and cannibalism, of those left behind.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“One of the strangest and most horrifying true stories ever told.”—John Fowles
“One of the grisliest of sea epics…a first-rate piece of work.”—Newsweek

About the Author

Alexander McKee is the author of Wreck of the Medusa and over 50 other books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602391866
• ISBN-13: 978-1602391864
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,631 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > History > Africa > Senegal

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating story, interesting insight into leadership, August 30, 2009

By 

J. Peterson (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wreck of the Medusa: Mutiny, Murder, and Survival on the High Seas (Paperback)

A great adventure story, but an even better study of leadership in a crisis.

La Méduse was a French frigate that sank off the coast of Mauretania on its way to Senegal in 1816. There were 400 people on board; some survived, some did not. Like the Titanic 96 years later, there were boats enough for only half of the passengers. But unlike the Titanic, the captain of La Méduse quickly left his ship in the best lifeboat. What happened to the others, who provided the leadership, who survived and why - all provide a fascinating study on these subjects.

An interesting further insight is "just how do these things happen, anyway?" Although ocean voyages in the sail-powered wooden ships of the early 19th century were more hazardous than those of today, this was a mundane voyage with little danger, yet one that ended in a totally preventable catastrophe when the captain took a shortcut through a known navigational hazard. Yet the reasons for this - and the blame - are complex and not confined to a single cause or person.

Why do things go wrong in business today? You can see the same forces at work as there were in France of 1816:
- An unqualified person appointed to a leadership position due to his connections.
- An important participant who was so focused on achieving a single results that he goaded others into unwise actions.
- A faulty organizational structure.
- Ignoring the advice of experienced people who saw the impending danger.
- Individuals who are so locked in competition with others nearby them that they ignore greater mutual dangers.
- Failure to prepared and to plan ahead.
- And of course, hubris.

Sounds just like a lot of corporate stories of the modern world, even if we have fewer fatalities today. All part of the human experience, it seems.

3.0 out of 5 stars Starts off strong, but descends into speculation and pop psychology, December 30, 2010

By 

Janey (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wreck of the Medusa: Mutiny, Murder, and Survival on the High Seas (Paperback)

The author drew from the first hand accounts of several survivors to craft an absolutely riveting narrative. What these people endured is unbelievable. The second half of the book attempts an analysis of group psychology in disaster situations, comparing the Medusa to other shipwrecks and even the hijacking of jumbo jets in the 70s. This is a fascinating idea, but in the end I was disappointed. The author's admitted lack of expertise in psychology was evident: the comparisons were shallow, and some of the conclusions speculative and unconvincing. Also, the author's foreshadowing of modern science's explanations for some of the unusual psychological phenomena experienced by the victims of the Medusa were not sufficiently resolved. I am left wanting more answers; but perhaps there simply are none to be had. My conclusion: If ever shipwrecked, expect the worst, and that probably won't be the half of it.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read., November 29, 2007

By 

Dan - Seattle (Seattle, Wa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wreck of the Medusa: Mutiny, Murder, and Survival on the High Seas (Paperback)

The book is generally exciting and full of the horrors of the wrecking of the Medusa and the stuggles of the castaways. The book is so detailed about the actual grounding and wrecking of the ship that one wonders how the author was able to come up with such fine details of something that took place in 1816. It truly reads more like a novel and makes me wonder if the author didn't have to "fill in" a lot of blank spaces. Still it is a good book and well worth reading.