Members Discussion for ‘The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder’ –– May 2023

We want to hear from you while you’re reading this month’s book. To ask questions, ...

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We want to hear from you while you’re reading this month’s book. To ask questions, share thoughts, and interact with other members use the comment section on this page.

Note: We have updated this month’s book. We’ll be reading: ‘The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder’ by David Grann.

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Comments (16)
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  1. Dave in Tenn

    It's interesting to speculate how things might have been different if there had been sufficient animals and vegetation for food on the island. So much of the conflict among the men seemed to be driven by hunger.

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    Heather Rayle

    I’m about 40% in and this is a great read. Not my usual genre so glad it was chosen (Killers of the Flower Moon is next as I bought it before the change in order of the book club.)

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    Dimielski

    Really enjoyed The Wager. Probably one of the few who has not read Killer of the Flower Moon yet, so first time reading Grann for me. I thought he spun a great narrative, one that kept me engaged. I have been in book rut for a while and this was a breath of fresh air. Grann once again proves fact is stranger than fiction.

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  4. Cpyarbrough

    I just started Killers of the Flower Moon yesterday. I'm wondering if I should avoid listening to the interview until later?

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  5. Ahoule

    I'm new to the Book Club. Is there a date that we virtually meet to discuss the book?

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    1. Saraheremic

      Reading the Wager. Spell binding. Also want to know if there will be a virtual discussion? Thought I read that Sarah would be meeting with Grann to discuss it?

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  6. Ahoule

    Just heard an interview of David Grann about The Wager. Sounds interesting!

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  7. Trichwages

    FYI-Today’s TMD still says “Killers of the Flower Moon”

    Sad you changed it. Killers of the Flower Moon is an eye-opening book and a great read. Hope you do it at a later date.

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    Kmregan7

    Fun fact: when I was in college, a long time ago, I had an instructor who was half-Osage and talked a LOT about these events (he knew many of the families). He's now a tribal elder and we keep in touch now and then - filming of the movie meant he got to meet Scorsese and some of the actors.

    I haven't got to read this book yet, it's been on my list for awhile!

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      Adaam James Levin-Areddy staff-badge Editor

      Alas, it'll have to wait! We just updated the Grann book for this month!

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  9. Mjorourke9

    I read this book as it was on my to-read list, and I heard Martin Scorsese was making a movie of the book. I am not surprised why the American Indians do not trust the American government, especially after how shabbily they were treated. I agree with David Gann's comments at the end of the book. (I will not leave any spoilers.) His book barely scratches the surface of what the Osage went through during this time period. I will be interested to see the film now and how much of the book actually made the script.

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      Adaam James Levin-Areddy staff-badge Editor

      (Very interesting to see how Scorsese ends up treating the ambiguities in the film..!) But note that we've switched to reading Grann's latest book, Wager, for this month!

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    Wilhelm

    I read this perhaps three years ago. I was fascinated by the details of the way so many lives changed in the Osage nation with the coming of oil money. But what impressed me most was something David Grann did in this book: He effectively admits there is much the we DON'T know about this story. That's a rare, brave thing for someone writing a history to do.

    I was reminded then of the Donald Rumsfeld quote: There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.

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      Adaam James Levin-Areddy staff-badge Editor

      The mark of a sharp nonfiction writer. But note that we've switched to Grann's most recent book, Wager.

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        Wilhelm

        Grann will appreciate that.

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