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A Marriage at Sea
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
9 posts | 10 read | 12 to read
A beautiful meditation on endurance, codependence, and the power of love. A dazzling book. Patrick Radden Keefe The electrifying true story of a young couple shipwrecked at sea: a mind-blowing tale of obsession, survival, and partnership stretched to its limits. Maurice and Maralyn make an odd couple. Hes a loner, awkward and obsessive; shes charismatic and ambitious. But they share a horror of wasting their lives. And they dream as we all dream of running away from it all. What if they quit their jobs, sold their house, bought a boat, and sailed away? Most of us begin and end with the daydream. But Maurice began to study nautical navigation. Maralyn made detailed lists of provisions. And in June 1972, they set sail. For nearly a year all went well, until deep in the Pacific, a breaching whale knocked a hole in their boat and it sank beneath the waves. What ensues is a jaw-dropping fight to survive in the wild ocean, with little hope of rescue. Alone together for months in a tiny rubber raft, starving and exhausted, Maurice and Maralyn have to find not only ways to stay alive but ways to get along, as their inner demons emerge and their marriage is put to the greatest of tests. Although they could run away from the world, they cant run away from themselves. Taut, propulsive, and dazzling, A Marriage at Sea pairs an adrenaline-fueled high seas adventure with a gutting love story that asks why we love difficult people, and who we become under the most extreme conditions imaginable.
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Megabooks
Megabooks
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Mehso-so

For me, this super buzzy (award nominations, President Obama‘s summer reading list) nonfiction was fine. The narration was fine. The story was fine. I just wasn‘t wowed by it nor was it bad. You would think a story of a couple caught at sea would be more exciting, but I found it blah. The sections on the rest of their lives were dull. Idk. I don‘t get the hype. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Suet624 Sometimes the buzz does it in. Puts too much weight on it. 1mo
JamieArc I liked the part at sea enough, but the after really made it fall flat for me. I was almost mad at the author for including it 😂 1mo
Megabooks @Suet624 that and it‘s my favorite publisher. Expected a bit more 💯💯 1mo
See All 6 Comments
Megabooks @JamieArc the sea part was better for sure, but the narrator took away from it rather than added. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1mo
Susanita I heard an interview with the author, which was fine but didn‘t inspire me to run out and get it… 1mo
Megabooks @Susanita Yeah. I just don't get why so many people are crazy about it. 1mo
60 likes2 stack adds6 comments
blurb
MallenNC
MallenNC
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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The tagged book and the S.A. Cosby book are the only two that were already on my TBR from President Obama‘s list. I always love getting his book picks!

Bookwormjillk I wonder if he figured out Audition 2mo
intothehallofbooks I love that he reads so much!! 2mo
CatLass007 He is such a treasure. I always enjoy seeing what he‘s reading, sometimes even reading what he‘s reading. 2mo
See All 8 Comments
Suet624 @Bookwormjillk hahaha. I wonder too. 2mo
MallenNC @intothehallofbooks I love that he‘s a reader and that he always shares his lists. I‘ve had more overlap with him in the past than I do with this one. 2mo
MallenNC @CatLass007 I added a couple of these to my library holds 2mo
CatLass007 Great! 2mo
Sparklemn Thanks for sharing! 🩵 1mo
36 likes8 comments
review
HeatherBookNerd
HeatherBookNerd
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Panpan

I‘m not sure how a book about a couple stranded at sea for four months could be dull, but this one actually was. A bit of a slog.

Tamra I listened to the author interviewed about the book and she told the story. I figured now I don‘t need to read it. 😜 2mo
HeatherBookNerd @Tamra it really could have been a magazine article 2mo
Tamra @HeatherBookNerd I suspected as much. It seems like a lot of nonfiction is better off essay length. 2mo
33 likes3 comments
review
AvidReader25
AvidReader25
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Pickpick

Maralyn & Maurice decide to abandon a traditional life, buy a yacht & sale to New Zealand. Their fascinating true story happened in the 1970s. When their ship sinks, they are trapped on the open water for 118 days. I‘ve seen mixed reviews of this, but I couldn‘t put it down. If it had been a novel I might have been pickier, but this is well researched and made for an enthralling read. I like that she includes what happened after they‘re rescued.

35 likes1 stack add
review
Chelsea.Poole
Chelsea.Poole
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Mehso-so

Seems to be recommended by several corners of the book world, plus this has an excellent-sounding synopsis but I‘m sorry to say it fell short for me. This married couple (British) came off as insufferable even during their struggles wrecked at sea. Takes place in the 70s. An interesting story that could be read in an article, not sure this form added much to the basics of the event.

TheKidUpstairs Your background photo is amazing! 2mo
willaful I see a lot of nonfiction that started as an article and probably could've stayed that way... 2mo
AnnCrystal 🤩🏖️💝. 2mo
85 likes3 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
Hooked_on_books
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Mehso-so

In 1973, Brits Maralyn and Maurice decided to sail to New Zealand. But between South America and the Galapagos, a whale sank their boat, casting them adrift for 4 months before being rescued. Seems like it would be fascinating, but I found the book a bit too thin. It feels like an opportunity squandered.

53 likes
review
LiteraryHoarderPenny
LiteraryHoarderPenny
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Bailedbailed

Completely ridiculous. These two were the captains of their own idiocy. I made it to page 40 and realized i wouldn‘t be able to continue without reading this with complete rage. Back to the library it goes. #ThankfulForLibraries

25 likes2 comments
blurb
LMJenkins
LMJenkins
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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I‘m going to read the first chapter of each and decide which is next. #TBR

Ruthiella Nice strategy! 3mo
mcctrish My favourite independent bookstore is in love with Marriage at Sea 3mo
24 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
rachaich
rachaich
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck | Sophie Elmhirst
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Pickpick

I'm not sure I've linked the correct book as I couldn't find Maurice and Maralyn on here...
Anyway, listened on Book of the Week and thoroughly enjoyed it! Enough thinking and positivity to keep their selves intact, thanks to Maralyn, and a good tale of shipwreck and the natural world. Plus a rescue!

14 likes