$45.00
11 in stock
11 in stock
An extraordinary true tale of love, shipwreck and survival, beautifully told — Maurice and Maralyn’s escape from 1970s England and its oil crisis, strikes and inflation is also a story for our times
**A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Nonfiction Book of 2024**
‘One of those very special books that makes you put everything on hold so you can get back to it’ RACHEL JOYCE
What begins as an eccentric English love story turns into one of the most dramatic adventures ever recorded…
Maurice and Maralyn couldn’t be more different. He is as cautious and awkward as she is charismatic and forceful. It seems an unlikely romance, but it works.
Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maralyn has an idea- sell the house, build a boat, leave England — and its oil crisis, industrial strikes and inflation — forever. It is hard work, turning dreams into reality, but finally they set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway there, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
On their tiny raft, their love is put to the test. When Maurice begins to withdraw into himself, it falls upon Maralyn to keep them both alive. Filled with danger, spirit, and tenderness, this is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive — not just at sea, but in life.
‘Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer’ ELIZABETH DAY
**READERS ADORE MAURICE & MARALYN**
‘A riveting tale of survival . . . and of the power of love when all appears lost’
‘A mind-blowing story of resilience and love in the face of adversity’
‘The very best kind of true story, and beautifully written’
‘I couldn’t put this book down’
‘I was absolutely hooked from the outset’
Format: Hardback
Pages: 272
Imprint: Chatto & Windus UK
Publication date: 29/03/2024
Maurice and Maralyn
by Sophie Elmhirst
Review by Alex A
An amazing true story of survival, told with sensitivity and nuance. Maurice and Maralyn are a married couple who leave behind 1970s England and set sail for New Zealand in their 30-foot sailboat. Maralyn can’t swim. What could go wrong?
Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean near the Galapagos Islands, an injured whale smashes into their boat. The whale dies, the boat sinks, and the couple are left drifting hopelessly on a life raft attached to a dinghy.
The book explores not only the practicalities of their survival, but also their relationship and the ways in which it adapts and changes under these extreme circumstances – who is forced to be the leader, who is shown to be the more capable, is optimism a help or a hindrance in the face of death?
Perfect for readers who enjoyed The Salt Path or The Wager.
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