Boon Island: A True Story of Mutiny, Shipwreck, and Cannibalism - Paperback

by Stephen A. Erickson (Author), Andrew Vietze (Author)

The wreck of the Nottingham Galley on Boon Island and the resultant rumors of insurance fraud, mutiny, treason, and cannibalism was one of the most sensational stories of the early 18th century. Shortly after departing England with Captain John Deane at the helm, his brother Jasper and another investor aboard, and a skeleton crew, the ship encountered French privateers on her way to Ireland, where she then lingered for weeks picking up cargo. They eventually headed into the North Atlantic later in the season than was reasonably safe and found themselves shipwrecked on the notorious Boon Island, just off the New England coast. Captain Deane offered one version of the events that led them to the barren rock off the coast of Maine; his crew proposed another. The story contains mysteries that endure to this day, yet no contemporary non-fiction account of the story exists. In the hands of skilled storytellers Andrew Vietze and Stephen Erickson, this becomes a historical adventure-mystery that will appeal to readers of South and The Perfect Storm.

Back Jacket

A Foreword Book of the Year FinalistThe wreck of the Nottingham Galley on Boon Island and the resultant rumors of insurance fraud, mutiny, treason, and cannibalism was one of the most sensational stories of the early eighteenth century. Shortly after departing England with Captain John Deane at the helm, his brother Jasper and another investor aboard, and an inexperienced crew, the ship encountered French privateers on her way to Ireland, where she then lingered for weeks picking up cargo. They eventually headed into the North Atlantic and then found themselves shipwrecked on the notorious Boon Island, just off the New England coast. Captain Deane offered one version of the events that led them to the barren rock off the coast of Maine; his crew proposed another. In the hands of skilled storytellers Andrew Vietze and Stephen Erickson, this becomes a historical adventure that reveals mysteries that endure to this day.

Author Biography

Andrew Vietze is the former managing editor of Down East: The Magazine of Maine and has written for a wide array of print and online publications. He is the award-winning author of six previous books.

Stephen Erickson holds an MA in American history from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and has completed PhD course work in Early American History at the College of William and Mary.