Castaway

by Mark McCrum

This is the full, in-depth story of one extraordinary year - a year in which 32 people set off to build a self-sustaining community in the far reaches of the Hebrides. Only 25 remained by December 2000. They were totally isolated from their previous lives, their families and the trappings of the modern world. Except for one thing - their progress was watched by audiences of eight million. Mark McCrum visited the island frequently and became a confidante to many of the castaways. He heard the inside track on their arguments, grievances, and insecurities. He heard who was supposed to be flirting with who, who was intimidating who, who had lost his temper, which castaways were conducting illicit romances, who were considered to be 'TV Tarts' and who was taking secret phone calls on top of a mountain from a forbidden mobile phone. The hardback edition moved into the bestseller lists faster than a Castaway after a Mars Bar. This new paperback edition includes two whole new chapters - covering their departure from the island, their plans for the future, the media reaction to their return, Trish and Trevor's baby, Tammy's new-found happiness and Ben's romances.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure

Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a second attempt after I DNFed it the first time round. I should have stuck to my first decision. I desperately wanted to enjoy this book after I followed the series in 2000. However, I feel it was a real missed opportunity. Instead of focussing on the community development, the experience and what they gained from it, the book was one long account of feuds, arguments, gripes and whinges. Nice photos and Art though.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading this book having watched the original tv series and been fascinated by it. This summer we visited Harris and saw Taransay across the water. Couldn’t help imagining what it would have been like living there for a year. Felt sad on exploring how 2 of the castaways were no longer with us. It would be interesting to know how those who participated would reflect on their experiences now.
Worth a read but knowledge of the history would be beneficial.

[Libbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that if "Big Brother" hadn't captivated the reality TV audience in the same year, this sort of "experiment" would have happened more often, and, indeed, would have drawn a larger audience than it did that year. Once Big Brother came on the scene it was somewhat overshadowed.