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The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail
New York Times
“The Nonfiction Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026”
An astonishing true story—one of the most gripping maritime sagas of the nineteenth century—told by our era’s “expert literary steersman” ( Washington Post ).
From the best-selling author of Black Flags, Blue Waters comes the story of the American whaleship Mentor, wrecked in 1832 on a remote reef in the western Pacific. With supplies dwindling, the eleven surviving crewmen face not only the miseries of shipwreck in unfamiliar territory but also the profound uncertainty of contact with the Indigenous people of the Micronesian archipelago of Palau, who within days approach the deserted men brandishing axes, clubs, and spears. In this gripping saga of cultural collision, tribal wars, and dashed hopes, award-winning historian Eric Jay Dolin vividly reconstructs the Mentor’s doomed voyage, the years of perilous captivity, and the delicate negotiations and fraught naval rescue mission that followed.
The Wreck of the Mentor is at once a powerful story of survival and a revealing window into the great Age of Sail—a time when maritime ambition collided with local sovereignty, and when the outcome of one voyage rippled across oceans and empires.
An astonishing true story—one of the most gripping maritime sagas of the nineteenth century—told by our era’s “expert literary steersman” ( Washington Post ).
From the best-selling author of Black Flags, Blue Waters comes the story of the American whaleship Mentor, wrecked in 1832 on a remote reef in the western Pacific. With supplies dwindling, the eleven surviving crewmen face not only the miseries of shipwreck in unfamiliar territory but also the profound uncertainty of contact with the Indigenous people of the Micronesian archipelago of Palau, who within days approach the deserted men brandishing axes, clubs, and spears. In this gripping saga of cultural collision, tribal wars, and dashed hopes, award-winning historian Eric Jay Dolin vividly reconstructs the Mentor’s doomed voyage, the years of perilous captivity, and the delicate negotiations and fraught naval rescue mission that followed.
The Wreck of the Mentor is at once a powerful story of survival and a revealing window into the great Age of Sail—a time when maritime ambition collided with local sovereignty, and when the outcome of one voyage rippled across oceans and empires.
Audible Audio
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Eric Jay Dolin
18 books507 followersBELOW ARE TWO VERSIONS OF MY BIOGRAPHY: THE SHORT ONE I USE FOR INTRODUCTIONS TO MY BOOK TALKS, AND THE LONGER VERSION, WHICH GOES A BIT DEEPER ON MY BACKGROUND, AND HOW I BECAME A WRITER.
SHORT
Eric Jay Dolin is the author of seventeen books, including Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America; A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America’s Hurricanes; Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates; and Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. His forthcoming book (June 2, 2026), is The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail. Dolin's books have won many awards including the John Lyman Award for U.S. Maritime History; Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award; National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Excellence in American History Book Award for Adult Nonfiction; Samuel Eliot Morison Book Award for Naval Literature; L. Byrne Waterman Book Award for Outstanding Contributions to Research and Pedagogy in the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences; James P. Hanlan Book Award; and the Outdoor Writers Association of America Book Award. Many of his books have been chosen as “must reads” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Other honors include being chosen as a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and as one of the best books of the year by The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, the Library Journal, and Booklist. Dolin lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with his family.
LONGER
I grew up near the coasts of New York and Connecticut, and since an early age I was fascinated by the natural world, especially the ocean. I spent many days wandering the beaches on the edge of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic, collecting seashells and exploring tidepools. When I left for college I wanted to become a marine biologist or more specifically a malacologist (seashell scientist). At Brown University I quickly realized that although I loved learning about science, I wasn't cut out for a career in science, mainly because I wasn't very good in the lab, and I didn't particularly enjoy reading or writing scientific research papers. So, after taking a year off and exploring a range of career options, I shifted course turning toward the field of environmental policy, first earning a double-major in biology and environmental studies, then getting a masters degree in environmental management from Yale, and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning from MIT, where my dissertation focused on the role of the courts in the cleanup of Boston Harbor.
I have held a variety of jobs, including stints as a fisheries policy analyst at the National Marine Fisheries Service, a program manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an environmental consultant stateside and in London, an American Association for the Advancement of Science writing fellow at Business Week, a curatorial assistant in the Mollusk Department at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, and an intern at the National Wildlife Federation, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, and the U.S. Senate.
Throughout my career, one thing remained constant--I enjoyed writing and telling stories. And that's why I started writing books--to share the stories that I find most intriguing (I have also published more than 60 articles for magazines, newspapers, and professional journals). My most recent books include:
***The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail (Liveright, June 2, 2026).
***Left For Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World (Liveright, 2024), which was selected by the editors at Amazon as one of the best history books of the year.
***Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution (Liveright, 2022), which was winner of the 2023 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature, the Nation
SHORT
Eric Jay Dolin is the author of seventeen books, including Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America; A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America’s Hurricanes; Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates; and Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution. His forthcoming book (June 2, 2026), is The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail. Dolin's books have won many awards including the John Lyman Award for U.S. Maritime History; Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award; National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Excellence in American History Book Award for Adult Nonfiction; Samuel Eliot Morison Book Award for Naval Literature; L. Byrne Waterman Book Award for Outstanding Contributions to Research and Pedagogy in the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences; James P. Hanlan Book Award; and the Outdoor Writers Association of America Book Award. Many of his books have been chosen as “must reads” by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Other honors include being chosen as a finalist for the Kirkus Prize, and as one of the best books of the year by The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, the Library Journal, and Booklist. Dolin lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with his family.
LONGER
I grew up near the coasts of New York and Connecticut, and since an early age I was fascinated by the natural world, especially the ocean. I spent many days wandering the beaches on the edge of Long Island Sound and the Atlantic, collecting seashells and exploring tidepools. When I left for college I wanted to become a marine biologist or more specifically a malacologist (seashell scientist). At Brown University I quickly realized that although I loved learning about science, I wasn't cut out for a career in science, mainly because I wasn't very good in the lab, and I didn't particularly enjoy reading or writing scientific research papers. So, after taking a year off and exploring a range of career options, I shifted course turning toward the field of environmental policy, first earning a double-major in biology and environmental studies, then getting a masters degree in environmental management from Yale, and a Ph.D. in environmental policy and planning from MIT, where my dissertation focused on the role of the courts in the cleanup of Boston Harbor.
I have held a variety of jobs, including stints as a fisheries policy analyst at the National Marine Fisheries Service, a program manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an environmental consultant stateside and in London, an American Association for the Advancement of Science writing fellow at Business Week, a curatorial assistant in the Mollusk Department at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, and an intern at the National Wildlife Federation, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, and the U.S. Senate.
Throughout my career, one thing remained constant--I enjoyed writing and telling stories. And that's why I started writing books--to share the stories that I find most intriguing (I have also published more than 60 articles for magazines, newspapers, and professional journals). My most recent books include:
***The Wreck of the Mentor: A True Story of Death, Despair, and Deliverance in the Age of Sail (Liveright, June 2, 2026).
***Left For Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World (Liveright, 2024), which was selected by the editors at Amazon as one of the best history books of the year.
***Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution (Liveright, 2022), which was winner of the 2023 Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award, the Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature, the Nation
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
June 25, 2026
At first glance, 'The Wreck of the Mentor' appears to be a straightforward tale of maritime disaster in the age of sail. The shipwreck itself, however, is only the beginning of a far more complex and fascinating story.
Part survival narrative, part anthropological study, the book offers a detailed look at the Palau Islands and the many tribes scattered among them. As one contemporary observer remarked, 'If it were not for the fact that we have seen the proofs of what we are told, it would be impossible to believe that human nature could endure so much.' The hardships endured by those involved are remarkable, but equally compelling are the insights into island life, tribal relationships, and the dramatic impact of Western intervention. The arrival of foreigners -and particularly their guns -altered local power structures and warfare in ways that were both eye-opening and unsettling to witness.
I also enjoyed the smaller discoveries along the way (including finally learning the true meaning of "beachcomber"). Well researched and extensively referenced, this is a rewarding work of non-fiction. Although it is information dense, and I found it best read in shorter chunks despite its relatively modest length, the effort is worthwhile.
'...this is "one of the most complex and intriguing stories ever told...it spans mulitple years and islands and provides insights into the clash of cultures that attended the West's commercial onslaught in the Pacific'.
Part survival narrative, part anthropological study, the book offers a detailed look at the Palau Islands and the many tribes scattered among them. As one contemporary observer remarked, 'If it were not for the fact that we have seen the proofs of what we are told, it would be impossible to believe that human nature could endure so much.' The hardships endured by those involved are remarkable, but equally compelling are the insights into island life, tribal relationships, and the dramatic impact of Western intervention. The arrival of foreigners -and particularly their guns -altered local power structures and warfare in ways that were both eye-opening and unsettling to witness.
I also enjoyed the smaller discoveries along the way (including finally learning the true meaning of "beachcomber"). Well researched and extensively referenced, this is a rewarding work of non-fiction. Although it is information dense, and I found it best read in shorter chunks despite its relatively modest length, the effort is worthwhile.
'...this is "one of the most complex and intriguing stories ever told...it spans mulitple years and islands and provides insights into the clash of cultures that attended the West's commercial onslaught in the Pacific'.
May 11, 2026
After reading The Wager by David Grann a couple of years ago, I discovered that I really love tales of shipwrecks, castaways, and the high seas.
Enter: The Wreck of the Mentor.
This isn’t a book focused on the event of the wreck itself—in fact, it’s not even described in the book proper, but in the introduction! This book is about the crew and their arduous journey from wreck to captivity, and ultimately to either death or salvation.
The book starts off by setting the scene with some background on the time period and the region. Chapters on whaling, the indigenous peoples of Palau, and even other wrecks in the area occupy the first few chapters. I really enjoyed all of this, and it helped set up everything that comes next.
The crew is shipwrecked in an area of the West Pacific that is home to several tribes. Some are friendly, some are more hostile, and more than a few are at war with each other. The men are honored by some tribes and are treated with contempt from others. The author does a great job of laying out the history of why certain tribes are more inclined to welcome the men and others are not. They go through a lot.
I really loved how much ancillary history there is in this book. It’s almost like an overview of the history of the Palau Archipelago during the sailing age, with the crew of the Mentor as the through-line. None of it felt tedious or like a distraction from the main story. In the end, the tale of the Mentor was told, the crew had been accounted for, and I was left with a hunger for more tales of shipwrecks and nautical mishaps.
This book is fairly short at under 300 pages, and the pacing was perfect. Each chapter compels you toward the next, and it is positively packed with maps and images! I loved pouring over each one. This is a book that I will gladly pick up for my shelf when it
Enter: The Wreck of the Mentor.
This isn’t a book focused on the event of the wreck itself—in fact, it’s not even described in the book proper, but in the introduction! This book is about the crew and their arduous journey from wreck to captivity, and ultimately to either death or salvation.
The book starts off by setting the scene with some background on the time period and the region. Chapters on whaling, the indigenous peoples of Palau, and even other wrecks in the area occupy the first few chapters. I really enjoyed all of this, and it helped set up everything that comes next.
The crew is shipwrecked in an area of the West Pacific that is home to several tribes. Some are friendly, some are more hostile, and more than a few are at war with each other. The men are honored by some tribes and are treated with contempt from others. The author does a great job of laying out the history of why certain tribes are more inclined to welcome the men and others are not. They go through a lot.
I really loved how much ancillary history there is in this book. It’s almost like an overview of the history of the Palau Archipelago during the sailing age, with the crew of the Mentor as the through-line. None of it felt tedious or like a distraction from the main story. In the end, the tale of the Mentor was told, the crew had been accounted for, and I was left with a hunger for more tales of shipwrecks and nautical mishaps.
This book is fairly short at under 300 pages, and the pacing was perfect. Each chapter compels you toward the next, and it is positively packed with maps and images! I loved pouring over each one. This is a book that I will gladly pick up for my shelf when it
June 12, 2026
This is in interesting book that weaves a tale of the wreck of the whaling ship Mentor with the discovery and early politics of Palau. As always, Eric Jay Dolin tells a remarkable tale. The book tells of other shipwrecks in the area and the captivity of American and European castaways who fell into the hands of the Micronesians. Different groups of castaways had different experiences ranging from brotherly love over Koroese to slavery and starvation at the hands of the Tobians.
The book presents a study of the response men make in difficult situations. Sacrifice, honor, self-interest, greed, and cowardice are all on display in this tale of survival. The story of the people involved is certainly interesting. I found the early politics and relationships between Palauan ethnic groups and leverage to jockey for power to be even more fascinating.
If you like South Pacific history or seafaring tales this book is recommended. I also recommend it highly to fans of the author.
The book presents a study of the response men make in difficult situations. Sacrifice, honor, self-interest, greed, and cowardice are all on display in this tale of survival. The story of the people involved is certainly interesting. I found the early politics and relationships between Palauan ethnic groups and leverage to jockey for power to be even more fascinating.
If you like South Pacific history or seafaring tales this book is recommended. I also recommend it highly to fans of the author.
June 5, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐A Strong Shipwreck Story With Rich Historical Context
Shipwreck stories naturally interest me because they combine danger, survival, uncertainty, and the limits of human control at sea. I first noticed The Wreck of the Mentor by Eric Jay Dolin as a new release on Goodreads, and I also received it as an ARC from NetGalley. Over time, I have realized that I have read a number of shipwreck and maritime survival books, so this was already in an area of history that appeals to me. This book worked well because the wreck and survival story stayed central, while the broader historical context gave the events more weight. I finished it within half a day, which says a lot about how readable it was.
Dolin does a strong job balancing the immediate human drama with the larger world of the Age of Sail. This is not only a story about a shipwreck; it also deals with maritime danger, captivity, rescue, responsibility, and the wider historical forces surrounding ocean travel during this period. The research is excellent, and I especially appreciated the way Dolin makes careful inferences when the historical record is limited. He does not simply guess or overstate the evidence. Instead, he uses his research, along with a clear understanding of the life, culture, and conditions of the era, to explain what likely happened in a responsible and convincing way. That helped the book feel both readable and historically grounded.
My only real issues were pacing and visual support. There were moments where the book slowed down, and I would have appreciated more maps or visuals to better follow the geography and movement of the story. Captain Barnard stood out the most to me, though the book is more effective as a survival and maritime history than as a deeply character-centered narrative. Still, these are minor criticisms in an otherwise worthwhile read. I would wholeheartedly recommend The Wreck of the Mentor to readers interested in shipwrecks, maritime history, survival stories, captivity narratives, and the broader world of the Age of Sail. It is a strong maritime history that keeps the survival story at the center while still opening into a much larger historical world.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Eric Jay Dolin, and RB Media for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
#TheWreckoftheMentor #NetGalley
Shipwreck stories naturally interest me because they combine danger, survival, uncertainty, and the limits of human control at sea. I first noticed The Wreck of the Mentor by Eric Jay Dolin as a new release on Goodreads, and I also received it as an ARC from NetGalley. Over time, I have realized that I have read a number of shipwreck and maritime survival books, so this was already in an area of history that appeals to me. This book worked well because the wreck and survival story stayed central, while the broader historical context gave the events more weight. I finished it within half a day, which says a lot about how readable it was.
Dolin does a strong job balancing the immediate human drama with the larger world of the Age of Sail. This is not only a story about a shipwreck; it also deals with maritime danger, captivity, rescue, responsibility, and the wider historical forces surrounding ocean travel during this period. The research is excellent, and I especially appreciated the way Dolin makes careful inferences when the historical record is limited. He does not simply guess or overstate the evidence. Instead, he uses his research, along with a clear understanding of the life, culture, and conditions of the era, to explain what likely happened in a responsible and convincing way. That helped the book feel both readable and historically grounded.
My only real issues were pacing and visual support. There were moments where the book slowed down, and I would have appreciated more maps or visuals to better follow the geography and movement of the story. Captain Barnard stood out the most to me, though the book is more effective as a survival and maritime history than as a deeply character-centered narrative. Still, these are minor criticisms in an otherwise worthwhile read. I would wholeheartedly recommend The Wreck of the Mentor to readers interested in shipwrecks, maritime history, survival stories, captivity narratives, and the broader world of the Age of Sail. It is a strong maritime history that keeps the survival story at the center while still opening into a much larger historical world.
Thank you to NetGalley, author Eric Jay Dolin, and RB Media for an ARC in exchange for an honest review
#TheWreckoftheMentor #NetGalley
June 26, 2026
Never been happier to be a landlubber.
June 23, 2026
Nothing says summer like a shipwreck saga!
Richly textured and easy to digest. While I wouldn’t call it “gripping” (it still felt like traditional nonfiction to me) it moves along very well and includes lots of contextual information that places a 1832 shipwreck within its broader cultural, social, and political context.
Richly textured and easy to digest. While I wouldn’t call it “gripping” (it still felt like traditional nonfiction to me) it moves along very well and includes lots of contextual information that places a 1832 shipwreck within its broader cultural, social, and political context.
June 16, 2026
I think that this is an important book that values the way Indigenous peoples in the Caroline Islands cared for and reacted to the actions of Europeans in their territory. I think it is expertly researched and I think Dolin did everything he could to bring indigenous actions and histories forward. However, ultimately, I think it loses its underlying narrative and therefor some of its impact. It does recover that narrative a bit at the end, for the survivors of the Mentor, but in the middle its lost in the overall framework.
I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Libro.FM and Pop Fiction Bookstore, an independent and woman-owned bookstore in Omaha. Order books (e/audio/print) online from Pop Fiction or your local bookstore at Libro.Fm and Bookshop.org
I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Libro.FM and Pop Fiction Bookstore, an independent and woman-owned bookstore in Omaha. Order books (e/audio/print) online from Pop Fiction or your local bookstore at Libro.Fm and Bookshop.org
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June 7, 2026THE WRECK OF THE MENTOR is a succinct and interesting account of a little known (at least it was to me) whaling ship that ran aground on a coral reef coast of Palau. Having enjoyed several of Dolin’s other books, as well as Nathaniel Philbrick’s stunner IN THE HEART OF THE SEA, I knew this would be a winner for me. Plus, I read this while rewatching a season of Survivor that took place in Palau…doubly exciting. Highly recommend Eric Jay Dolin’s books for all seafaring readers 🤓
June 23, 2026
An interesting 2026 non fiction read about a whaling ship out of New England in 1835 that wrecked on an island in an area we now know as Indonesia. The account of the Mentor’s crew, when enslaved by indigenous tribes, was good reading but the author is not in the same category as other maritime authors such as Hampton Sides or Alfred Lansing or David Grann. Those authors made non fiction read like fiction. Author Eric Jay Dolin takes on too many side stories to the main tale that distracted from his narrative account. He also overused footnotes in his telling - at times with a page with 1/3 text and 2/3 footnotes. That’s a personal pet peeve for this reader.
June 15, 2026
3.5
I love a history book about sailing and ships encountering misadventure, and this one felt well researched and was interesting as I haven't read any about whaling and about Micronesia yet. I enjoyed reading about Palau and the politics of the archipelago in the mid 1800s, but there were many, many digressions to tell the stories of other ships... which at times meant I wasn't quite sure what was happening to the Mentor anymore. Still, a very enjoyable read.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
I love a history book about sailing and ships encountering misadventure, and this one felt well researched and was interesting as I haven't read any about whaling and about Micronesia yet. I enjoyed reading about Palau and the politics of the archipelago in the mid 1800s, but there were many, many digressions to tell the stories of other ships... which at times meant I wasn't quite sure what was happening to the Mentor anymore. Still, a very enjoyable read.
Free ARC sent by Netgalley.
May 20, 2026
For reasons not entirely known to myself, I have read quite a number of books about shipwrecks and castaways in the past few years. Maybe it’s the intrigue that the abnormality of such a scenario presents when compared to the world of constant contact and information we live in today. “The Wreck of the Mentor” describes a tale of men on a whaling expedition who become shipwrecked and lost to their homes, some surviving, but the majority perishing. However, this book differs from others in that the wreck itself is less the focus of the story, than the place in which the story of the Mentor lies.
The author begins by immediately presenting the events of the wreck, and with that out of the way we are introduced to the background of the particular men who sailed the Mentor. We then learn about their place in 1830s America, and particularly the importance, peculiarities, and most prescient, the dangers of the whaling industry. We then learn of the survivors fate as they are rescued/captured/ransomed by the local Pacific Island population. Throughout this narrative, the author intersperses other accounts of shipwrecks and interactions between the Western world and the Pacific Island population. This is really where the strength of this book resides. While the main storyline is of the Mentor and its crew’s fate, the overarching emphasis of the book is the impact that the Western shipping, trading, and whaling industries had on local populations as cultures clashed and political power was influenced by new weapons, new disease, and the competing agendas of both parties. The book itself is a swift read, but it is loaded with interesting and thought provoking information, and was one I really enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley, Liveright Publishing, and W.W. Norton & Co. for an advanced reader’s copy.
The author begins by immediately presenting the events of the wreck, and with that out of the way we are introduced to the background of the particular men who sailed the Mentor. We then learn about their place in 1830s America, and particularly the importance, peculiarities, and most prescient, the dangers of the whaling industry. We then learn of the survivors fate as they are rescued/captured/ransomed by the local Pacific Island population. Throughout this narrative, the author intersperses other accounts of shipwrecks and interactions between the Western world and the Pacific Island population. This is really where the strength of this book resides. While the main storyline is of the Mentor and its crew’s fate, the overarching emphasis of the book is the impact that the Western shipping, trading, and whaling industries had on local populations as cultures clashed and political power was influenced by new weapons, new disease, and the competing agendas of both parties. The book itself is a swift read, but it is loaded with interesting and thought provoking information, and was one I really enjoyed.
Thank you to NetGalley, Liveright Publishing, and W.W. Norton & Co. for an advanced reader’s copy.
June 24, 2026
First, thanks so much to NetGalley for an ARC!
I always enjoy a shipwreck book; it's one of my favorite sub-genres of nonfiction.
I will say that this book begins very abruptly with the wreck and doesn't really give much context as to why the ship is in the South Seas, nor who the crewmen are. I would have liked a bit more development before jumping right into the action.
The story was definitely brutal and very interesting. I appreciate the author's use of primary sources. I do think that the story jumped around a bit and meandered with stories of other shipwrecks which became a tad bit difficult to keep track of. It also dove into the history of Palau which was something I had never learned about!
The writing is pretty straightforward and is more of "just the facts", which I can appreciate.
Overall, this was an interesting read and I would recommend this to people who are looking to dip their toes into nonfiction.
I always enjoy a shipwreck book; it's one of my favorite sub-genres of nonfiction.
I will say that this book begins very abruptly with the wreck and doesn't really give much context as to why the ship is in the South Seas, nor who the crewmen are. I would have liked a bit more development before jumping right into the action.
The story was definitely brutal and very interesting. I appreciate the author's use of primary sources. I do think that the story jumped around a bit and meandered with stories of other shipwrecks which became a tad bit difficult to keep track of. It also dove into the history of Palau which was something I had never learned about!
The writing is pretty straightforward and is more of "just the facts", which I can appreciate.
Overall, this was an interesting read and I would recommend this to people who are looking to dip their toes into nonfiction.
July 16, 2026
Fine. Maybe a bit too much liberty with thoughts/reactions to novel-fy the story. Ultimately forgettable.
May 11, 2026
The author E. A. Dolin certainly knows how to spin a great story about the high seas! His research has really paid off in this great book, The Wreck of The Mentor. It’s a miracle that anyone survived. He brings the characters to real life! This is a harrowing tale of survival! Crashing on a reef, losing their ship, somehow making it ashore, dealing with the natives and finding food and water is a true testament to the survivors.
June 20, 2026
This historical nonfiction book is not so much about “the wreck of the Mentor” as it is about what became of the men who were aboard—i.e., the experiences they had living among various native Pacific islanders. To me the most interesting parts of the book were those describing the American whaling industry and the seafaring life. My only real problem with the book was that it seemed to skip from one ship and one wreck to another. I found this quite confusing and probably made more so because I listened to the book on Audible.
March 26, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.
This book tells the story of the American whale ship The Mentor that crashed in the Pacific in 1832. The surviving crew end up in Palau, where they face culture shock and warring factions. This book is very well-researched but a bit dense. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I think anyone who is a fan of exploration history will also enjoy it.
This book tells the story of the American whale ship The Mentor that crashed in the Pacific in 1832. The surviving crew end up in Palau, where they face culture shock and warring factions. This book is very well-researched but a bit dense. Overall, I enjoyed it, and I think anyone who is a fan of exploration history will also enjoy it.
June 24, 2026
Oh how I love [even while feeling for the shipmen dealing with all the encounter and being V E R Y glad that I didn't have to be there] a good shipwreck book, and this one fits that bill very well. I was already a fan of this author, and this book just cements that admiration.
This book is different than most shipwreck books in that the focus is on the 'after' and all the crew endures with some surviving, and many not [it was a very arduous time for everyone involved and affected the survivors for the rest of their lives].
I learned a lot about that area of the world [Palau Archipelago] and how negotiations went when they were trying to get some of the men home [spoiler - it was harrowing and tense and did not always go they way they planned].
Well-written and researched, this relatively short book packs a real punch and is filled with the kind of details that are often missed in bigger books, and is entertaining, engrossing, and an excellent read.
L.J. Ganser is spectacular narrator, on my top list of narrators and does a brilliant job here. If you are looking for a really good narrator and a story that will make you shudder and your toes curl, this audiobook is 100% for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Jay Dolan, L.J. Ganser - Narrator, W.W. Norton & Company/Liveright, and RB Media/Recorded Books for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
This book is different than most shipwreck books in that the focus is on the 'after' and all the crew endures with some surviving, and many not [it was a very arduous time for everyone involved and affected the survivors for the rest of their lives].
I learned a lot about that area of the world [Palau Archipelago] and how negotiations went when they were trying to get some of the men home [spoiler - it was harrowing and tense and did not always go they way they planned].
Well-written and researched, this relatively short book packs a real punch and is filled with the kind of details that are often missed in bigger books, and is entertaining, engrossing, and an excellent read.
L.J. Ganser is spectacular narrator, on my top list of narrators and does a brilliant job here. If you are looking for a really good narrator and a story that will make you shudder and your toes curl, this audiobook is 100% for you!
Thank you to NetGalley, Eric Jay Dolan, L.J. Ganser - Narrator, W.W. Norton & Company/Liveright, and RB Media/Recorded Books for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2026
Way back in 2023 one of my Goodreads friends (Thanks, Christine) wrote an excellent review of The Wager by David Grann. I wouldn't have read it without that enthusiastic recommendation because I couldn't imagine liking it. I read it, and I really liked it. It sort of got me hooked on books about maritime disasters, and I wouldn't have predicted that. The Wreck of the Mentor features the elements I've come to realize that I like about these books. Eleven surviving crew members of a whaling ship wind up on a tiny remote island in 1832. The indigenous people of Palau, an archipelago of over 500 islands east of the Philippines, capture them. Eric Jay Dolin vividly describes the tribe's black teeth, strange language, and fierce conflicts. The men of the Mentor are there for years, following the controversial escape of their captain. Eventually they are rescued by a British merchant ship. Dolin includes many illustrations and maps, adding interest to the story.
July 9, 2026
Very detailed & well researched but this book didn’t work for me. Having read Wise Wide Sea ( brilliant) & The Wager, I was looking for another similar story. Unfortunately this one did not live up to the others. The book didn’t not flow, too much background story that seemed like filler. A lot of this seemed like filler to me. How they got off the island was almost anti climactic. By that time, I was ready to be done with it. If you are interested in this type of story, highly recommend either The Wager or Especially, Wide Wide sea.
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June 29, 20263,5*
June 27, 2026
This is in "edible aquatic" books because cannibalism. Humans is edible too.
June 25, 2026
A solidly interesting tale of maritime woe. I didn't know much about Palau or Palauan politics in the age of discovery/colonization, so I enjoyed it. The audio production was excellent, thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC.
July 9, 2026
Not a typical shipwreck book, more of a history of the island nations in and around Palau. Information on intertribal relations, negotiations, island politics, and western nations attempts to rescue various stranded sailors. All very interesting, but if you are looking for a gripping nautical tale, this isn't it.
June 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and WW Norton & Co for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall probably 3.5-3.75, but rounding up to 4 rather than down to 3 on the strength of the writer.
A well researched book on what the author admitted was not a lot of source material. I enjoyed the history aspect of the book, and enjoyed how the author tried to bring in stories of other shipwrecks to boost the narrative.
Overall while this was an interesting book to learn about what happened, it seemed like I have read this story before regarding shipwrecks in the pacific during the early 19th century. This is not a dig at the author as the writing is great, it’s that the subject matter, in my opinion, was pretty thin.
For a causal history fan, they will probably have the same reaction as me where I felt “while interesting, not sure I gained much from it.”
Lastly, and this is more on the actual file, but the formatting was very difficult to follow. I’m sure this will be cleaned up for final publication, but perhaps future files from the publisher can stand some formatting revisions
Overall probably 3.5-3.75, but rounding up to 4 rather than down to 3 on the strength of the writer.
A well researched book on what the author admitted was not a lot of source material. I enjoyed the history aspect of the book, and enjoyed how the author tried to bring in stories of other shipwrecks to boost the narrative.
Overall while this was an interesting book to learn about what happened, it seemed like I have read this story before regarding shipwrecks in the pacific during the early 19th century. This is not a dig at the author as the writing is great, it’s that the subject matter, in my opinion, was pretty thin.
For a causal history fan, they will probably have the same reaction as me where I felt “while interesting, not sure I gained much from it.”
Lastly, and this is more on the actual file, but the formatting was very difficult to follow. I’m sure this will be cleaned up for final publication, but perhaps future files from the publisher can stand some formatting revisions
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July 17, 2026The composite rating for this book on Goodreads is currently 3.71, and that’s about what rating I would give it. Maybe 3.5 to 3.70, something like that. So I’m rounding up to 4 stars. This is the second book I’ve read by Eric Jay Dolin and, like the first book I read, “Left For Dead,” this is good, but not great, nonfiction maritime history writing. Like “Left For Dead,” this book is very short (205 pages). The wreck of the American whaleship Mentor in 1832 is at the center of the story, but the book also fills a lot of pages with short treatments of numerous other historical shipwrecks in the Palau archipelago. If you’re interested in maritime history, particularly “Age of Sail” history, then it’s an interesting enough story, but hopefully you can get the book from your public library, like I did.
July 4, 2026
All other shipwreck books I have read focused on tales of human survival versus extreme nature. The story of the Mentor is Americans (our main story) and Brits (in the past) navigating indigenous cultures and feuds. It was more politics heavy than I expected with endless accounts of negotiating. After a while this made the book less interesting to me. But I really appreciated how the author presented the bias in his research/sources, and I learned a lot about the Palau Islands.
I received a free copy of the audio book narrated by L.J. Ganser, who did a great job, from RBmedia and Recorded Books through NetGalley.
I received a free copy of the audio book narrated by L.J. Ganser, who did a great job, from RBmedia and Recorded Books through NetGalley.
July 6, 2026
The actual story in this one finishes at about 70%, with the remainder being copies of photographic plates, paintings etc that are relevant to the story, and then a large reference section.
After foundering, the crew of the Mentor arrive on island(s) populated by various native peoples, and the varying treatment of the castaways by the tribes. And yes, the irony that when rescued, those who were left complained of being treated as slaves (to an outcry back at home) by their captors. When the crew went home, to 1830s America. Right. They missed that one.
After foundering, the crew of the Mentor arrive on island(s) populated by various native peoples, and the varying treatment of the castaways by the tribes. And yes, the irony that when rescued, those who were left complained of being treated as slaves (to an outcry back at home) by their captors. When the crew went home, to 1830s America. Right. They missed that one.
July 7, 2026
I really enjoy maritime and shipwreck books, this one was pretty decent. Most shipwreck books are man vs nature whereas this one was man vs man in a sense, whaling ship leaves New England and crashes in the archipelago of Palau. The Americans learn to live with then indigenous people of Micronesia. Became difficult at times to try and keep track of all the characters.
July 12, 2026
I'm afraid I've read way too many shipwreck books at this point. This one is entertaining, but I could not get over his descriptions of the "natives." Dolin gives a little explanation at the beginning, saying how had to rely on Western sources, but that doesn't make up for how he lets the descriptions in those Western sources dominate his portrayal of the island folks.
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