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Mutiny on the Bounty: A saga of sex, sedition, mayhem and mutiny, and survival against extraordinary odds
The mutiny on HMS Bounty, in the South Pacific on 28 April 1789, is one of history's truly great stories - a tale of human drama, intrigue and adventure of the highest order - and in the hands of Peter FitzSimons it comes to life as never before.Commissioned by the Royal Navy to collect breadfruit plants from Tahiti and take them to the West Indies, the Bounty's crew found themselves in a tropical paradise. Five months later, they did not want to leave. Under the leadership of Fletcher Christian most of the crew mutinied soon after sailing from Tahiti, setting Captain William Bligh and 18 loyal crewmen adrift in a small open boat. In one of history's great feats of seamanship, Bligh navigated this tiny vessel for 3618 nautical miles to Timor.Fletcher Christian and the mutineers sailed back to Tahiti, where most remained and were later tried for mutiny. But Christian, along with eight fellow mutineers and some Tahitian men and women, sailed off into the unknown, eventually discovering the isolated Pitcairn Island - at the time not even marked on British maps - and settling there.This astonishing story is historical adventure at its very best, encompassing the mutiny, Bligh's monumental achievement in navigating to safety, and Fletcher Christian and the mutineers' own epic journey from the sensual paradise of Tahiti to the outpost of Pitcairn Island. The mutineers' descendants live on Pitcairn to this day, amid swirling stories and rumours of past sexual transgressions and present-day repercussions. Mutiny on the Bounty is a sprawling, dramatic tale of intrigue, bravery and sheer boldness, told with the accuracy of historical detail and total command of story that are Peter FitzSimons' trademarks.
780 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
350 people are currently reading
2164 people want to read
About the author
Peter FitzSimons
79 books479 followersPeter FitzSimons is one of Australia’s most prominent and successful media and publishing identities. His busy professional life involves co-hosting the breakfast program on Sydney's Radio 2UE, writing weekly columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers, appearing on Foxtel's Back Page television show and, when time permits, authoring best-selling books. A correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph as well, he is also in high demand as a guest speaker and presenter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
August 28, 2019
This is a work of narrative non-fiction that puts fiction to shame. I read a lot of non-fiction, yet I have never come across a writer who tells an account this interestingly.
I tried reading Caroline Alexander's book on the Bounty a few years back and it bored me to tears. I accepted defeat when Bligh landed at Batavia after the mutiny. To be honest, that book put me off the whole Bounty affair for a while.
But when I saw FitzSimons' book on the subject, the masochist in me (who appears from time to time) demanded that I give it a go. And for the first time in my life, it worked. The book is fantastic.
Fitzsimons enjoys writing. I am not sure many non-fiction writers do. Or rather most write for themselves. Fitzsimons writes for the reader.
Don't get me wrong; I do enjoy reading books that read more like a doctoral thesis than an attempt to reach out to the readers. I enjoy reading Clay Blair Jr.'s hilariously dry 1000 page mammoths on submarine warfare.
But that is macro history. Micro histories need to be told in a readable format. And if this book is anything to go by, I think FitzSimons has a knack of doing that.
I realise I haven't said anything about the book in the review. The book is written in a chronological order with hilarious quips (often juvenile) from the author. Some bores might find the humor needless, but since I am the most humorous person around (or so my mom tells me), I liked it quite a lot.
If you are looking for one book to read about the Bounty Mutiny, this is it.
December 17, 2018
You know how you see those questions on social media about who you’d like to have at your dinner party? I want Peter Fitzsimons at mine. He is one entertaining man. I’ve been buying his books for my father for years now, but this is the first time I have cracked one open for myself. It will not be the last. Sorry Dad, you’re not getting this one! Mutiny on the Bounty is without doubt the most entertaining book of history I have ever read. Anyone who says history is boring needs to regard it through the Fitzsimons gaze. Grounded in fact (just check out the footnotes!), yet told in the present tense, he has constructed this historical account in the manner of a novel. Creative non-fiction – is that even a thing? I love it. Mutiny on the Bounty is a huge book, but it rollicks along with sharp wit, meticulous detail, entertaining exchanges, and a tangible sense of atmosphere.
‘They comprise a fairly typical rogues’ gallery of men who have built their lives sailing the Seven Seas, whoring, fighting, drinking, pissing razor blades with venereal disease, occasionally wielding swords and muskets in shore fights, suffering scurvy, sleeping damp and hot with rats and lice, eating weevils at every meal, swabbing decks, heaving ropes, tying knots until their fingers bleed, shinnying up masts, setting sails, and standing watch as the waves crash, the wind blows, the lightning bolts strike, and the ship surges onward beneath the starry skies and searing suns alike.’
Captain Bligh must be one of the most ridiculous human beings to have ever inhabited the earth. There’s no disputing his navigational brilliance; truly, this man sailed from a point of abandonment in the Pacific Ocean all the way to Timor, 3168 nautical miles (which is a heck of a long way), in an open boat that was crammed with 18 other people. Yet, as humbling as this experience may have been, Bligh remained a jerk throughout, and the most astonishing part of this daring journey was that all of the 18 men stuck in the boat with him resisted the urge to toss him overboard.
‘Captain Bligh is not pleased, and, as ever, expresses his discontent with much the same passion, and even much the same noise, as an exploding volcano.’
Peter captures, through a variety of consulted sources, the true flavour of Bligh’s character. He’s done a superb job at giving balance to a very unbalanced man. There was a risk of Bligh becoming a caricature, and while I laughed a lot at Bligh, I still felt as though I got a good sense of who he was. He was rather brilliant and instinctively in tune with navigation. What he lacked in people skills he made up in bluster.
‘Yes, among the most famous of the miracles of Jesus Christ was turning water into wine. Well, Bligh has performed a miracle of his own, healing a cripple by turning most of his wine into water!’
The mutiny itself was an extraordinary event, but so was all that followed after. I love a good deserted island story, I have to say, and knowing that this was all real was an absolute bonus. Pitcairn Island has a rather horrifying history, and the way they were all going for a while there, it’s amazing they actually survived. I did a little reading up on Pitcairn after I finished this book, and it’s not a pretty history, particularly its most recent affairs. But it is fascinating, to think of those original inhabitants, hiding out from the Royal British Navy, as the beginnings of a new society. I was a little shocked and disappointed about Christian’s fate, but fact is fact.
Mutiny on the Bounty is a vastly comprehensive book, with nothing left unexplored. I loved that about it, that people didn’t just drop off the radar. We got to know what (supposedly) happened to everyone, before, during, and after the mutiny. The ripple effect of the mutiny was depicted with precision. You’d never really normally consider a 600+ page history book entertaining reading that you devour from cover to cover, but this is exactly what Mutiny on the Bounty is. With the inclusion of colour photographs along with maps and other visual aids, Peter has written a book that contributes greatly to the historical accounts of this amazing event. And it’s funny. Really, genuinely, funny. Which is why I’m inviting Peter to dinner. I highly recommend Mutiny on the Bounty to all readers, and it would make a great gift this Christmas – except for you Dad, sorry, because it took me longer than anticipated to read and I needed to get your parcel in the mail. Birthday, then?
‘He seems so…angry. Well, come to think of it, they had left him in a tub in the middle of the ocean with few supplies and a maniacal commander, laughing and cheering as they sailed away, but still…’
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of Mutiny on the Bounty for review.
‘They comprise a fairly typical rogues’ gallery of men who have built their lives sailing the Seven Seas, whoring, fighting, drinking, pissing razor blades with venereal disease, occasionally wielding swords and muskets in shore fights, suffering scurvy, sleeping damp and hot with rats and lice, eating weevils at every meal, swabbing decks, heaving ropes, tying knots until their fingers bleed, shinnying up masts, setting sails, and standing watch as the waves crash, the wind blows, the lightning bolts strike, and the ship surges onward beneath the starry skies and searing suns alike.’
Captain Bligh must be one of the most ridiculous human beings to have ever inhabited the earth. There’s no disputing his navigational brilliance; truly, this man sailed from a point of abandonment in the Pacific Ocean all the way to Timor, 3168 nautical miles (which is a heck of a long way), in an open boat that was crammed with 18 other people. Yet, as humbling as this experience may have been, Bligh remained a jerk throughout, and the most astonishing part of this daring journey was that all of the 18 men stuck in the boat with him resisted the urge to toss him overboard.
‘Captain Bligh is not pleased, and, as ever, expresses his discontent with much the same passion, and even much the same noise, as an exploding volcano.’
Peter captures, through a variety of consulted sources, the true flavour of Bligh’s character. He’s done a superb job at giving balance to a very unbalanced man. There was a risk of Bligh becoming a caricature, and while I laughed a lot at Bligh, I still felt as though I got a good sense of who he was. He was rather brilliant and instinctively in tune with navigation. What he lacked in people skills he made up in bluster.
‘Yes, among the most famous of the miracles of Jesus Christ was turning water into wine. Well, Bligh has performed a miracle of his own, healing a cripple by turning most of his wine into water!’
The mutiny itself was an extraordinary event, but so was all that followed after. I love a good deserted island story, I have to say, and knowing that this was all real was an absolute bonus. Pitcairn Island has a rather horrifying history, and the way they were all going for a while there, it’s amazing they actually survived. I did a little reading up on Pitcairn after I finished this book, and it’s not a pretty history, particularly its most recent affairs. But it is fascinating, to think of those original inhabitants, hiding out from the Royal British Navy, as the beginnings of a new society. I was a little shocked and disappointed about Christian’s fate, but fact is fact.
Mutiny on the Bounty is a vastly comprehensive book, with nothing left unexplored. I loved that about it, that people didn’t just drop off the radar. We got to know what (supposedly) happened to everyone, before, during, and after the mutiny. The ripple effect of the mutiny was depicted with precision. You’d never really normally consider a 600+ page history book entertaining reading that you devour from cover to cover, but this is exactly what Mutiny on the Bounty is. With the inclusion of colour photographs along with maps and other visual aids, Peter has written a book that contributes greatly to the historical accounts of this amazing event. And it’s funny. Really, genuinely, funny. Which is why I’m inviting Peter to dinner. I highly recommend Mutiny on the Bounty to all readers, and it would make a great gift this Christmas – except for you Dad, sorry, because it took me longer than anticipated to read and I needed to get your parcel in the mail. Birthday, then?
‘He seems so…angry. Well, come to think of it, they had left him in a tub in the middle of the ocean with few supplies and a maniacal commander, laughing and cheering as they sailed away, but still…’
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of Mutiny on the Bounty for review.
April 15, 2025
Like several other stories involving the Royal Navy during that period, this is another amazing one. And not just that, but the turns of the story keep going in new and unexpected directions. There are: the crazy mission, the previous Cook voyage and murder, the betrayals, the sexual paradise, the never ending violence, the strangest survival story in an open boat, the brilliant navigators, the natives and their culture, the revenges, and so on. However, my favorite part of this book was the strong characters and especially that of Captain Bligh. The guy was almost completely responsible for the mutiny on his ship and he was a horrible person; but on the other hand he was a brilliant navigator and warrior. This type of character is something that we no longer see these days.
August 12, 2020
It is not very often that one finds a historical non-fiction book as compelling as a great novel, but in this case Peter Fitzsimons has done just that. Based on years of research and access to a trove of logs and letters from those involved, the author has woven a story of wonderful detail, with deeds of treachery, villainy, murder, lust and above all the indomitable spirit of human survival.
The story of HMS Bounty, Captain William Bligh and Fletcher Christian are by now a classic study of the effects of tyranny and honour, intertwined with the basest human instincts of survival and fear against deprivation and the forces of nature.
Written as a narrative, the author gets to the heart of the matters and emotions of each of the characters, and commendably so noting the large assortment of characters, ranging from the most famous Captain Cook and Joseph Banks, to South Pacific island natives, to the rag tag collection of officers and men of HMS Bounty.
This is truly an amazing story, very much a page turner, that takes the reader to the high seas in the late 18th century, through raging storms to the paradise that is Tahiti. Idyllic, sensual, a true paradise, only to have a figurative storm that resulted in a hastily planned mutiny. The story weaves an incredible tale of survival for the deposed Captain Bligh and band of loyalists that are cast adrift on a small open boat, a story of survival that alone could fill a book. The author does well putting the reader inside the heads of the complex lead characters, Bligh possessing brilliance mixed with tyrannical rage versus the men’s man Christian who is pushed beyond his mental limits to breaking point, only to spend the rest of his life suffering from anxiety and depression over what he had undertaken.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and often disturbing story of the human spirit, bold, adventurous, touching, only to have the darkest of human nature come to the fore and destroy everything. Above all it’s a true story of the times, cruel, brutish and dangerous.
Highly recommend for lovers of maritime history, 18th century British history and exploration in the age of colonial conquest. Do note that it is written as a narrative, novelistic style which may not suit all readers, especially those who prefer more scholarly accounts of history.
The story of HMS Bounty, Captain William Bligh and Fletcher Christian are by now a classic study of the effects of tyranny and honour, intertwined with the basest human instincts of survival and fear against deprivation and the forces of nature.
Written as a narrative, the author gets to the heart of the matters and emotions of each of the characters, and commendably so noting the large assortment of characters, ranging from the most famous Captain Cook and Joseph Banks, to South Pacific island natives, to the rag tag collection of officers and men of HMS Bounty.
This is truly an amazing story, very much a page turner, that takes the reader to the high seas in the late 18th century, through raging storms to the paradise that is Tahiti. Idyllic, sensual, a true paradise, only to have a figurative storm that resulted in a hastily planned mutiny. The story weaves an incredible tale of survival for the deposed Captain Bligh and band of loyalists that are cast adrift on a small open boat, a story of survival that alone could fill a book. The author does well putting the reader inside the heads of the complex lead characters, Bligh possessing brilliance mixed with tyrannical rage versus the men’s man Christian who is pushed beyond his mental limits to breaking point, only to spend the rest of his life suffering from anxiety and depression over what he had undertaken.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable and often disturbing story of the human spirit, bold, adventurous, touching, only to have the darkest of human nature come to the fore and destroy everything. Above all it’s a true story of the times, cruel, brutish and dangerous.
Highly recommend for lovers of maritime history, 18th century British history and exploration in the age of colonial conquest. Do note that it is written as a narrative, novelistic style which may not suit all readers, especially those who prefer more scholarly accounts of history.
March 19, 2023
Peter Fitzsimmon’s writing style continues to irk me, but for every dozen obvious repetitive turns of phrase, there are occasional clever and rewarding passages that come out of nowhere. Despite the author’s shortcomings, The Mutiny on the Bounty is a fascinating read thanks to its subject matter. What intrigued me the most, to my surprise, was not the the mutiny itself, noteworthy in its own right, but the story of the mutineers post-mutiny and the events that unfolded on Pitcairn Island. Sensational stuff and well worth digging in to.
November 16, 2025
i feel like i need to return to this story in the future, just penned by someone who is not too prone to literary spasms.
May 8, 2020
Peter FitzSimons raised the stakes with this book suggesting that Mutiny on the Bounty was one of the most compelling stories of all time.
As a history buff with a long time interest in the story I was intrigued.
As apiece of history entertainment it was all there, but did get mighty dreary in parts.
It certainly did not live up to the author’s hype and his projection about writing a work on William Bligh did not capture my interest.
Please don’t be put off. You will find detailed historical material, based on good research woven into a good story.
Bligh’s navigation skills are well detailed and the amazing story of survival is well written. There is good information about Bligh’s court marshall and the subsequent capture and trial of the mutineers in Tahiti.
Somehow however there was something missing in this book. Maybe the problem was that the text was written primarily to entertain rather than as well written history.
Analysis and key problems and issues were not presented.
The mutiny was contextualised around personalities and factual information such as the lack of a complement of marines on The Bounty were ignored.
There was insufficient discussion of the source of authority on naval vessels of the period and how loyalty and discipline was maintained.
The underpinning of the purpose of the voyage and discussion of the devastation that Europeans brought to the Pacific was little acknowledged. Ultimately this was a voyage to support slavery and the economic interests of profiteers.
The Bounty was a voyage of exploitation and the behaviour of the crew supported by the British Admiralty bought significant suffering to the people and the islands and the crew themselves.
I’m intrigued to read some further about the sexual practices of Tahiti that FitzSimons outlines. My sense is that the author has adopted a weak and stereotypical view based upon rather poor research. (I need to read further on this.)
Bligh’s personality was much discussed and the author was forth coming with the view that William Bligh was a terrible leader, a tyrant and a “brilliant bastard like they don’t make anymore”.
I suspect that serious “Bounty” readers would be disappointed with this book.
If you have become a fan of Peter FitzSimons prolific tomes you’ll enjoy “The Mutiny on the Bounty”. I have found his other books, especially “Ned Kelly: The Saga of Australia’s Most Notorious Legend” extremely good and still have interesting his other titles.
As a history buff with a long time interest in the story I was intrigued.
As apiece of history entertainment it was all there, but did get mighty dreary in parts.
It certainly did not live up to the author’s hype and his projection about writing a work on William Bligh did not capture my interest.
Please don’t be put off. You will find detailed historical material, based on good research woven into a good story.
Bligh’s navigation skills are well detailed and the amazing story of survival is well written. There is good information about Bligh’s court marshall and the subsequent capture and trial of the mutineers in Tahiti.
Somehow however there was something missing in this book. Maybe the problem was that the text was written primarily to entertain rather than as well written history.
Analysis and key problems and issues were not presented.
The mutiny was contextualised around personalities and factual information such as the lack of a complement of marines on The Bounty were ignored.
There was insufficient discussion of the source of authority on naval vessels of the period and how loyalty and discipline was maintained.
The underpinning of the purpose of the voyage and discussion of the devastation that Europeans brought to the Pacific was little acknowledged. Ultimately this was a voyage to support slavery and the economic interests of profiteers.
The Bounty was a voyage of exploitation and the behaviour of the crew supported by the British Admiralty bought significant suffering to the people and the islands and the crew themselves.
I’m intrigued to read some further about the sexual practices of Tahiti that FitzSimons outlines. My sense is that the author has adopted a weak and stereotypical view based upon rather poor research. (I need to read further on this.)
Bligh’s personality was much discussed and the author was forth coming with the view that William Bligh was a terrible leader, a tyrant and a “brilliant bastard like they don’t make anymore”.
I suspect that serious “Bounty” readers would be disappointed with this book.
If you have become a fan of Peter FitzSimons prolific tomes you’ll enjoy “The Mutiny on the Bounty”. I have found his other books, especially “Ned Kelly: The Saga of Australia’s Most Notorious Legend” extremely good and still have interesting his other titles.
March 16, 2025
A twisting and fascinating story told in a really engaging narrative non fiction format. The story itself is engrossing and the storytelling complements it well.
Really recommend to anyone wanting an epic true story. Shoutout to Kirah for recommendation 😁
Really recommend to anyone wanting an epic true story. Shoutout to Kirah for recommendation 😁
February 1, 2019
Absolutely brilliant! If you thought you knew the story, I guarantee you will be astonished to find how little you really do know. The amount of research that must have gone into this, boggles the mind, but FitzSimons has left no stone unturned.
The narration by Michael Carman was superlative and I believe this is one of those times where the audiobook would be a more enjoyable experience than the physical book.
The narration by Michael Carman was superlative and I believe this is one of those times where the audiobook would be a more enjoyable experience than the physical book.
January 6, 2024
Might just be the greatest story ever told
January 21, 2019
What a story
Admittedly this is my first time reading anything by Peter FitzSimons, but I'm sure there will be many more to come.
I loved this book and the way it was written.
I had no idea there was so much more to this story.
A cracking read.
Admittedly this is my first time reading anything by Peter FitzSimons, but I'm sure there will be many more to come.
I loved this book and the way it was written.
I had no idea there was so much more to this story.
A cracking read.
May 13, 2025
Soooo, ignore me, whilst I mark The Wager down a couple of stars...
March 13, 2025
What do you know about Tahiti? I've never been there and had some vague notion of an island or group of islands in the South Pacific. That was my entire understanding of the place until I read this book, Mutiny on the Bounty. Now my eyes are opened and I know a lot more about Tahitian culture and history than I thought I ever would. For that, I'm grateful.
One of the great things about reading is the opportunity to know about places and people I otherwise wouldn't have been aware of. Not that I'd want to really know the infamous Captain William Bligh. He sounds like the kind of man I'd like to stay away from. It was apparently his vile temper that caused the problems on his ship, the HMS Bounty, in April 1789. He had a habit of failing to control the vitriol that came out of his heart, head and mouth.
I believe everyone is a unique mixture of good and bad. William Bligh definitely had his good side as well. He was an expert navigator and cartographer. He was placed on ships from early childhood and was therefore extremely familiar with the sailing life. He was also a talented writer whose autobiographical account of the mutiny became a bestseller in England months before anyone with an opposing point of view returned home.
I listened to this as an audiobook but at times wished I had a hardcover version. The book is 613 pages and the audiobook lasted 22 hours! I wondered if there were illustrations in the hardcover that I missed by only listening. Also, there were a few sections I think I could have followed better if I'd had a book open in front of me.
The narrator was fine - I didn't have a problem listening to him for the most part. There were a few sections where he described sex-related incidents in Tahiti and used a salacious tone of voice I could have done without. I cannot say this is an entirely "clean" book because of these very few passages that were apparently brought forth from the account penned by William Bligh.
This book tells the history of the mutiny, its causes and the aftermath in detail. It is comprehensive and fascinating. I recommend this book to anyone interested in nautical history.
One of the great things about reading is the opportunity to know about places and people I otherwise wouldn't have been aware of. Not that I'd want to really know the infamous Captain William Bligh. He sounds like the kind of man I'd like to stay away from. It was apparently his vile temper that caused the problems on his ship, the HMS Bounty, in April 1789. He had a habit of failing to control the vitriol that came out of his heart, head and mouth.
I believe everyone is a unique mixture of good and bad. William Bligh definitely had his good side as well. He was an expert navigator and cartographer. He was placed on ships from early childhood and was therefore extremely familiar with the sailing life. He was also a talented writer whose autobiographical account of the mutiny became a bestseller in England months before anyone with an opposing point of view returned home.
I listened to this as an audiobook but at times wished I had a hardcover version. The book is 613 pages and the audiobook lasted 22 hours! I wondered if there were illustrations in the hardcover that I missed by only listening. Also, there were a few sections I think I could have followed better if I'd had a book open in front of me.
The narrator was fine - I didn't have a problem listening to him for the most part. There were a few sections where he described sex-related incidents in Tahiti and used a salacious tone of voice I could have done without. I cannot say this is an entirely "clean" book because of these very few passages that were apparently brought forth from the account penned by William Bligh.
This book tells the history of the mutiny, its causes and the aftermath in detail. It is comprehensive and fascinating. I recommend this book to anyone interested in nautical history.
October 19, 2025
Fun fact: I actually went to school with some Pitcairn Islanders (and it was a relatively small school so I did indeed know them and had classes with one of them). Doing some sleuthing (it's less creepy than it sounds - their mum is a notable figure on the island so has a Wikipedia article), I discovered that they are indeed descendants of Fletcher Christian, so that was a fun thing to have in my brain while listening to this book.
I actually knew very little about the Mutiny on the Bounty before this book, so I enjoyed learning a lot. The narrator as well was excellent and did a wonderful job at keeping me hooked. Not one I'd sit down and read, but fantastic to listen to while doing jobs around the house.
I actually knew very little about the Mutiny on the Bounty before this book, so I enjoyed learning a lot. The narrator as well was excellent and did a wonderful job at keeping me hooked. Not one I'd sit down and read, but fantastic to listen to while doing jobs around the house.
November 18, 2025
I put off on reading this for a long time, choosing other shipwreck/mutiny stores before it, because I had felt the story had been played out as there were numerous books and at least two US movie releases on the topic.
I shouldn’t have put it off. The story is truly remarkable, suspenseful, and of course factual - with consistent developments throughout the years of travel and retribution. These are well portrayed in Peter Fitzsimmons writing style, a more “dramatic” approach that reads more like a fiction than a historical account, which is atypical for me but I enjoyed it a lot.
Highly recommend 👍
I shouldn’t have put it off. The story is truly remarkable, suspenseful, and of course factual - with consistent developments throughout the years of travel and retribution. These are well portrayed in Peter Fitzsimmons writing style, a more “dramatic” approach that reads more like a fiction than a historical account, which is atypical for me but I enjoyed it a lot.
Highly recommend 👍
May 4, 2021
This was like, buy one mutiny get several and also a bunch of other betrayals free! An engaging, riveting work of nonfiction to rival Erik Larsen tbh. I chugged through on two work days and was fully entertained. The conspiracy theories at the end were fun too!
November 20, 2019
Listened to on Audible, EXCELLENTLY read by Michael Carmen. I knew nothing of this story until it was briefly referenced in a book I listened to recently so I decided to look it up. Captivating saga with the lovable toss pot Cpt. Bligh at the centre! A must read for survival fans
January 13, 2019
One of the best books I’ve ever read!
January 16, 2019
Absolutely tremendous. As soon as I finished reading it, I wanted to read it again. A tale so incredible, that one can hardly believe that it is indeed true.
January 21, 2019
As the Aussies say "what a bloody ripper"!
I have to agree it is probably one of the best tales I've read.
I have to agree it is probably one of the best tales I've read.
February 26, 2019
i found the history fascinating, but the style of writing off-putting.
November 11, 2023
Good book - poor Fletcher Christian just needed a hug. Captain Blythe needed a bullet.
December 13, 2022
Overall: 4 stars. A very well-researched and very extensive account of the Mutiny on the Bounty
Audiobook Note: This is one of those books that feels like it’s meant to be listened to. The author makes a lot of use of repetition and onomatopoeia which I imagine lacks the punch when you’re just reading it. The narrator is also quite good; I’ve listened to him read another nonfiction work, and his performance here is much, much better.
I only knew a little bit about the Bounty before beginning this book (and what I did know came from the Rasputina song “Cage in a Cave” which I will always recommend because Rasputina is boss). This book is going to teach you about not only the mutiny but also the British Navy in general, the history of British exploration and colonization of the Pacific, the history and culture of Tahiti, the West Indies slave trade. In other words, this is a *tome* of a book and you get a lot of knowledge packed into it. If you want “just the facts,” then this isn’t for you. This book is much more a cultural history of the topics it covers.
I’m dinging this book a few points, so to speak, because sometimes the writing - especially the author’s very elaborate metaphors and allusions - ran away from him and didn’t really seem to serve the story. They were just long, “poetic” asides. I also wish the book had covered a little bit more about the “epilogue” of the mutiny and its impact on pop culture: what has life been like for Pitcairn Islanders in the 200+ years since the island was colonize by mutineers? How do we go from the contemporaneous impression of the mutiny which places Bligh as a hero facing off against rebellious scoundrels to a 20th century one in which Hollywood hunks play Christian Fletcher, leading a just rebellion? In other words, despite being a real big book, I feel like it was still incomplete and could have done the after-effects of the mutiny more justice.
In sum: if you like relatively postmodern/progressive takes on colonial history and maritime disasters, then this is for you. Give the audiobook a try though; I think the narration is worth the time.
Audiobook Note: This is one of those books that feels like it’s meant to be listened to. The author makes a lot of use of repetition and onomatopoeia which I imagine lacks the punch when you’re just reading it. The narrator is also quite good; I’ve listened to him read another nonfiction work, and his performance here is much, much better.
I only knew a little bit about the Bounty before beginning this book (and what I did know came from the Rasputina song “Cage in a Cave” which I will always recommend because Rasputina is boss). This book is going to teach you about not only the mutiny but also the British Navy in general, the history of British exploration and colonization of the Pacific, the history and culture of Tahiti, the West Indies slave trade. In other words, this is a *tome* of a book and you get a lot of knowledge packed into it. If you want “just the facts,” then this isn’t for you. This book is much more a cultural history of the topics it covers.
I’m dinging this book a few points, so to speak, because sometimes the writing - especially the author’s very elaborate metaphors and allusions - ran away from him and didn’t really seem to serve the story. They were just long, “poetic” asides. I also wish the book had covered a little bit more about the “epilogue” of the mutiny and its impact on pop culture: what has life been like for Pitcairn Islanders in the 200+ years since the island was colonize by mutineers? How do we go from the contemporaneous impression of the mutiny which places Bligh as a hero facing off against rebellious scoundrels to a 20th century one in which Hollywood hunks play Christian Fletcher, leading a just rebellion? In other words, despite being a real big book, I feel like it was still incomplete and could have done the after-effects of the mutiny more justice.
In sum: if you like relatively postmodern/progressive takes on colonial history and maritime disasters, then this is for you. Give the audiobook a try though; I think the narration is worth the time.
December 2, 2025
Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian.
On return from Tahiti bread fruit acquisition, mutiny took place.
The Bounty returns to Tahiti with Christian and the Mutineers.
Bligh and the loyalists make it 4000 miles in the Launch, a small open boat. Incredible feat.
In Tahiti, the mutineers part, as Christian and others fear if Bligh makes it to England a ship will be sent to Tahiti to arrest and bring them to England for their trial and hanging.
Fletcher Christian and his friends make it to Pitcairn island, where he and the rest of the mutineers live out the rest of their lives.
Bligh comes back to England a national hero. He’s sent back to finish his initial mission of acquiring bread fruit. (The British are looking for an inexpensive and nutritious food source for slaves.)
A ship, The Pandora, is sent from England to Tahiti to capture the remaining mutineers and return them back to England to stand trial. They are successful. In Tahiti, the Pandora also takes the boat built on site by James Morrison: the Resolution. The Pandora crashes. The Resolution survives. The men make it to Jakarta.
From Jakarta the mutineers are taken back to England to stand trial. Some are exonerated others hang.
After years living on Pitcairn island, several ships make it to the island, but Fletcher Christian has died, and the people are living peaceably. Alec Smith is the sole surviving mutineer. Lots of mistrust and murder between the Tahitians and the mutineers hiding from justice.
Tonga connection: Went to Tofoa (Ha’apai) and volcano erupted, also to Namuka, where Bligh and his men were nearly killed by natives.
On return from Tahiti bread fruit acquisition, mutiny took place.
The Bounty returns to Tahiti with Christian and the Mutineers.
Bligh and the loyalists make it 4000 miles in the Launch, a small open boat. Incredible feat.
In Tahiti, the mutineers part, as Christian and others fear if Bligh makes it to England a ship will be sent to Tahiti to arrest and bring them to England for their trial and hanging.
Fletcher Christian and his friends make it to Pitcairn island, where he and the rest of the mutineers live out the rest of their lives.
Bligh comes back to England a national hero. He’s sent back to finish his initial mission of acquiring bread fruit. (The British are looking for an inexpensive and nutritious food source for slaves.)
A ship, The Pandora, is sent from England to Tahiti to capture the remaining mutineers and return them back to England to stand trial. They are successful. In Tahiti, the Pandora also takes the boat built on site by James Morrison: the Resolution. The Pandora crashes. The Resolution survives. The men make it to Jakarta.
From Jakarta the mutineers are taken back to England to stand trial. Some are exonerated others hang.
After years living on Pitcairn island, several ships make it to the island, but Fletcher Christian has died, and the people are living peaceably. Alec Smith is the sole surviving mutineer. Lots of mistrust and murder between the Tahitians and the mutineers hiding from justice.
Tonga connection: Went to Tofoa (Ha’apai) and volcano erupted, also to Namuka, where Bligh and his men were nearly killed by natives.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2023
Apparently Fitzsimmons is a big deal in Australia, but I had never heard of him. My first interaction with him was through a ChatGPT recommendation for sea disaster books for a top secret project that I might do.
For me, I find tragedy and exploration at sea to be a fascinating topic. To hear how people survive the unsurvivable, but also the way tragedy strikes innocuously. The story of the HMS Bounty fits all these is nigh unbelievable if it wasn’t so well attested historically. Probably it is the most widely known mutiny.
It is so well known because of all the characters from the domineering captain to the beloved second in command who eventually breaks. There is war, money, scandal, murder and the apparent paradise of Tahiti, which eventually loses its luster due to murder and once mutineer, always a mutineer. I hesitate to say more about the book. It is a wonderful historically accurate imaginative retelling that leaves you wondering what will happen next.
93% Captain Blythe
For me, I find tragedy and exploration at sea to be a fascinating topic. To hear how people survive the unsurvivable, but also the way tragedy strikes innocuously. The story of the HMS Bounty fits all these is nigh unbelievable if it wasn’t so well attested historically. Probably it is the most widely known mutiny.
It is so well known because of all the characters from the domineering captain to the beloved second in command who eventually breaks. There is war, money, scandal, murder and the apparent paradise of Tahiti, which eventually loses its luster due to murder and once mutineer, always a mutineer. I hesitate to say more about the book. It is a wonderful historically accurate imaginative retelling that leaves you wondering what will happen next.
93% Captain Blythe
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March 16, 2025A wildly unbelievable, but miraculously true story, carefully-researched and brought to life through well crafted narrative non-fiction by Peter Fitzsimmons.
A true romp on the high seas! And a character any writer would have dreamed of creating… alas, the author cannot take credit for Captain Bly’s documented petulance, but Fitzsimmons does the tale justice by communicating the story of this remarkably disruptive villain in a thorough and memorable way. I’m glad to have learnt about this extraordinary tale.
My only desire, as someone with an interest in ships, would have been more intricate detail about life and daily happenings onboard the various boats, and explanations of the sailors’ roles. And, for example, for a modern day reader… just how normal seafaring life includes some 200 pigs and a hundred other livestock aboard a ‘small’ vessel, plus firewood, food, supplies, weapons, 50 crew, and some 1000 trees… travelling many thousands of miles. But! I do recognise, in this fully laden narrative, there simply would not have been space to fit anything else aboard.
A true romp on the high seas! And a character any writer would have dreamed of creating… alas, the author cannot take credit for Captain Bly’s documented petulance, but Fitzsimmons does the tale justice by communicating the story of this remarkably disruptive villain in a thorough and memorable way. I’m glad to have learnt about this extraordinary tale.
My only desire, as someone with an interest in ships, would have been more intricate detail about life and daily happenings onboard the various boats, and explanations of the sailors’ roles. And, for example, for a modern day reader… just how normal seafaring life includes some 200 pigs and a hundred other livestock aboard a ‘small’ vessel, plus firewood, food, supplies, weapons, 50 crew, and some 1000 trees… travelling many thousands of miles. But! I do recognise, in this fully laden narrative, there simply would not have been space to fit anything else aboard.
February 3, 2024
I am sure this story will upset some people, and make others extremely happy, depending on which way your mind goes in relation to who was the real villain, and who was the victim. You can't make everyone happy Peter.
I found the book to be an extremely excellent read. Fascinating in parts, and in some components paid both Bligh and Christian due respect for their respective immense talents, and bravery. However, there was a definite lean towards one that was difficult to miss. I am not saying any more as I believe that would be a spoiler alert. Read the book to find out, you will not be disappointed.
I found Peter's circumstantial, and slightly conspiratorial theoretic, assessment of what 'might be' in the prologue extremely interesting and to be honest, almost had me convinced, and maybe a little more than almost.
Great book, Peter, highly interesting, educational, and entertaining read. Thank you.
I found the book to be an extremely excellent read. Fascinating in parts, and in some components paid both Bligh and Christian due respect for their respective immense talents, and bravery. However, there was a definite lean towards one that was difficult to miss. I am not saying any more as I believe that would be a spoiler alert. Read the book to find out, you will not be disappointed.
I found Peter's circumstantial, and slightly conspiratorial theoretic, assessment of what 'might be' in the prologue extremely interesting and to be honest, almost had me convinced, and maybe a little more than almost.
Great book, Peter, highly interesting, educational, and entertaining read. Thank you.
May 3, 2024
A really interesting insight into this saga. We get a good understanding of each character. For example, I found that, while at times, Fletcher Christian has been portrayed as some romantic hero, there’s much more behind him. He was reluctant to mutiny in the first place and was plagued with guilt ever more.
Bligh comes over as a very complicated man. He had his strengths and assets, incredibly navigating thousands of miles in a small boat. But, he would have been unbearable to work under. This mutiny was not the only one he was the cause of.
An interesting narrative and portrayal of these infamous events. Leaving enough room for our own conclusions and further reading if we wish.
Bligh comes over as a very complicated man. He had his strengths and assets, incredibly navigating thousands of miles in a small boat. But, he would have been unbearable to work under. This mutiny was not the only one he was the cause of.
An interesting narrative and portrayal of these infamous events. Leaving enough room for our own conclusions and further reading if we wish.
July 8, 2025
this was extensive! the choice of writing the facts in present tense and the style of fitzsimons made it a very easy and flowing reading experience that i quite enjoyed. i do have a few gripes about the women in the story. only one ever got to tell her story and i‘m not even sure fitzsimons ever directly quoted her. i have doubts as to how much the women where willing participants in some of the events. especially towards the end.
still, i think the verbal disputes between blight, fryer and purcell must have been some of the best parts of the book.
still, i think the verbal disputes between blight, fryer and purcell must have been some of the best parts of the book.
March 10, 2020
This is an extraordinary, fascinating story and Fitzsimmons' account of it is very engaging. It is well researched (actually, it seems very well researched to me) but has been put together as a dramatic narrative, somewhat in the style of a novel. The author's particular view of things (both the exploration of the Pacific and Bligh himself) is quite clear. I particularly enjoyed the exploration of conspiracy theories in the short epilogue. If you're interested in this era, and all the mystery and intrigue associated with the famous mutiny, this is very much worth reading.
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