This book tells the story of the yacht Mignonette, which left South Hampton on May 19, 1884, heading for Australia. At some point on the voyage, the yacht ran into severe weather off the coast of West Africa. A massive forty foot wave slammed into the yacht, sinking it. The crew were adrift at sea in a small emergency life boat. Adrift at sea with no supplies or hope of rescue, the captain made the decision to murder the youngest member of the crew, Richard Parker, who was delirious from hunger and thirst. Without giving away much more about their experiences, the crew took part in "the custom of the sea".

I love disaster books, and I would say that this particular shipwreck counts as a disaster book. I had never heard of this particular shipwreck situation before. I found this book at my local used book store for a dollar, which is my favorite type of purchase. I was pleased with the writing style of this book, as well as the attention to detail. I enjoyed this book. If you are into naval history or shipwrecks, I would recommend checking this one out if you get a chance.