Mutiny on the Bounty

I have read other books about the Bounty story, written over the last 40 years, but this is the best researched, best written, and most compelling I have read. Fitzsimons had access to manuscripts and logs that previous writers did not. He is also a gifted writer, and imbues the story with suspense. I was privileged many years ago to view the Bounty’s ship log, penned by Bligh, up to an including the mutiny. It was housed at the State Library of NSW, in Sydney. This one of the greatest seafaring stories ever, and told masterfully.

What an amazingly researched telling of this story. Incredible depth and a vigorous energy throughout. So much more to the story than I’d ever imagined.

As a big fan of the Laughton movie, I was anxious to learn more about the event and particularly details about what happened after the mutiny, especially Bligh's astonishing achievement in getting his tiny boat to Timor. The book contains ample information on this and, given the numerous references quoted, once can assume this to be authoritative.I was disappointed in the nature of the text. This authoritative history was written in the style of a novel and largely in the present tense. This seems the author's characteristic style. It is an unorthodox way of presenting history, but I did not find it offputting.The problems for me were several.1. The book is too long. There is an enormous amount of trivia which could have been trimmed back significantly with no loss of vital information.2. The violence is overplayed in the book. There was a much larger incidence of murder than I had anticipated. Whereas a novel might go into gruesome detail of heads being smashed open by rocks etc, a history book needs little more than an account of who killed whom and in what circumstances.3. The sexual activity is presented a form of romantic novel. The Tahitian women were not only stunningly beautiful, but also indiscriminate in their availability to the British sailors. This raises three questions, only one of which was addressed. That was the issue of sexually transmitted disease. The book reports it as being widespread and that the men had to pay for their own treatment. I'd have been curious to know what treatment was available at the end of the 18th Century, but the book skips over that. There appear to have been numerous pregnancies inevitably resulting, but what did the Tahitian women know of safe periods? Finally, there is no mention of the reaction of Tahitian men on seeing their women so freely available to these foreign intruders.My biggest complaint about the book was that the post-mutiny section was written in diary format. So we are given a date and then given (usually) three different stories for that date: (i) Bligh and his fellow loyalists, (ii) Christian and those who accompanied him to Pitcairn and (iii) Heywood and the others who stayed on Tahiti.It was irksome to read day-by-day snippets of the activities of each of these groups. I would much rather have read have read three full accounts.I am glad I persevered to the end of the book. I learnt a great deal from it - significantly more than I had hoped for. But, for the reasons given here, it was rather harder work than it should have been.

The subject matter is incredibly interesting and fascinating. I love this author’s writing with his irreverent humor. Excellent book!!

This is a well researched, well documented, and well written book. It is the best one which offers details as to what really happened. The details discussed in the epilog are a real shocker. This is a must read.

An excellent book, which takes a very detailed look at every aspect of this amazing story.

Even though I could not put this book down until it was finished, I have to admit that FitzSimons tone of narration bothered me. His little play on words and efforts at being witty, at least during the first part of the book, were grating on my nerves. Luckily, he finally settles down into a very tolerable manner of story-telling. And I can’t fault his diligence in his research and documentation in the least. Honestly, I haven’t read an account of the Mutiny on the Bounty before. Now I feel like I’m going to be reading other accounts of this mind-boggling, yet true, adventure story for the ages for the rest of my life. This is one of those stories that will be remembered alongside the Greek mythologies…but with the added advantage of copious documentation of its authenticity. Definitely worth purchasing.

Wow, wonderful book, in that it is tremendously well researched, educational, & amazingly entertaining. Fear not that the book is not at all like the movie for this is a true scholarly pursuit of facts over conspiracy theories. I took time out after reading book #16 of the fictional maritime Aubrey-Maturin series to learn more about Captains Bligh & Cook since they are often referenced. Glad I did because my knowledge of the 18th century British Navy has been enhanced significantly with a better understanding of navigation, mapping uncharted waters, scurvy, discipline, maritime law, sailing hazards, & free Polynesian sex.

I have to admit that my heart sank (no nautical pun intended) when I saw this book was written in the present tense, and still further when I discovered that dialogue has been invented to convey the gist of what was said by the crew before, during and after the mutiny. I was fully expecting to give up after a few dozen pages as I like my history to be authentic and adding dialogue seemed to me to detract from this.However, I really enjoyed this book. The present tense and the dialogue all help you visualise being there, with dramatic events unfolding before your eyes. It's very well researched, so whereas the dialogue isn't word for word it does indeed convey the gist of conversations which actually took place.It is very well written, despite my original misgivings. It manages to follow the fortunes of all the crew without getting confusing, and although it paints Bligh warts and all he is not portrayed as a one dimensional pantomime villain; the book shows glimmers of the better man he could have been but for his white hot temper and his conviction that most of his crew failed his own impossibly high standards of seamanship. It also gives him credit for his outstanding seamanship in getting a dangerously overloaded and under-victualled long-boat home on a 4000 mile journey, whilst also showing his petty vindictiveness evidenced by his treatment of Fryer when they finally reach land.In short, I was expecting this book to be a car crash for the reasons mentioned above, but it turned out to be a Formula One classic: highly readable, highly informative and despite the invented dialogue this is still very much a history book and NOT historical fiction.In short, well worth a read.

Paperback versionIf you're into maritime history, this is an excellent read. Told as if it's a novel, but well researched, historically accurate, and often witty, Peter Fitzsimmons is a storyteller par excellence. History comes to life.

A readable account of the story of the famous mutiny on the bounty.

I’ve not read a book by Peter FitzSimons before so was unfamiliar with his writing style. He is eminently readable and the history rolls along like a crackling novel. He takes great care to flesh out the characters, to the point when you see the portraits at the end you think “ ah, there you are.”I think this is a balanced book, it follows the timeline from various primary sources and knits them skilfully together. He takes care not to assume, not to sensationalise, not to presume. I like that. Does he come down on one side or the other?I don’t think so.He tries to include everyone involved - even the Blind Fiddler - who played no part really, but was THERE.The British Admiralty and the 18-19thC class system does not fare well - but do they ever? Draconian regulations, harsh penalties, strict rules - and then there is the Admiralty....It does also explain ALOT about the very unfortunate situation the Pitcairn Islanders got themselves into in the 1990s and the subsequent court cases.For a book that spans 1770 to 1995 - not bad at all! I really recommend it.

Fascinating story, well told